RecipesHomemade French baguette
Do you also find everything expensive in stores, including bread, the price of which we didn’t care about for years? Now everything is different. A lot of people therefore bake fresh homemade bread at home, as it is a relatively simple and fragrant activity. And if you were to go for a real French baguette, you would have to pull something around a hundred from your wallet. That’s why we bring you an absolutely amazing recipe for a French baguette, which, if you master it, will bring you significantly closer to real France. So let’s get to it.
Ingredients (what you need)
315 g all-purpose flour + for dusting
1 teaspoon instant yeast
2 teaspoons salt
180 ml lukewarm water
sunflower oil for greasing
180 g all-purpose flour (for the sourdough starter)
180 ml lukewarm water (for the sourdough starter)
pinch instant yeast (for the sourdough starter)
Recipe steps
The starter is fundamental. In a bowl, mix a pinch of instant yeast and flour in lukewarm water. Knead it into a smooth dough. Cover and let it rest at room temperature for 12 to 16 hours. The starter will become larger, liquid, sticky, and have bubbles on its surface.
After this long period, mix instant yeast, flour, salt, lukewarm water, and the prepared starter. Knead it into a smooth dough, which will take about 5 to 10 minutes with a stand mixer. Transfer it to an oiled plastic bowl, cover it, and let it rest for 45 minutes. After this time, gently scrunch the dough with wet hands. Stretch it, fold it left, right, up, and down.
Let it rest for another 45 minutes. If you have time, repeat the scrunching (see the previous point) and let it rest for 30 minutes. Transfer the risen dough to a floured surface and divide it into three parts. Shape each into a round, cover them, and let them rest for another 10 minutes.
Then shape each round into a baguette.
Place the baguettes on a floured linen cloth, with a cloth in between so they don’t touch each other. Let them rise for 1.5 to 2 hours. Then, lightly score the top, just like you know French baguettes from the stores.
Preheat the oven to 250 °C. Place a deep tray at the bottom of the oven, into which you will pour water during baking. Transfer the baguettes from the cloth to a hot baking stone, place them in the oven, and at the same time pour 100–150 ml of hot water into the deep tray. Close the oven immediately. After 10 minutes, open it to vent and allow the baguettes to brown. Once cooled, enjoy your meal.
Additional information about the recipe Homemade French baguette
Homemade French Baguette is an iconic bread that evokes the scent of the streets of Paris. Its crunchy, golden crust and soft crumb inside offer a delightful experience. Making a homemade baguette requires quality ingredients: flour, water, yeast, and salt. The key is thorough kneading and allowing enough time for fermentation, which ensures its lightness and fluffiness. It’s wonderful fresh with butter or jam, but also serves as a great base for sandwiches. Baking at home allows for control over flavor and texture, so you can enjoy an authentic French experience right from your oven.
Tomas Rohlena
Tomas Rohlena is a versatile personality with a broad perspective. He is a great fan of food and occasional cooking. He is also interested in gourmet experiences in restaurants. Every Sunday, his family looks forward to his regular lunch that he prepares for them.
