How to Make Baguettes

We love to make fresh baguettes at home.  So delicious warm out of the oven!  The ingredients are very simple – unbleached bread flour, instant yeast, fine sea salt and water.  Keep reading for more details:

In order to make delicious baguettes at home you have to start with the best available ingredients.  Use the unbleached bread flour for the best flavor.  If you can not find instant yeast for the baguettes increase the amount of yeast by 150% – so instead of using just one teaspoon instant yeast use 1.5 teaspoons active dry yeast.  I mix and knead my baguette dough in a 14-cup Cuisinart food processor, but they can also be made using a Bosch mixer, kitchenaid mixer or even made by hand.  The recipe and method are outlined in one of my favorite cookbooks of all time, “The Best Bread Ever” by Charles Van Over.  Unfortunately this book is out of print and hard to locate.  In this book Charles Van Over shows how to mix and knead baguettes in under a minute in the food processor.  He explains that the best flavor and texture come when the dough is allowed to complete the second rise (fermentation) in the refrigerator over night.  When possible I do this to improve the flavor of the bread.  For convenience I will summarize what he details in over 20 pages of his book.

Ingredients needed for making Baguettes

Here is a chart showing the amount of bread flour, yeast, fine sea salt and water used when making baguettes. This making 3 inch wide by 15 inch long baguettes in a standard baguette pan measuring 16 inches x 9 inches with 3 inch wide wells for the baguettes.  Adjust as needed for a larger pan.

*Depending on your climate you may need more or less water.  I am working in an arid climate so I slightly increase the amount of water to make a stretchy and slightly sticky dough.  Take notes each time you make baguettes until you understand the feel of the dough.  It is less dense than most doughs for sandwich breads.

Step 1 – How to make Baguettes – Mix and knead the dough

In all photos I am preparing a 750 g three baguette recipe.

Food processor method:  My favorite way to mix and knead dough for baguettes is in a 14 cup Cuisinart food processor.  For this method start by processing the flour, yeast and fine sea salt.  Add cool water in a slow stream while the machine is mixing.  Once the dough comes together, knead the dough by running the machine for another 45 seconds.  The dough should be soft and stretchy and there should not be visible flecks of salt and yeast.  Continue as directed.

Standing mixer method:  For a Bosch, Kithenaid or other standing mixer start by mixing the yeast with warm water and waiting five minutes for the yeast to dissolve and activate.  Add the fine sea salt and the flour one cup at a time, until the dough comes together and scrapes the side of the bowl.  Knead as directed by manufacturers instructions.  Dough will be soft, stretchy and uniform.  It will be rather sticky.  Continue as directed.

Mixing by hand:  In a large bowl activate yeast in warm water.  Add salt and flour slowly, about one cup at a time.  Mix the dough with a large spoon when only half of the flour has been added.  As the dough starts to come together, knead on the counter with the remaining flour for at least 5 minutes.  Dough should be as described above.  Continue as directed.

Step 2 – How to make Baguettes – Allow dough to rise

As outlined in photo 2, place dough in a large bowl or plastic container to rise.  Keep the dough at room temperature (around 70 degrees F) for 1-2 hours or until doubled.  Be sure dough does not dry out.  I cover my baguette dough with saran wrap coated in cooking spray.  I then cover the entire container with a damp cloth.

Step 3 – How to make Baguettes – Allow dough to rest

As shown in photo 3, dough has doubled.  Carefully remove the dough from the container and allow it to rest for about 15-20 minutes on the counter.  This allows the gluten to relax making it easy to form the baguette shape.  Keep the dough covered during this step.

Step 4 – How to make Baguettes – Separate the dough

For the standard 9 inch by 16 inch triple baguette pan cut the dough into thirds.  If you are using a wider double baguette pan cut the dough in half.

Step 5 – How to make Baguettes – Make the first letter fold

In picture 5, I am forming the baguette by gently flattening the dough and folding it from the top to the bottom, pinching the dough about 2/3 of the way down.  This is usually referred to as a letter fold.

Step 6 – How to make Baguettes – Turn dough 180 degrees and Make the second letter fold

Turn the dough 180 degrees.  Again, working from the top, fold the dough down 2/3 of the way and pinch to close.

Step 7 – How to make Baguettes – Fold the dough in half

Last, fold the dough in half.  Each one of these folds is important in the final outcome of the baguette as it traps little pockets of air within the baguette.

Step 8 – How to make Baguettes – Pinch to seal the dough

After two letter folds and a final fold in half, pinch the entire baguette to seal the folds.  This does not have to be perfect.  If done correctly the baguette is lengthened in the process.

Step 9 – How to make Baguettes – Allow dough to proof & preheat oven

Proofing is another name for a dough’s second rise.  Cover a baking sheet with cooking spray and cornmeal and gently place the formed loaves seem side down.  Cover with a lint free cloth or saran wrap covered in cooking spray so the dough does not dry out during the process.  If the dough is going to be used the same day, allow the dough to rise for about an hour at room temperature.  For improved flavor and texture, cover the dough carefully and allow it to ‘ferment’ or slowly rise over night in the refrigerator. I rarely have the patience for this step, but love the results from a long slow final rise.   At the end of proofing, dough will be about 50% larger – do not expect the baguettes to double.  When touched, the dough will slowly spring back.  If it took your dough 2 hours to double in the first step, proofing at room temperature will take about an hour, or roughly half the amount of time needed for the first rise.

If the loaves were allowed to ferment in the refrigerater, make sure they are around 60/62 degrees F before baking.  This usually takes about 30 minutes at room temperature.

*Preheat the oven to 475 degrees F.  If available place a baking stone at the bottom of the oven.  Fill a small cast iron pot or frying pan with water to create steam in the oven for baking.

Step 10 & Step 11 – How to make Baguettes – The baguettes are ready for the oven

As shown in picture 10, the baguettes have risen and are ready for the oven.  Carefully move the baguettes off of the cookie sheet on to the baguette pan.  (DO NOT proof the dough on the baguette pan.  The dough rises into the little holes and the entire baguette gets stuck in the pan).  Dust the baguettes with flour.  Quickly slash the dough using a razor, box cutter or french lame.  The slashes should go more than half way through the loaf.  Slash the dough moments before the dough goes into the oven as the dough will quickly grow back together.  Do not be afraid of ruining the dough with a razor.  I have found the deep slashes make the prettiest baguettes.

Step 12 – How to make Baguettes – Bake the baguettes in a steamy oven

There is no one right way to turn your oven into a steam oven.  Just don’t ruin your oven in the process.  Refer to the manufacturers instructions.  I use a small cast iron filled pan with hot water to create steam in my oven.  You can also add ice to the cast iron dish at the last second before baking to create steam.  DO NOT use a glass pyrex.  I have broken several in creating steam in the oven.  Another method involves spraying the oven 7 or 8 times at the beginning and 5 minutes into the baking of the baguette.  So for the best crusty texture make sure the oven is nice and steamy.

The oven should be preheated to 475 F.  Place the baguette pan in the center of the oven and reduce the oven temperature to 450 F.  Bake for two minutes.  Add additional hot water to the cast iron pan.  Continue baking for another 20-22 minutes or until the exterior is a dark golden brown.  The interior should sound hollow when tapped.  The internal temperature of the dough should be 205-210 F when tested with an instant read thermometer.

Cool before slicing and serving.

Baguettes are delicious warmed just before dinner.  Preheat oven to 375 F.  Place bread on the rack and heat for 6 to 8 minutes.  The crust should be crisp and the interior moist and fluffy.  If you freeze the bread, thaw at room temperature for 10 minutes before reheating.  Frozen bread may take 8-10 minutes to warm in the oven.

I love kitchen tools!!! I could not have made these baguettes without some of my all time kitchen favorites: