Classic French Baguette (Baguette)
Baguette Say it: bah-GET
The baguette is France’s iconic long, thin loaf, with a shatteringly crisp crust and an airy, chewy crumb. It is eaten across France, especially in Paris, at everyday meals and picnics, torn or sliced alongside butter, cheese, charcuterie, soups, and salads. Good baguettes rely on a wet, slowly risen dough, gentle shaping, and a hot oven with steam to open the scores and set a blistered crust. The flavor is mild and wheaty with a faint sweetness and a satisfying crackle when you press the crust.
Classic French Baguette (Baguette)
Baguette
Pronounced bah-GET
- Serves
- 4
- Prep
- 3 hr
- Cook
- 25 min
- Total
- 3 hr 25 min
- Level
- Medium
Also nut-free and egg-free.
Allergens: contains gluten. Check labels on packaged ingredients.
Ingredients
Amounts are scaled. Cooking times and pan sizes stay the same.
Dough
For shaping and baking
Method
In a large bowl, whisk the 4 cups (500 g) bread flour with the 1 1/2 cups (360 ml) cool water until a shaggy dough forms. Cover and rest for 20 minutes.
Sprinkle the instant yeast and sea salt over the dough, squeeze and fold until fully absorbed, then turn out and knead for 8-10 minutes, until smooth, elastic, and only slightly tacky.
Cover and let rise at room temperature for 1 1/2 to 2 hours, until doubled and domed. During the first 90 minutes, give the dough three sets of folds at 30-minute intervals: wet your hand, lift one side of the dough, and fold it over the center.
Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface using some of the 1/4 cup (30 g) dusting flour. Divide into 4 equal pieces (about 7 3/4 oz/220 g each), preshape each into a loose log, and rest seam-side down for 20 minutes.
Shape each piece. flatten into a rough rectangle, fold the long sides into the center, pinch the seam, then roll into a 14-15 inch (35-38 cm) log with tapered ends. Set seam-side down on a floured linen couche or thick towel, pleating the cloth between loaves.
Cover and proof for 45-60 minutes, until the loaves look puffy and a light finger press springs back slowly. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 475°F (245°C) with a baking stone or inverted baking sheet on the middle rack and a shallow metal pan on the bottom rack.
Transfer one or two loaves seam-side down to a floured peel or parchment, score 3-5 long shallow slashes along the top at a slight angle, and slide onto the hot stone. Pour the 1 cup (240 ml) hot water into the bottom pan, close the oven door, and bake for 12 minutes.
Remove the steam pan, lower the oven to 450°F (230°C), and bake 12-15 minutes more, until the crust is deep golden brown, blistered, and the loaves sound hollow when tapped underneath. Cool completely on a wire rack before slicing.
Regional variant: Baguette de Tradition (Baguette de tradition française)
Make an overnight poolish by mixing 1 cup (125 g) of the flour, 1/2 cup (120 ml) of the water, and a pinch of the yeast; cover and ferment for 12 hours at cool room temperature. Mix the poolish with the remaining flour, water, salt, and only 1 teaspoon (3 g) instant yeast, then proceed with a longer, colder rise of 8-12 hours in the refrigerator before shaping. The result is a slightly tangier, more irregular crumb; bake as directed.
Cook's notes
- A sticky, wet dough is correct for baguette; use wet hands and a bench scraper rather than adding much flour.
- Steam in the first minutes is what lets the scores open into a crisp, blistered crust.
- For the best crackle, cool the loaves uncovered on a rack; a plastic bag will soften the crust.
Serve with
Butter, jam, cheese, pâté, charcuterie, soup, or salad.
Make ahead and storage
Best eaten the same day. Reheat at 350°F (175°C) for 5 minutes, or freeze baked baguettes for up to 1 month and refresh in a hot oven.
