Baguettes: DO try this at home.
Baguettes. Crusty, golden… unattainable-except-from-an-artisan-bakery baguettes.
Not so. And we’re here to prove it to you.
The late Prof. Raymond Calvel, France’s acclaimed “godfather of bread,” visited this country and did a “blind” baguette baking, using a variety of American flours to make his signature crusty loaf. The result? King Arthur Flour was Calvel’s choice as being most similar to his beloved French flour.
Flour is the baguette’s main ingredient: it makes up nearly 60% of the bread, by weight, so it’s a critical element. And guess what? The best American baguette flour is right here at your fingertips. As is yeast. They’re also available in any major grocery store. The only other ingredients are water, salt… and time.
For sure, the baguette isn’t the very first loaf you’d tackle as a beginning bread baker, no more than you’d expect to step into the box at Fenway Park the first time you held a baseball bat in your hands. But it’s something to aspire to, once you’ve gotten your feet wet (and your hands floury).
The feeling of accomplishment you’ll get from pulling a deep-brown, crackly-crisp baguette out of your own oven is indescribable. Even the loaf itself celebrates your success: hold it up to your ear to hear its signature “song” as it cools. (What, you’ve never done that? Try it…)
The path to homemade baguettes is long, but not rocky. You’ll spend most of the time going about your business as the flour, water, and yeast quietly make their magic. Some initial kneading is followed by lots of resting and rising; a minimal bit of shaping precedes the finale, 25 minutes in a very hot oven. And that’s it: baguettes.
Ready? Let’s make Classic Baguettes.
First you’re going to make a starter. Mix flour, water, and just a pinch of yeast, and let it rest for about 14 hours at room temperature. The picture above shows what it’ll look like after its rest: soft and bubbly, kind of like a pancake when it’s ready to flip to the other side. If you’re planning to bake on a Saturday, make the starter late-afternoon Friday, and it’ll be ready to go Saturday morning. This first rest gives the yeast a chance to start growing.
Next day, place the starter, flour, and salt in a mixing bowl (or bread machine bucket). Then, pour the designated amount of water into your starter container; you don’t want to waste any of those stuck-on bits of starter. If you’re using active dry yeast, stir it into the water, as pictured above.
Whisk it around; it’ll soften, but not fully dissolve.
Pour it into the bowl with the other ingredients.
If you’re using a stand mixer, knead briefly with the beater, just till the dough becomes cohesive.
Then switch to the dough hook, kneading for about 5 minutes on speed 2; the dough will still be a big “gnarly.” If you’re kneading by hand, knead till the dough is soft and elastic, but not totally smooth. In the bread machine, let it knead for about 10 minutes.
Gather the dough into a ball; notice its surface is fairly rough. You don’t want to knead it too much, as the gluten will continue to develop during its long rise. If you kneaded the dough till it was absolutely smooth, it would be over-developed by the time it was done rising: too stiff, difficult to shape.
Put the dough into a greased, covered container, and let it rise for 1 hour.
See the bubbles forming? The yeast is doing its work. Deflate it, and let it rise for another hour. Repeat once more; the dough will rise for a total of 3 hours.
Now look how smooth it’s become—all on its own!
Look how lovely and elastic it is, too. If you’d kneaded it fully at first, it wouldn’t stretch like this.
Divide the dough into three pieces, flatten into rough ovals, and let them rest for 15 minutes. This gives the gluten a chance to relax. Gluten can be recalcitrant; the more you stretch it, the tighter it gets. Letting dough relax before shaping makes it MUCH easier to work with.
After 15 minutes, flatten one piece of dough into a rough rectangle.
Fold it over…
…and seal the edge with your fingers.
Flatten again…
And fold and seal again. Look how the dough has lengthened from 8” to 12” during this process.
Turn it so the seam side is down.
And roll gently, starting in the center…
And working your way out to the edges. Don’t press down hard; just gently roll the dough under your cupped fingers, and it’ll lengthen on its own. If it doesn’t, give it a 15-minute rest, while you work on the other two pieces, then come back to it.
Put the 15” baguettes onto a parchment-lined or lightly greased baking sheet. If you have a triple baguette pan, lay each of the baguettes in one of the lightly greased wells of the pan.
Or do what they do in France: let them rise on a couche, a flour-rubbed towel. Sprinkle flour heavily on a linen couche or smooth cotton towel; I’m using a towel here. Rub the flour into the cloth.
“Cradle” the baguettes in the folds of the towel.
Here they are, ready to rise; cover them with a free-standing cover, or with greased plastic wrap.
And here are the risen loaves. Don’t let them rise TOO much; they should be puffy, but nowhere near doubled in size. If you let them rise too much, they’re hard to handle, and they won’t rise well in the oven.
If you’ve used the couche method, gently roll each baguette onto the prepared baking sheet. (If you want to bake on a pizza stone, roll onto a piece of parchment which you’ve set atop your peel.)
The baguette will probably land floured side up.
Gently roll it over so the floured side is on the bottom. Repeat with the remaining two baguettes.
Spritz heavily with warm water. This mimics the effect of a steam oven, and will help give the baguettes a slightly shiny, crunchy crust. If you’ve made baguettes before and like to a) spray water into your oven, b) throw ice cubes into a hot pan on the oven floor, or c) make steam via some other method, go for it. Whatever works for you is fine. I find spraying with water easiest, as I don’t have to keep opening the oven (and letting heat escape) once the baguettes are in.
Next, you’re going to make three diagonal slashes in each baguette. Hold the sharp knife at a 45° angle to the bread, be quick, and use firm strokes.
Notice the lovely air bubbles inside the slash. The yeast has been doing its work for probably 18 or 19 hours now…
If you’ve done your slashing correctly, the loaves will look a bit deflated; that’s OK.
The heat of the oven will pick them right back up again!
And here they are: your very own baguettes! Be sure to bake them long enough; they should appear almost charred in spots.
Homemade baguettes won’t have QUITE the large-holed interior of artisan bakery baguettes, but they’ll still be “holey” enough to trap and hold olive oil or butter.
Here’s a cross-section view. For larger holes, make a softer dough by adding more liquid. The challenge is to find that “sweet spot”: more liquid, more holes; too much liquid, the baguettes flatten out.
Buy vs. Bake
Buy: Artisan bakery 9-ounce baguette, $2.95
Bake at home: Homemade 9-ounce baguette, 43¢
OK, here’s another fun thing to make: stuffed baguettes. Divide the dough into six pieces instead of three, and shape each into a 5”-long rectangle.
Layer with meat and cheese (in this case, ham, Swiss, and mustard). Don’t use too much filling, as it’ll make the baguettes soggy.
Roll up like a jelly roll, sealing the long seam and pinching the ends closed.
I might have been able to put all six on this pan, but I decided not to crowd them.
Slash twice; or don’t.
Slashed baguette on the left; plain on the right. It’s mostly a matter of looks.
YUM! The tunnel in the center is pretty much inevitable, as the bread rises and the filling doesn’t. But never mind the look, this is just plain delicious. Enjoy!
Check out our recipe for Classic Baguettes and Stuffed Baguettes.
May 2nd, 2008 at 12:25 pm
Thanks so much for posting the step-by-step. I love baguettes but have never really been very successful at making them. I am, most likely, over-kneading the bread. I think I might try the stuffed baguettes this weekend. Since I don’t think I can eat 6 baguettes this weekend, I wonder if you could prep all the way up rolling the stuffing in and then freezing the portions you can’t eat, yet. Something to try, at least!
May 2nd, 2008 at 1:57 pm
Ooh I’ve been wanting to try this - looks yummy, thank you!
May 2nd, 2008 at 2:32 pm
Thanks for this creation. I’ve been a yeast bread baker for over 20 years and I’ve never thought to fill the baguettes this way. I can’t wait to try it! One question though. What do you use to grease your container for rising? I find that using the sprays prevent the sealing of the dough when shaping. Your grease definitely looks ‘yellow’. Is it butter?
May 2nd, 2008 at 8:22 pm
Jennnifer, yes, you could definitely do up to the point of sealing the stuffing inside the baguettes, then freezing. Just be sure to leave lots of time at the other end for both thawing, warming up, and rising - if you thaw in the fridge overnight, I’m betting the warming/rising would take 3 hours or so…?
Kat, I use a very light coating of Everbake spray, which we sell here in the catalogue. (It’s not yellow, that’s just my shaky photography skills!) the tip then is, once you take it out of the container, fold it over on itself and knead it gently just enough that the oily part goes into the center and kind of gets ocmbined with the rest of the dough.Give it a try-
May 2nd, 2008 at 9:06 pm
they turned out great. thanks for posting!
May 2nd, 2008 at 9:21 pm
You made this look like such fun. I’m going to try it.
May 3rd, 2008 at 6:59 am
wow! I tried making baguettes once or twice but never turned out REALLY good…
and the stuffed ones… what can I say?
YUM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
May 4th, 2008 at 3:13 pm
Hi PJ,
Just curious if you’re figuring out the cost based on the old price of flour, or the NEW price of flour. I used to pay 1.92 for a bag of KA flour( and I thought that was high) and yesterday I paid 3.99.
May 4th, 2008 at 4:08 pm
Randi, I’m using the new price of the flour -I get up-to-the-minute prices online at Peapod, the online grocer. Right now they’ve got it priced at $4.99/5-lb. bag. So you’re getting a deal at $3.99 - stock up! Still, when you think about it - there aren’t many foods you pay less than $1/pound for these days. And a 5# bag of King Arthur Flour will create an awful lot of yumminess…
May 5th, 2008 at 10:21 am
Hi , how do I get my baguettes to be crusrt brownish? Mines are always pale. Is there any trick?
Tks
Denise
May 5th, 2008 at 11:05 am
Maria, if your top crust isn’t browning, try baking baguettes on the upper rack of your oven, rather than middle rack. Also, if you let the dough rise TOO long, they yeast devours all the sugar and the bread loses much of its ability to brown. So don’t let it rise too many times. Finally, is your oven temperature right? Bread baked at 450°F should definitely brown, and pretty easily at that…
May 5th, 2008 at 12:05 pm
What is the purpose of using a cloche (floured cloth) for the last rise?
May 5th, 2008 at 12:30 pm
Hello, FallsChurch! Hope it’s warm down there… rising in the couche (or cotton towel) does two things: 1) makes the crust chewier, and 2) gives it that floury, “artisan” look.
May 5th, 2008 at 1:42 pm
Any adjustments for high altitude (7,000 ft.)?
May 5th, 2008 at 2:07 pm
Love the blog-it makes it so easy to see if you are doing things correctly,please keep it up and don’t archive I keep referring to the banter and passing the Baker’s Banter on to others.
Thanks again
May 5th, 2008 at 2:19 pm
Hi, PJ: It’s pleasantly cool and breezy today, but kinda overcast. Thanks for your reply. I’m a newby to baking, but I’m fast losing my cluelessness, reading your comments section. Thanks again.
May 5th, 2008 at 3:59 pm
Barbara, yeast dough rises much faster at 7,000′, so cut the yeast back to 3/4 teaspoons. Add 2-3 additional tablespoons water, too, till the dough is the consistency pictured. Hope this helps-
May 7th, 2008 at 9:17 am
In the recipe you make the 45 deg slices then spray, but in the blog you spray then slice. Does it make a difference?
May 7th, 2008 at 9:29 am
Snitz, I actually tried it both ways, and it doesn’t seem to make any difference at all which comes first, spraying or slashing; sorry to be confusing!
May 8th, 2008 at 12:09 pm
This is the best bread I have tasted in a long time. i made both the plain and the stuffed version. came out perfect the first time. I baked them in the barbecue grill. I have old saltillo tiles that act like a brick oven on the bottom and the top. perfect crust and even just a touch charred. thanks so much.
May 8th, 2008 at 12:17 pm
ABSOLUTELY THE MOST INFORMATIVE PRESENTATION AVAILABLE. FIRST TIME WAS PERFECT. BEGINNER’S(TOTALLY) LUCK.
WHILE I HAVE NOW ORDERED YOUR RECOMMENDED INSTANT YEAST, I FIND THAT THE WORD “INSTANT” DOES NOT APPEAR ON THE FLEISCHMANN’S “RAPID RISE HIGHLY ACTIVE YEAST” OR FLEISHMANN’S “ACTIVE DRY” YEAST THAT I FIND IN MY LOCAL GROCERY STORE. DOES THE “RAPID RISE HIGHLY ACTIVE” YEAST SERVE THE SAME PURPOSE AS “INSTANT” IN THAT IT CAN BE ADDED DIRECTLY WITHOUT GOING THROUGH THE ACTIVE DRY SEPERATE STEP?
AND SPEAKING ABOUT YEAST, YOUR ANSWER TO BARBARA’S QUESTION REGARDING ALTITUDE IS CONFUSING. THE CLASSIC BAGUETTES RECEIPE WE ARE WORKING FROM REQUIRES 1/16 TEASPOON INSTANT YEAST IN THE STARTER AND 1 TEASPOON INSTANT YEAST IN THE DOUGH FOR A TOTAL OF 1 AND 1/16 TEASPOONS. YOUR INSTRUCTION TO CUT BACK TO 1 1/2 TEASPOONS IS RATHER HARD TO DO.
ALSO, THE DOUGH IS RISING THREE TIMES IN THE BOWL ACCORDING TO THE RECEIPE SINCE IT IS BEING DEFLATED AFTER ONE HOUR AND THEN AGAIN AT THE SECOND HOUR AND LEFT TO FINISH THE THIRD HOUR.
DOES MY ALTITUDE OF 2000′ REQUIRE AN ADJUSTMENT?
CAN YOU TELL I AM RETIRED AND ENJOYING THE FACT THAT I MADE THREE WONDERFUL BAGUETTES THANKS TO YOUR EXCELLENT GUIDANCE?
May 8th, 2008 at 1:20 pm
Hi Hiawassee: Instant yeast is NOT RapidRise or active dry; it’s called “instant,” and the most common kind if made by SAF. Please don’t use RapidRise in this recipe; it’ll give up the ghost too quickly. Active dry is fine.
You’re right: I should have said cut back to 3/4 teaspoon yeast at altitude… thanks for catching this! And the part about rising, too. I was thinking of a totally different recipe (olive rolls) when I answered her…
Your altitude won’t require an adjustment; it’s just over 3,000 feet, usually, that adjustments start.
Glad you’re enjoying the blog and SO happy your baguettes came out well!
May 8th, 2008 at 4:28 pm
I used to work in a bakery back in my high school days so I had the opportunity to watch bread and baguettes made live! But this step-by-step process is extremely helpful since I cannot remember the exacts. I’m so excited I can bring back my bakery memories in my own household =)
May 9th, 2008 at 10:34 am
These look fantastic. It looks like a lot of work, however I imagine that the outcome is a great taste as well as a feeling of self accomplishment: very rewarding.
May 10th, 2008 at 6:58 am
Antiques, not a lot of work at all. Just a lot of time… time you spend doing other things while your dough is doing its own thing!
May 14th, 2008 at 1:30 am
PJ, I loved the detailed pictures.
I only put in about 3/4 of a cup of water and by then the dough was getting a bit soupy, so I had to add nearly 3/4 of a cup more flour to get it back to something that could be worked. (It looked pretty much like the picture at that point, though it didn’t get quite as smooth after the 3rd rise.
I was using KA AP flour.
They rolled out fairly well, though one of them still had a lump in it that looked a little like the snake that swallowed the mouse.
In the end, they came out really great, though I think I could have left them in a few minutes longer to get even browner. (Next time I think I’ll try them on stones, too.)
My wife was cutting herself a slice of angel food cake for dessert, she picked up one of the warm baguettes to smell it and nearly put the slice of cake back on the platter. When we did break into the 1st baguette a little later it disappeared quickly.
I do have a question about slashing French bread. I’ve got a lame, it seems to stick in a soft dough badly, so I usually just use a serrated steak knife, and even that was sticking in these baguettes. What’s the secret?
May 14th, 2008 at 3:40 pm
The flatten-and-fold technique for shaping the baguettes is
a winner! I’ve tried for years to stretch dough into a long
thin shape but never managed better than a (very) lumpy
rope of dough.
I’m in (dry) California and had to add more water to get the
dough wet enough to knead. Will add even more water next
time as the dough was still not wet enough so didn’t have
the big holes in the crumb.
And will try KAF’s French flour instead of AP flour, as it makes
a fantastic white bread.
Before baking, I wet the shaped dough, then use a very
sharp serrated knife for slashing. Being in a dry climate,
sometimes the outer layer of the loaf dries a bit during
the last rise. Wetting the loaf before slashing softens
the outer layer. And you have to be quick with the slash
or the blade drags in the dough and doesn’t make a clean
cut.
The recipe is great–we re-heated the leftover loaf to re-crisp
the crust the next day (350 degrees, 10-15 min.).
May 16th, 2008 at 6:45 am
Mike, personally I don’t use a lame - have never liked them. Our bakers herein the bakery are very adept with them, but I don’t seem to be able to get the technique! Like Julia, I use a very sharp knife - serrated, or plain. the trick is to be swift, fairly “brutal,” yet not heavy handed. Hold the knife at a 45° angle to the bread; I like to pinch a tiny corner and hold it up, to stretch the bread’s”skin” and give the knife someplace to get its initial purchase. Then I VERY quickly slash it, probably 1/2″ deep (which, since it’s a 45°F angle, actually doesn’t go 1/2″ perpendicularly). the loaf will definitely deflat,e but if you get it into the super-hot oven RIGHT AWAY it picks back up. Give it a try - good luck!
Julia, thanks for all the great tips-
May 17th, 2008 at 2:27 pm
Hi — I look forward to trying this recipe. I have a perforated baguette pan, and its instructions advise reducing oven temps by 25 degrees. However, I tried that with another baguette recipe last month, and my loaves came out pale.
If I use the baguette pan for this recipe, should I aim for 425, or stay with 450? Also, can I place the pan directly on a baking stone?
Thanks,
David
May 17th, 2008 at 4:38 pm
David, I’d leave the temp. at 450°F, and yes, you can place the pan right on the stone. Should come out fine -just watch the loaves towards the end…
May 17th, 2008 at 7:11 pm
Do you use a thermometer to test the bread for doneness or does it come out right every time?
May 17th, 2008 at 7:17 pm
Mary, I don’t use a thermometer to test baguettes - when they’re dark brown on the outside, they’ll be done inside. I ALWAYS use a thermometer to test sandwich loaves and round country loaves - anything NOT long and skinny - because it’s so much more accurate than trying to eyeball or tap on the bottom or anything else. Sandwich loaves aregenerally done between 190°F and 195°F; dense whole-grain rounds, like a big round country rye, it’s more like 205°F.
May 18th, 2008 at 8:33 am
Do you recommend using the convection oven for this?
May 18th, 2008 at 10:08 am
Mary, you can certainly use a convection oven for this. I never have, so wouldn’t know the timing - just keep your eye on them, and bake till deep golden brown.
May 18th, 2008 at 3:46 pm
PJ
Thanks for the reply. I baked today and think the temps worked out right — the color was good, with a bit of char at the ends.
However, other things did not work out. First, the appearance of my loaves is not as authentic and “crackly” as your pictures. Very smooth, apart from the slashes — almost like a Pillsbury version of a baguette
Second, the crumb is really tight and dense.
I should note that I initially misread the recipe as saying to do a first rise of 3 hours. So I did a single rise of that duration. Would that account for the plain appearance and tight crumb?
Thanks,
David
May 18th, 2008 at 7:55 pm
David, did you give the loaves a heavy spritz with warm water? I mean a real bath, just a perfume-type spritz.they should be dripping.That would help give the crust it’s somewhat mottled, crackly appearance. I think the tight crumb might be due to a little too much flour; did you perhaps add more flour while kneading? Or it could be due to not deflating the dough during that 3 hours; deflating it hastens the growth of yeast, which of course makes the bread rise higher… Baguettes are a real case of practicing and learning as you go. See, already you’ve made improvements; the next time will be even better. And they’re all edible, right? : )
May 19th, 2008 at 7:38 am
PJ
I used a hand-pump mister to spray them, as I don’t have a clean “Windex” bottle. Still, I gave them what I thought was a pretty good soaking.
I used a stand mixer to knead (no extra flour), and was careful about measurements. But I did read your comments about a wetter dough.
And yes, living is learning. Next time I will add a bit less flour, get the rise right, and use a hose for the spraying
Thanks again for the help!
David
May 20th, 2008 at 6:53 am
Hi PJ, just wanted to let you know how my baguettes turned out. I had the starter doing its thing for the entire 14 hours in a rather cool kitchen, and it certainly was bubbly by that time. I weighed all the ingredients, and for me they were perfect proportions. I didn’t have to add any extra flour or water except the minimal amount of flour used to flour my hands. I used the KAF Bread Flour. I kneaded by hand about 10 minutes, and after the first hour of rising, things looked so-so, but after about 45 minutes into the second hour, the dough appeared to have nearly doubled. Could that have been because instead of just deflating the dough, I folded it over a few times? At that point I deflated it and stuck it in the refrigerator, because I had to go out for awhile. It cooled in the fridge for almost 2 hours.
I have to stay before I forget that this was a great dough to work with except for one problem. After I had divided them into 3 pieces (by weight about 10 ounces each), and after the 15-minute rest, trying to get them rolled out to make a 15-inch baguette was no easy task. Even letting them rest and going back and forth from one baguette to the other, I could only get them rolled out to about 13 inches. I was worried the French gendarme might come knocking at my door any minute!
I let them rise on a flour-covered cotton towel, and in a 68-degree room after about 1 hour and 15 minutes, they was ready to go in the oven. I still don’t have the slash and burn technique perfected yet, but after 30 minutes, they came out looking very nice - maybe not quite the charred look, but close. My husband took them to work this morning (he told me, “I don’t think these guys have ever tasted a real baguette.”), so I’ll be expecting the compliments around midday.
Thanks for the great instructions and photos, PJ.
May 23rd, 2008 at 12:08 pm
I would like to Thank King Arthur Flour for being so helpful to the home baker. I have been baking bread for 40 years and I use KA Flour as often as I can find it. I used to bring it back to the south after vacations at home on Cape Cod. It has been available about the last tem years in larger cities so I would stock up, now it is carried locally. I have only been making these baguettes in the last 5 years after my second trip to a King Arthur Travel Class. One in Knoxville TN and another in Atlanta Ga.
This is completely different methodology than the normal breads I have made in the past. So much so I have had to completely learn this new process of wet and sloppy compared to firmer. Your pictures and write up make it almost sailor proof. I had a skipper on the submarine I served on said only one sailor would make it to heaven.
Any way what I want to ask about is to ask about using barley to improve browning of the crust. There are several kinds and was wondering what is used for what and what amount to use.
For example:
Malted Barely liquid,
Diastatic Malt Powder
and Non-Diastatic powder (your package says this is for Bagels, does this act as a gultton inhibitor or dough relaxer and can this also be used for making pizza doughs)
I have noticed that Diastatic Malt Barlety is added to your Artisan Bread Flour.
Canany of these Barely Products be used, instead of flour on a roast to enhance browning and thicken juices for making gravies.
THanks and keep up the good work
Hi David - YOU keep up the good work, too! Congratulations on your baguettes-
Malted barley is actually barley that’s roasted till it becomes sweet, then ground. It’s added to flour to help the yeast: enzymes in the malted barley convert the starch in flour into simple sugars, which the yeast then feeds on. Non-diastatic malt actually does NOT contain enough of these enzymes to convert starch, and thus is used purely as a sweetener. Diastatic malt has the full quotient of enzymes, and is used as explained above. Malted barley syrup is like non-diastatic; used purely as a sweetener. So if you’re looking for something to help your yeast breads (including pizza dough), choose diastatic malt. But only use a tiny bit- maybe 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon per 3 cups of flour. I wouldn’t see any use for any of these in roasted meats… - PJH
May 23rd, 2008 at 2:33 pm
Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! Great baguettes! Even though we live in the Rocky Mountains at 8000′ this recipe produced excellent results. I cut each rising to about 50-55 minutes, however I think the keys to this bread are your hints: 1) slightly sticky dough 2) move the oven rack to the upper position.
I’ll be making these baguettes often.
May 26th, 2008 at 4:47 pm
I have been baking bread long before going to culinary school and these were the best I’ve made so far. The crust had just the right crunch and the inside was wonderful. Since there were three baguettes I shared the other two with my daughters. Thank you so much for this recipe.
May 27th, 2008 at 9:41 pm
I have been working with an earlier baguette recipe that I was given at the King Arthur Baking Education center. It calls for 16.25 ounces of King Arthur All Purpose Flour and 10.5 ounces of water in a formulation that yields 2 baguettes about 17 or so inches long. I would have thought that to get 3 baguettes, I would have had to increase the flour and water to 22.875 and 15.75 ounces each, an increase of 50%. Your formulation gets there with 19 ounces of flour and only 12 ounces of water. Am I not thinking correctly about how to increase the yield of a recipe?
Also, why does the use of ‘bread’ flour require more water?
Using my old and very much trusted formulation for baguettes, I have stuffed them as you suggested with wonderful results. A variation that my wife enjoys is a mixture of spinach, freshly grated Parmesan cheese and a few chunks of provolone. Be sure to squeeze as much moisture out of the spinach as possible. Two tablespoons or so of the mixture does the trick.
Hi Kevin: Well, bread baking is as much art as science. Perhaps the baguettes you made were fatter; they were longer, which makes a difference. You’re kind of thinking correctly about how to increase the yield of a recipe… but not taking into consideration how much more volume is involved in a fatter, longer baguette (because it’s impossible to tell, really). As for bread flour, it’s higher gluten (higher protein), and the higher the protein in flour, the more water it will absorb. So you need more water (compared to all-purpose flour) to produce the same consistency of dough.
Love your suggestion for Parmesan, provolone and spinach - that’s now on my to-do list! Thanks, Kevin- PJH
June 15th, 2008 at 5:47 pm
PJ, we’ve made the stuffed baguettes several times now, and it may take us weeks before we run out of ideas for what to stuff them with. On the list of things to try are pepperoni/marinara/mozzarella, tuna/tomato/cheddar cheese, brown sugar/cinnamon, and some kind of fruit stuffing, most likely peaches.
So far our favorites have been ham with pepper jack cheese, sun dried tomato turkey with pepper jack and beef with either cojack or pepper jack. (I think the latter are even better with a little tomato, which I sliced fairly thin then blotted with a paper towel to keep the baguette from getting too soggy.)
Today we tried some with shrimp and marinara, shrimp and asiago/romano/parmesian, and crab with asiago/romano/parmesian. The shrimp ones were a bit of a disappointment, but that’s probably because the shrimp was a bit short on flavor. I also added a little butter to the cheese ones, to make sort of an alfredo-like sauce.
We’ve also learned that they can be made up a day in advance, but you need to give them about 2 hours to warm up and they take a little longer to bake. (I may try warming them up in my proofer to see if we can speed that up.) I’ve also got 3 in the freezer to see how well they handle being frozen before being baked.
Yesterday, I substituted 2 oz of medium rye flour and made a set that way,the ham and cheese were excellent, I thought the best was a stuffed reuben with pastrami, a little mayo, swiss cheese and some sauerkraut. I think I could have nearly doubled the amount of rye flour.
WOW, Mike - you certainly know how to take an idea and run with it -big time! Thanks for all the great ideas. I love anything involving cheese and tomatoes, so I think I’ll go that route first… thanks again - PJ
June 29th, 2008 at 3:58 am
I just want to thank you for this excellent run through! I used this recipe over the last day as a way to test out my stand mixer. It was the first time I’d ever baked bread… and both the regular and stuffed baguettes came out amazing! I used half unbleached white and half traditional whole wheat flour for the dough and londonport, fresh mozzarella, and hot mustard for the stuffed. If it weren’t for the quality of this walkthrough (and KA flour), I doubt my first loaf would’ve turned out so well… and I’d be out a new hobby!
Will, that’s GREAT! Welcome to the great big wonderful world of bread-baking. It can be as simple (or complicated!) as you want, and make it… Check out the other yeast recipes we have here (hot cheese bread, and onion buns, for instance) - and stay tuned for my next post later today, Focaccia Five Ways. And kingarthurflour.com is loaded with bread recipes. Thanks for using King Arthur Flour (it’s the best - no brag, just the truth); and ENJOY. (P.S. Are you using SAF instant yeast? Instant yeast is SO much less expensive and easier to use than active dry…) - PJH
June 30th, 2008 at 10:14 am
Wow, I’m really enthusiastic about trying baguettes again after seeing the pictures and reading the comments. My earlier attempts following Julia’s recipe and directions turned out only so-so. I’ll let you know how it works. Here in Central Ohio I can’t get an authentic baguette, so I’m really hoping this will work.
Good luck, Peggy. Having those step-by-step, “hold your hand” photos is really useful, I think. And remember - practice makes perfect. If they’re not exactly what you want the first time, don’t give up - they’ll still be edible, I’m sure! - PJH
July 10th, 2008 at 10:29 pm
Hi. If Mike in Nebraska is still watching this (or if anyone else wants to comment), I’d be curious to know how the baguettes that were frozen turned out. I may have to make 15 or more baguettes for a wedding coming up soon, and just can’t see staying up all night trying to make them for a morning wedding. Wish I could convince the bride to have rolls like those yummy, yummy semolina rolls.
Thanks.
August 2nd, 2008 at 8:19 am
The French never intended to have chocolat croisants,now it’s a pest and worse.Stuffed Baguettes?Sounds like a Bill Wyman franshise to me.Leave it alone.The French bread is just fine by itself,in all the various regions.I never saw that one in France.Nothing wrong with the bread though,just don’t call it a Baguette.
Robert
August 11th, 2008 at 1:20 pm
I have the perforated italian bread pan - you bake two loaves at a time in this pan. Can I use the same recipe and just divide it in half instead of thirds? Do you happen to know what recipe came with the pan?
Yes, divide it in half and bake till golden. Sorry, don’t know what recipe came with the pan… Maybe our customer service team can chime in here? - PJH
August 29th, 2008 at 10:04 am
Great article, Thanks
I have been baking bread and pizza for about 20 years. I have not been able to create a loaf or baguette with “big eyes”. After mixing with a stand mixer and adding flour until the dough ball comes clean from the bowl, I complete the kneading by hand. When I turn it out onto the counter, it sticks to my hands and the counter so I add enough flour until the dough does not stick. I feel that my dough ends up too dry and the crumb is too dense.
How can I tell if the mixture is correct?
How do you convert measurements to weights?
PS: I recently built a brick oven and the results are better than ever. How about making a DVD of your processes?
When will you be giving a course in the Greenwich, CT area or even in NYC?
The dough is reaching the bench at the correct consistency. I believe that you are working too much flour into the dough at this late stage and this in causing the close grain and dense texture. I have sent you an email regarding your other questions. Frank from KAF
September 1st, 2008 at 9:38 am
Your recipe is going around the world - in this case Denmark (-;
Had a little trouble converting it in terms of country specific ingredients and not least to metric system measurement and weight - but it’s done and it’s by far the best baguettes I’ve ever made.
The fold and seal technique is brilliant and made it very easy to make 15″ long breads which under normal circumstances can be quite a drag!!
Next time I’ll try the stuffed version as well - they look quite yummy (o:
Thomas, thanks for connecting. I love the fact that these words travel all over the world. Bakers speak a common language, no matter where we live. As you say, it’s sometimes problematic translating ingredients and amounts, but we celebrate food, and share a creative love of baking, and of giving to others, don’t we? Cheers - PJH
September 1st, 2008 at 8:48 pm
I saw this posting after trying my hand (first time) at making baguettes. Mine looked like snakes because I didn’t use the parchment to place them on the stone, so they cooked as they landed.
It was fun though and they were gobbled up so fast I wished I had made a double batch! Now I know how to ensure they are shaped properly. Thanks. I had a lot of fun (and a snake story too).
Hi Arlene,
Actually, we have a snake shaped bread on display in our bakery case. It is made to be a snake with an egg in it’s mouth, definitely a decorative bread. So, you were just being avante guard and artistic and didn’t know it!
MaryJane @ The Baker’s Hotline
September 2nd, 2008 at 3:36 pm
PJ: I followed the directions religiously and the only thing I had a problem with was the dough was quite sticky. This made shaping the loaves difficult and 2 of the 3 loaves gaves us (family) a good laugh. What did I do wrong. The interior of the bread after baking look just fine and they tasted great BUT the stickiness was a problem.
Thanks for the anticipated help.
Rich
Rich, flour absorbs moisture, so during the summer (esp. during humid weather) the flour/liquid ratio is bound to change. You didn’t do anything wrong - the weather didn’t cooperate! Make it a rule of thumb to decrease the liquid in any bread recipe a bit in the humid summertime, and increase the liquid a bit in the dry wintertime, and you should be fine. Practice makes perfect - but as you see, even the “mistakes” are quite tasty. Enjoy - PJH
September 3rd, 2008 at 7:17 am
My baguettes look great on the outside and I even get them to smell as they do in france (well… just about) but there’s still one thing I can not seem to master: the structure. Yes it is with large irregular holes but I find it too plastic-like. A bit like ciabatta and those rustic style breads. I know the baguette in France has a more drie-ish and white interior I think. Does it have to do with the water content or is it the flour that does the trick?
I use a mix of all purpose and patent flour with as much water as it will tolerate (usually less than 70%), a poolish starter (1:1) with previous fridge cooling during 10 hrs before adding it to the rest of the dough. My oven goes up to 300C and I use a baking stone.
Anyone?
Thanks!
Hi Olaf — You might try kneading the dough more. The whiter interior is the result of oxidation of the flour, which comes with longer/stronger kneading. OR you might also try using less yeast, and using a longer rise with some “turns” - let the dough rise for an hour, deflate, and turn over, let rise for another hour, deflate and turn over, let rise, deflate, and shape. This allows a rather loose, sticky dough (high hydration) to firm up as the gluten continues to develop while the dough ferments. Hope this helps - PJH
September 23rd, 2008 at 7:26 am
This is an awesome, fantastic post! I’m glad I tracked you down!! I followed your image link from a very interesting post here (love the history), and just had to read more info on making french baguettes. Can’t say enough on how much I appreciate this tutorial.
October 9th, 2008 at 4:45 am
Wow you’ve made that look really easy and tasty! I’m a big fan of baguettes but have not made any myself. Maybe I will have to now! Thanks!
That filled baguette looks yummy too!
October 13th, 2008 at 12:52 am
It seems to me that a lot of ppl have questions regarding Baguette. It is actually VERY simple. I was trained the French way (Le Cordon Bleu).. so here is a couple pointers… I had also post another recipe of Baguette at http://www.thefreshloaf.com/node/9104/baguette-baguette-and-more-baguette
1. Active yeast vs. Instant yeast - most of recept called for instant yeast or fresh yeast but NEVER active yeast. However, it that is all you have on your hand… here is the conversation…
if fresh yeast is called….
* Active yeast = fresh yeast x 0.5 and increase the water in the wt. of Active.
*instant yeast =fresh yeast / 3 and increase the water in the wt of 2 x wt of instant
Instant to Active
Instant yeast = Active yeast * 2 / 3
Active yeast = Instant yeast * 1.5
2. Scoring of the baguette…
Traditionally, it should be 5 or 7 slashes, about 4″ long and the starting of the next slash should be about 1″ apart from the end of the previous slash (on a traditional 22″ baguette, 3 slashes on the Batard, but never even numbers!) . Slashes should be just on the surface of the baguette, not side to side. Lame or knife should be about 45 degree, slashing angel should be about 20 (yeah.. it’s confusing.. I know.. just remember… the long slashing should look like about 20 degree angle line to you, then you got it).
3. Not enough open crumb…
Ok.. this is has to be done by experience.. the best way to explain this is.. EASY DOES IT… especially w/ sponge method (yeast + wtr + flour, preferment). You only need to ‘punch & fold’ ONCE. Extra folding will decrease the air cells which means you won’t have open crumb. Also, let the dough bench rest for about 20 minutes before you shape them (covered, please), otherwise, the dough will fight you & you won’t be about to roll them into the nice long even shape that Baguette so famous for.
Thanks for all the great tips! Molly from KAF
October 20th, 2008 at 4:59 pm
hi
what quantities of flour, water, yeast etc are used for the dough and the starter?
Hi Ethan - Please click on the link at the end of the blog - it’ll take you to the complete recipe. Or click here. PJH
October 22nd, 2008 at 7:42 am
My baguettes have a crispy crust when they first come out of the oven… but the crust seems to get softer as the baguette cools. It’s not that crispy, break apart, flakes all over the place type of crust on baguettes I get in France. It’s a bit soggy.
I tried leaving the baguettes in the oven to cool… with the door open… but results were the same.
Any ideas on how to keep the crust crispy?
Jan, Even the baguettes we bake here in our bakery will start to lose their “snap” by dinner time, if they last that long. Two things that really helps get a great crust on baguettes, and many other hearth breads, is using a poolish and keeping a close watch on the fermentation. We do have a baguette recipe on our site that can walk you through this. Have fun. Frank from KAF.
October 22nd, 2008 at 11:03 am
Thank you for such a wonderful receipe. Have tried many other receipes for bagettes — but they nevery turned out like the real French. THESE DO!!!! Came out perfect the first time. Thanks again.
Could you tell me how much whole wheat I could use in this receipe to make a little more healthy bread?
Hi Barb - You can use as much as you want, but the more you use, the denser and tougher the bread will be. Start with 1/4 of the total flour whole wheat, and see how it works for you, then go from there. PJH
October 26th, 2008 at 9:53 am
I love these baguettes! I am a pastry student and I love your website I am addicted. I use your flour all the time for the best results in all my products. Your education site is so wonderful I can’t believe its free. I hope to get up to vermont and take a class someday. Until then I will be a loyal baking junkie of your site. Thanks so much you really give newbys confidence.
Ah, Alix, just the response we love. Did you know King Arthur Flour is the largest educator of home bakers in the world? Time out for an ad: We teach bread-baking and community responsibility (kids bake and donate loaves to food shelters) to middle school students; bread, pie, and other treats in our national baking classes, held all over the country; and anything/everything you can think of here at our Baking Education Center in Vermont. Plus our online classes, plus this blog. And all except our Education Center classes are absolutely free. How’s that for baking and giving? Hope to see you up here sometime - PJH
October 27th, 2008 at 11:50 am
This is my second attempt to bake french bread. The first was terrible, that was before I found out about King Arthur Flour. So far I have started my POOLE..I await the results patiently.
If all turns out I will be dancing with joy.
October 31st, 2008 at 2:58 pm
Can someone estimate how many *bread bowl* size rounds this recipe would make? I am looking to turn this into the cut-out bowls we all know, but am not sure how many round loaves one recipe would amount to… And I’m not a skilled enough bread baker to be able to look at the unrisen amount and tell just how big it could get :>)
Kim, you’ll get 6-8 “personal size” bread bowls out of this, depending on appetites. I get six nice-sized bread bowls out of a 3 1/2-cup flour recipe (recipe for Stuffing Bread Bowls with turkey potpie filling will appear here day after Thanksgiving); this is 4 1/2 cups of flour, so… Have fun - PJH
November 6th, 2008 at 7:53 pm
The site\’\’s very professional! Keep up the good work! Oh yes, one extra comment - maybe you could add more pictures too! So, good luck to your team!
November 6th, 2008 at 8:36 pm
Lucky to find you, keep on the good workk guys! Best of luck.T
November 6th, 2008 at 11:18 pm
Sentimental and nostalgic. Great.w
November 11th, 2008 at 11:54 am
Greetings,
I’m new to breadmaking so I’m glad I found this website. I purchased a Cuisinart Food Processor and have made one single batch of baguettes and yesterday, a double batch with it. In my kitchen, this breadmaking is truely an adventure. In spite of my “errors” as in: not following the recipe precisely, timing of the dough, not enough water in the oven, switching from round to long loaves in the middle of the kneeding, using cheap unbleached flour, squishing the unbaked loaves ( yes, I managed to do that), my baguettes have turned out delicious but on the scrawny side. Thanks for the heads up on the misting options and not letting the loaves rise too much before going into the oven. Now they will be really yummy. Thank you all for the great advice. May the bread gods be kind.
Hi Mort,
Wow! You have had a lifetime of baking adventures already. Glad to see you are keeping a sense of humor and have not given up. We hope you enjoy the blog and don’t ever hesitate to contact our baker’s hotline if you have questions.
bakers@kingarthurflour.com
MaryJane @ The Baker’s Hotline
November 12th, 2008 at 2:34 am
This site is really superb!!! Thank you for you work! Good Luckw
November 14th, 2008 at 1:42 pm
Should the starter be more liquidy than doughy? I measured and came out with a dough ball…it is very humid here right now, maybe more water?
It should be a soft dough, not liquid. You couldn’t knead it - it’s not THAT stiff; but it’s definitely not pourable at all. It’s sticky, not liquid. Does that help? Wouldn’t hurt to add more water if it’s so dry you can’t knead all the flour in. But if it’s just like a regular dough, leave it; it’ll be fine. You can adjust the liquid tomorrow if you feel the dough is too dry. PJH
November 14th, 2008 at 7:04 pm
OK..I got it right then….thanks!!! YAY!!!
November 29th, 2008 at 9:51 pm
This looks great, I’m really excited, I want to try making those ’sandwiches’ that you bake, those would be great for lunch.
“Is that a loaf of bread?” “No, it’s my sammich!”
December 8th, 2008 at 2:17 am
I tried the recipe and it turned out great, just the baguette color is not as golden brown as yours. Maybe my oven isn’t hot enough (I’m using a counter top convection oven, set the temp to 450F, which is the max)?
Also I use my bread machine to knead the bread. Seems like my machine dough cycle kneaded longer than 10 minutes, will that affect the outcome?
Btw, can you also provide a recipe for the wheat version?
Thanks
Jo, yes, it could be your convection oven just didn’t really get hot enough. Or maybe you need to bake them longer? As for a whole wheat baguette, we have a recipe for those in our King Arthur Flour Whole Grain Baking book. You can probably access it at your local library. I don’t recommend whole wheat baguettes - it’s kind of oxymoronic. You might want to try the whole-grain ciabatta recipe I blogged a few weeks ago instead. PJH
December 9th, 2008 at 2:44 pm
Magnificent collection of prayers - and I haven\’t begun to explore the rest of the website!
December 23rd, 2008 at 12:53 am
First attempt was a great success. Delicious, chewy, gorgeous!
Question, what controls the thickness and softness of the crust. Using more or less water? Thanks!
Thickness of the crust is the heat of the oven and the length of baking - the cooler the oven, the longer/slower the bake, the thicker the crust. A crispy crust comes from steam in the oven; we replicate that at home with a pan of steaming water on the floor (or bottom rack) of the oven or, more simply, by spraying the loaves with water just before baking at a HIGH temperature (425°F or so). Congratulations on your successful baguettes! - PJH
December 31st, 2008 at 8:54 am
I notice that the recipe calls for instant yeast in the starter and either instant or active dry in the dough. Can you use active dry in both the starter and dough, or does the starter have to be instant
Cee, you can use either instant or active dry in both starter and dough. Active dry is a bit slower, that’s all. PJH
December 31st, 2008 at 10:15 am
I’m visiting my daughter in NC and couldn’t find a decent baquette in the town where she lives. For that matter, I live in LA and cannot find one to really compare to the ones in Paris. We were trying to find one last night; imagine my delight to find this in my email this morning! I have never baked a baquette but have baked bread for about 30 years. We are going to try this and my daughter has no excuse for not having a good baquette from this day forward. Thank you so much.
December 31st, 2008 at 11:12 am
I made this recipe for Christmas. I was amazed that everything looked the same as in the photos - which I admit I kept up on the computer so I could run in and take a look every step of the way, LOL. OH MY, what beautiful baguettes I made thanks to your help. I didn’t have time to have to order and have the King Arthur Flour shipped to me in FL, but will do that soon and imagine they will turn out even better! I do LOVE this site, every page of it. Happy New Year everyone!
December 31st, 2008 at 1:07 pm
I have used an ‘almost’ New Orleans recipe for baguettes up to now. I am trying your recipe today, the last of 2008. My earlier crumb is without holes - too much kneading? Anyway I have used KAF and am very hopeful. Even my ‘not up snuff’ baguettes are the best my wife says she has tasted. I will let you know.
Mike from Annapolis
Look forward to hearing back from you, Mike. The holes are a result of a combination of less kneading, more rising, and a wetter dough, in my experience. - PJH
December 31st, 2008 at 6:46 pm
Thanks so much for the great, clear instructions and pictures. I tried these today for the first time and they came out just great. They looked like the ones in the bakery. My husband is hooked and wants more on the weekend. I did use some of the diastatic malt powder (1 tsp) and that seemed to work well for me. The flavor and the crumb of this bread is wonderful. Thanks again. Your site and products are the best.
Thanks, Judith - Happy New Year! - PJH
January 1st, 2009 at 12:03 am
Yum! I just tasted the baguette. Mine is not as pretty as yours. The slashes did not open up. Maybe making the starter wait more than 14 hrs spent some of the yeast. But despite that it is very tasty and the holes are nicely sized and distributed. I made one baguette and 4 stuffed ones in the refrigerator for tomorrow. I’m really looking forward to them.
Thanks so much for the step-by-step instructions and photos for us visual learners! It really makes trying so much easier.
Happy New Year!
Slashes are tricky, Teresa - and you never know if your oven will cooperate in “opening them up” sufficiently. It’s a real art, and even the pros don’t always get it right, so just enjoy them for what they are - delicious! PJH
January 1st, 2009 at 9:09 pm
Happy New Year. This was my very first bread ever. In fact I just got a Kitchen-aid Stand Mixer. I did make a pizza dough a few days back, but never a bread. This baguette came out great! I followed your steps to the T. However I have a few questions. I think my oven got too hot. I use an italian all gas oven. The temperature setting is very loose. That is I have no way of knowing if the 425 really means 425. Also The fact that the oven is gas, I assume it gets more dry than the electric equivalent.
The baguette tasted wonderful. The crust was good, but I did not get the golden color. It did get brown, but it was doll, not golden.
My questions:
1) Do you have any suggestions for an all gas oven? Would it be better to use a pan of water as well as spraying the baguette to compensate for extra dryness of the gas oven?
I’ve never noticed a gas oven being drier than an electric, but if you feel it is, sure, spray the dough. I often do that anyway.
2) I have a few Kory tiles which I use to bake pizza on. Could I just lay the baguette directly on the stones?
Yes, absolutely!
3) My dough was not as relaxed as yours. I kneaded exactly the way you described as well as deflated every hour for 3 times. Any suggestions?
I’m betting your dough was a bit stiffer, which can come from a bit of a change in the flour/liquid ratio. This time of year, you may need to add a bit more water, as flour is very dry in the winter.
Thanks again for this wonderful recipe. I, and my family LOVED the bread and am looking forward to many hours of bread making as it is a great meditative activity that has an instant (tasty) result
Hooman-
Congratulations, Hooman - enjoy the adventure! PJH
January 2nd, 2009 at 4:54 pm
I made the baguettes and was satisfied with every thing except the shape. My baguettes flattened out too much. My slashes were not deep enough I see now from the photos. The taste was great and the texture was good. Any suggestions??
Try using a couche for the final rise, this will help the shape. Make sure that your lame is sharp, this will give good cuts on the first try. Frank from KAF.
January 4th, 2009 at 3:21 pm
Adjustments for making this Classic Baguette at 7300ft? I’ll give this recipe a try tonight by making the starter–and continue tomorrow without changing the recipe but I’m afraid it will die from exhaustion with so much unhampered rising. Bread is a real challenge at high-altitude–less yeast sacrifices flavor, but more yeast isn’t the solution either.
Less yeast doesn’t sacrifice flavor at all, Mari. I’d go with less yeast, and a longer, slower, cooler rise. Yeast will end up doing its flavor thing, if you give it long enough. It’s not the yeast itself that tastes good, it’s the organic acids and alcohol it releases as it grows. Time is key. Good luck - PJH
January 4th, 2009 at 7:22 pm
Hello, this is my first time attempting breadmaking, and I must say that I am very pleased with the results from this recipe! I wouldn’t say that my baguettes came out perfect (I could have probably used a tad more h2o), but overall I found this to be a great tutorial. Thank you for the excellent post, and I look forward to more breadmaking experimentation.
Alan, congratulations! Remember - with bread-making, practice NEVER makes perfect, because the more experienced you get, the higher you set the bar. But the journey is always a happy one… PJH
January 4th, 2009 at 10:02 pm
I am just trying this the first time after several other recipes. While I had reasonably good results and very tasty bread, I did not like the consistency and looking to improve my bread. I just received a baguette pan with those round holes and can’t wait to see the end results.
So far it looks FANTASTIC. After the start worked so well I even went searching the internet for my close by towns and found the KAF bread flour. After the rises worked so well and looked so close to the pictures in the article I went out and bought the KAF flour for my next attempt.
The air bubbles from the yeast are not so uniform like my previous attempts so I expect a lighter internal structure this time. I only made two larger baguettes from the recipe and just past 25 minutes now. I used a steam bath pan for the steam. The slashes opened up great and just waiting for the crust to darken.
Well after 30 minute bake this stuff is fantastic. Golden brown and yummy. Might consider an egg wash for that pretty glaze look.
Did I mention YUMMY!!!!!!
Excellent, Thomas - glad your bread adventure is coming to a happy (and tasty) conclusion. Profesional bakers get that nice glaze from steam-injected ovens - so we can’t match that at home. But try the egg wash, it’ll definitely give some shine. I’d suggest just egg white, not yolk, for shine without darkening. PJH
January 5th, 2009 at 1:32 pm
I retried the baguette recipe this weekend with much better results. I used a couche for the final rise. The loaves look great. Now if I had just remembered to put the salt in, it would have been perfect. The bread was a little flat tasting without salt. You’d think with so few ingredients, you wouldn’t miss any. With dipping oil or salty cheese and salami, the taste wasn’t bad. I am already looking forward to making the next batch baguettes. 3rd time’s the charm!!
Hi Janet - you just made Tuscan-style baguettes. Tuscan bread is saltless, due to the salty things (salami, cheese, etc.) they put on top. So your baguettes were PERFECT - so long as you’re in Tuscany…
PJH
January 9th, 2009 at 2:17 pm
These came out beautifully–the loaves were probably not as neat and pretty as they could be–but the crust was golden brown and “sang” as it cooled. The crumb was excellent and the texture just as it should be.
I stored the loaves in a paper bag. Interestingly, the cut loaf didn’t harden as quickly as store bought bread–in fact they all kept nicely. I baked the loaves Sunday afternoon and didn’t have to soften any of the leftovers until I was finishing off the last few pieces Thursday evening.
My one quibble is that the FLAVOR wasn’t as nicely developed as I’d like it. I may add an extra pinch of salt the next time I make this-and I may very well be making it this weekend.
Great recipe!
Thanks for
Another thing to do to heighten flavor is to let the shaped loaves rise overnight in the fridge. let them rise about halfway, refrigerate (covered), then next day let them finish rising and bake. the reason homemade baguettes store better than store-bought is that anything made with a starter, which makes it slightly acidic, stays fresher than bread NOT made with a starter. PJH
January 12th, 2009 at 1:00 am
Well the next attempt worked better in some ways. The egg wash (whites only) was a success. However last time I had flowered the counter while shaping the bread this time tried greasing the board (used a little light olive oil).
While eating my last baguettes I found where I folded the dough while shaping left harder ridges inside my bread. This time The insides were great but the outside was coming apart. So my Baguettes this time were prettier in the crust and texture was fantastic they were in the end a bit malformed. The pinched edges along the length opened up and did so while rolling into final shape too.
Tastiest mistake I have ever made though!!!
Practice, while it might not make perfect, is often a lot of fun, Thomas. Keep up the good work - every attempt will be a bit different, and probably closer to your goal, whatever your own personal goal is. PJH
January 12th, 2009 at 1:36 pm
Are there adverse effects on the starter if it is more than 14 hours before using? I saw in a previous post that the loaves can rise in the fridge overnight. Will that method work to slow the starter down or does it matter if the rise time is longer?
Yes, slight adverse effects not particularly at 14 hours, but when the starter has risen, then obviously fallen. It’s best to use it while it’s still domed/flat, before it’s started to (con)cave in. I don’t quite understand your second question. Letting the partially risen loaves continue to rise very slowly overnight in the fridge (covered, of course) increases both flavor, and the crackliness/shininess of the crust; that’s what it accomplishes… Does that help? PJH
January 13th, 2009 at 5:22 pm
Wow! This is officially my favorite recipe in the world. I can’t wait to try it out with my students. First time I made it was perfect. Then I purchase unbleached flour and the bread turned out heavier but still great. I will try using more water next time. Must I add a little more yeast to the extra water or just the water? Thank you for sharing this recipe, I’m sure it has blessed many!
No extra yeast needed, Heidi. Glad you’ve enjoyed it! PJH
January 14th, 2009 at 6:45 am
I just had to let you know that I have lately become obsessed with learning to bake bread. I stumbled upon this website a few days ago, and I’m so excited about finding it. I baked these baguettes yesterday, and they were so delicious. My first attempts at baguettes, using other recipes, were miserable failures. But your detailed instructions and photos made all the difference in the world. Being winter in Ohio, I found that I had to use about 1/4 cup more water in my starter than your recipe called for. The crusts were crispy like I’ve been looking for, and really reminded me of the bread I had in Paris. The inside texture was nice and chewy, but I still didn’t get the nice big holes I was hoping for. My dough looked just like your photos right up until they went into the oven. It was nice, soft, and somewhat sticky, yet easy to work. I never added any additional flour. It rose beautifully for 3 hours, deflated every hour. My question concerns the rising time after the loaves are shaped. Your recipe says it should take between 60 to 90 minutes, and that rising too much will cause the bread not to rise in the oven. I think this was where my problem was because my loaves didn’t seem to rise any more after they were put into the oven. I let them rise for about an hour, and they looked ready to me. I guess I still have to learn when enough is enough, and not too much. But, still they are beautiful, delicious, and I can’t wait to make them again.
Bev, this is the wonderful secret about yeast bread baking—the more you experiment and try things, the closer your loaves are to being exactly what you want. And the experiments along the way are so delicious! Stay connected here—I think you’ll enjoy the back-and-forth with this pretty dedicated community of bakers. PJH
January 28th, 2009 at 8:55 am
the receipe is wonderful. I tried it out with high protein flour or bread flour as we do not have King Arthur Flour unless it is available at some upmarket gourmet supermarket in Singapore.
Asian made french bread is used in Roti John ( where the bread is split in half and dip in a batter of eggs chicken or mutton chopped onions) and fried on a griddle and served with cucumber and tomato sauce in most hawker centres.
French bread also goes well with mutton soup (a localised version with spices),
if its hot off the oven it goes well with pork luncheon meat and cucumber with tomatoes or fried egg
Here the favourite is to have it with chicken curry where the pieces of french bread are dip in the curry and eaten (good in winter)
I am still looking at experimenting with the Vietnames version of french bread where it has a crispier crust (under the dough is mixed with a bit of rice flour) - it has a lighter taste
Have you come across where they serve the sandwich Bahn minh
January 28th, 2009 at 3:36 pm
Oh wow, that looks tasty! I know what we’re having for breakfast next weekend.
February 3rd, 2009 at 3:00 pm
This is the best bread I have made over all. It is crunchy on the outside and soft on the inside.
February 7th, 2009 at 9:31 pm
Gerald Yap, I think you mean “banh mi,” which is a Vietnamese “hoagie” — usually with pate, ham, pork skin, or some other meat, along with cilantro, cucumber, and hot peppers. One of my husband’s favorites (he’s Vietnamese).
I’ve found these baguettes to be wonderful for making substantial banh mi. But in Vietnam, the baguettes are ridiculously airy — they are light as a feather and very insubstantial (in fact, it’s heartbreaking whenever I get one in the morning to eat with jam and the whole thing gets smashed down when I put the jam on it!). I’ve tried substituting some rice flour in this recipe, as well as adding some more water, to make Vietnamese-lightness baguettes, but to no avail. I suspect they have some mega-hot ovens they are cooking them in over there and some secret for combining the ingredients. Next time I go I’ll try to sleuth it out. ^_^
As for these baguettes, WOW! First time I ever made a decent baguette was with this recipe. Now I make them about once every other week. Perfect for my cheese and bread addiction, as well as my aforementioned bread and jam addiction.
And can I just say, these are perfect if you shape them into boules and then make muffuletta, or keep them as baguettes and make Italian hoagies. YUM. Bravo on this recipe.
Thanks, Kim - I know what you’re talking about, the totally airy baguettes and yeah, I think it’s the super-hot steam oven, something we just can’t emulate at home. But if you ever get a chance to find out - please share!
PJH
February 8th, 2009 at 7:20 pm
This bread is very good but takes a long time with all the rising. I’m wondering if olive oil can be added to this recipe or if I should use my old recipe with olive oil and spray it with water to give a crunchier crust.
Either one, Diane - add olive oil to this recipe (replacing some of the water), or use your favorite recipe, spraying the crust with water. Be advised that the longer the rise, the deeper and richer the flavor of the bread. Baking bread isn’t a sprint; it’s more like a casual jog… PJH
February 9th, 2009 at 7:10 pm
I invited a couple over for dinner yesterday. In order to serve a nice dinner to go with a vintage wine that this couple offer to share with me and my husband, I decided to make some homemade bread. I found your recipe on the web. I’ve never made bread before, so I read all the comments and tips and everything carefully. Then I calculated the time so I can bake the bread an hour before dinner. I was taking my chance that if I was not successful there will be no bread to go with the seafood chowder. I’m pleased that everything turned out very well, I just made one mistake by slashing the dough before spraying with water. I used my round pizza stone to bake, so had to divide my dough in 4 to make a smaller baguette to fit them all on the stone. Any easy way to transfer the dough to the hot stone? I had fun making the bread and would like to thank you for the wonderful recipe. They were great and we ate more bread than we should. I live in the British Virgin Islands, your brand of flour is not available here, and I cannot sign up neither.
Try shaping the loaves on parchment, then using anything large and flat - the back of a cookie sheet? - to slide them onto the stone. Glad they came out well for you, Teresa- PJH
February 11th, 2009 at 3:23 pm
Thank you for the absolute best step by step directions with photos! I made this recipe for Christmas. It was my first try at bagguettes and they turned out BEAUTIFULLY!
I also got my exercise that day running from the kitchen to the computer to check the photos, LOL. Step by step and photo by photo, we could have interchanged pictures - this recipe went exactly as expected.
I loved the feel of this dough in my hands. It was a very good experience.
I had to fight my husband - he wanted to take them out way too early. He has no paitience, LOL. They got lovely and BROWN, but I never did get the charred looking spots.
I cut the bagguettes into thirds and split them to be used as bread for the roast beef I’d baked. The combination of the bagguettes, the roast beef and the horseradish sauce was exceptionally good.
The varied textures and flavors made the bagguettes a big hit Christmas day.
THANK YOU!!!
Congratulations, Deb - success on your first try with baguettes is success indeed! PJH
February 25th, 2009 at 7:28 pm
I have a question about adapting this recipe to use the KAF French-style flour for baguettes. The recipe on the back of the bag doesn’t include making a poolish, and it has different proportions. Shouldn’t you still make a poolish even with the baguette flour? Specifically how much of the French-style flour should I use in place of the AP or bread flour in this recipe? Thanks in advance!
Karen, use the same amount of French-style flour as AP; they’re basically the same protein. I prefer making a poolish first; I think it improves the flavor. But it’s not strictly necessary. No “shoulds” and “shouldn’ts” about bread baking; just preferences! PJH
March 2nd, 2009 at 4:05 pm
I’ve just made the bread for the third or fourth time and I’m finding it addictive.
Two questions. The starter is supposed to look like a batter, but the flour/water proportions makes mine into a sticky dough. It rises and the bread is just as it should be, but is there something I’m doing wrong?
Second, do you think I could allow the starter to rise in the fridge for 24 hours or so instead of 14 at regular temperature? This is a hard bread to make on a weekday, but if I could make the starter one evening and do the bread the next, that would work well. And as I said, this bread is addictive.
Thanks!
It’s winter, your flour may be dry. I wouldn’t worry about the starter if the final bread is working. A cool rise is certainly an option. Give it a try and see what you think of the flavor. Frank from KAF.
March 2nd, 2009 at 5:43 pm
I just may try it tonight. I made a half recipe yesterday, shaped it into 2 smaller batards and it’s all gone today–we had a snow day so everyone has been eating it!
March 4th, 2009 at 5:00 pm
These turned out so nicely - especially for a first attempt. I was skeptical about using so little yeast, and so put a little extra in. Go figure, the yeast taste is a bit too strong. Other than that, the texture and look of these is just how the pictures look. What a great recipe for a rainy, boring day!
Claire, I love it when first-time baguette bakers are pleased with the results. It’s not the easiest bread to bake, so kudos to you!!! Enjoy - PJH
March 11th, 2009 at 12:10 pm
Excellent bread. After following all the instructions, and 2 hours of rising/deflating, I placed the dough in the refrigerator overnight (fatigued after making two other recipes from your site). Baked it the next day and the taste was excellent. My friends suggested I quit my day job and make bread instead.
Congratulations, Red! Baguettes aren’t the easiest bread to make at home - glad you were successful. PJH
March 17th, 2009 at 11:07 pm
Your instructions and illustrations are wonderful–but–I see no mention of how much of each ingredient to use-no recipe. Please advise.
Van, please click on the link to the baguettes recipe right before the pictures, or at the end of the pictures. Or link from here. Good luck - PJH
March 29th, 2009 at 8:03 pm
I tried it with prosciutto with roasted red bell pepper and it was delicious. Thanks for the tips!
Oooh, Lea, prosciutto, great idea! Thanks for sharing - PJH
April 2nd, 2009 at 6:26 am
The ham and cheese baguette looks absolutely divine, I am going to have to have a go at that, thankyou!
April 16th, 2009 at 5:29 pm
I tried the baguettes today, using 1 cup of white whole wheat flour. This gave the dough a slightly tan color and probably a bit different taste. The loaves looked beautiful, but when I turned them over, they were quite charred on the bottom. Does this mean I over-spritzed? I certainly don’t have the hang of the diagonal slashes, but I think I can get there. The bread really does taste great.
It could be that too much spritzing will take it longer to bake because the surface is so wet. Glad they tasted good. Slashing just takes pratice. Do not try to cut deep just skim lightly over the surface. Joan@bakershotline
April 24th, 2009 at 8:58 pm
Joan, I wish Martha luck with the slashing! I’ve purchased two lames and both are useless–I’m back to using a bread saw. It’s serrated, with large teeth, and the blade is attached at both ends to a bow shaped handle. It takes a little effort to hold it at the right angle, but at least it cuts! The lame just drags and pulls and deflates and doesn’t cut–both the one I bought from KA, and one I bought locally at a fine cookware shop. I’ve heard that a razor works well–but the idea feels a little hazardous.
May 21st, 2009 at 2:47 pm
The baguettes were great! I just want to clarify one thing that I have read here. Can I prepare the baguettes right up until the point of shaping them and then put directly in the refrigerator to take out the next day for the final rise? Thanks for your help ( I love this web site!! )
In this Blog posting dated Jan. 9, 2009, PJ writes about refrigerating baguettes - Let them rise about halfway, refrigerate (covered), then next day let them finish rising and bake. Thanks to PJ and to you for highlightling this method which will be helpful to many other bakers. Irene @ KAF
May 24th, 2009 at 1:08 am
Wonderful pages! Keep up the great work.
May 24th, 2009 at 5:02 pm
I am so excited to try this recipe! I live in rural Arkansas and good bread of any kind is so hard to find here. Do you think the baguettes could be frozen and baked at a later time?
Susan, best to par-bake them - bake for 10 minutes or so, just to set them, but not completely brown. Wrap VERY WELL and freeze. Then, prior to serving, bake the rest of the way. I’d say, put them in the oven, frozen, and bake at 425°F for 20-25 minutes or so? They should be a very deep, golden brown. Good luck - PJH
May 25th, 2009 at 10:58 am
Help! Every time I tried to make the diagonal slashes in the baguette, the “cut” closed by itself, and I ended up with no cut on the surface after baking! What should I do? Is it because my dough was too wet?
I think you need to be more aggressive, Iris. REALLY slash it (at a 45°, not 90° angle), then IMMEDIATELY pop it into the oven. It’ll deflate like a balloon, but then the heat should blow it right up again. Give it a try - PJH
June 4th, 2009 at 4:25 am
This is the best step by step guide I have found. Thank you, I can’t wait to try it.
Rosemary, good luck - I think you’ll enjoy this. PJH
June 5th, 2009 at 2:09 pm
Thanks so much for these easy to follow recipes! I had only baked soda breads before but on the first try got three lovely crispy baguettes by following your great instructions. On my second try today I’m going to make the stuffed ones, they look SO good! Thanks!
Good for you, Jen - baguettes are a challenge - one you’ve successfully met. Congrats! PJH