Homemade Baguettes
There is nothing better than bread fresh from the oven. This easy baguette recipe creates the perfect loaf every time. Whether this is your first time playing with yeast or you're a seasoned baker, you'll fall in love with bread all over again after making this!
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Servings: 20 slices
Calories: 104kcal
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups water
- 1 teaspoon yeast
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 4 1/2 cups flour
Instructions
- Add warm water to a bowl.1 1/2 cups water
- Proof yeast if you aren't confident it's live. Add it to bowl and sprinkle sugar over it. If you don't see bubbles after 5 minutes, start over with new yeast.1 teaspoon yeast, 1 teaspoon sugar
- Add a cup of flour plus the salt and mix. Add two more cups of flour and mix again. Watch your dough and add the remaining flour half and then a quarter cup at a time. Stir between each addition and keep adding until dough pulls away from the bowl but remains tacky.1 teaspoon salt, 4 1/2 cups flour
- Knead with a stand mixer for 5-7 minutes or by hand for 10-15 minutes. Cover the bowl with a damp towel and let rise for an hour and a half.
- Gently punch down and separate into two equal portions. One at a time, stretch the dough into a flat rectangle about 5x9. Fold a long edge 2/3 the way up the rectangle, then fold the other long edge over. Pinch both long ends together next so that you have a neat seam atop your rectangle. Flip over your rectangle and gently roll with your hands to finish up the loaf shape. Repeat with the remaining ball.
- Place both loaves onto an oiled baguette pan. Cover with damp towel again, and let rise for another one to two hours. Once risen, use a bread knife to slash loaves three to four times diagonally along each loaf to allow room for expansion.
- Preheat your oven to 400 degrees with a small pan on a low rack. Place your loaves into the oven (without the towel). Add 1/2 cup of water into the preheated pan, but NOT on the loaves.
- Add water to the pan three or four times during the first several minutes of cooking. Bake for 25 minutes until golden brown and it has a hollow sound when you thump it.
- Let it cool for five to ten minutes, then slice and enjoy.
Equipment
Notes
- You may not need all the flour, depending on your humidity levels, the flour, etc. I use anywhere from 4-5 cups flour depending on the weather. You want your dough to pull away from the sides of the bowl but still be slightly sticky. If you poke at it, the dough should feel tacky but not immediately attach itself to your finger.
- For more tips and tricks, be sure to read the full article above.
Nutrition
Serving: 1slice | Calories: 104kcal | Carbohydrates: 22g | Protein: 3g | Sodium: 108mg | Fiber: 1g
This site uses an online source to provide nutrition estimates as a courtesy. If you need exact values, please calculate yourself.