Classic French baguette
5
Units:
Prep: 20 min Cook: 25 min
Main
- 3 cup unbleached all-purpose or bread flour
- 1¼ tsp salt
- 1 tsp instant yeast
- 1¼ cup room temperature water, about 70F
The pinnacle of lean bread baking — just flour, water, salt, and yeast transformed into a loaf with a crackly golden crust and an airy, chewy interior. Mastering baguettes teaches you fundamental shaping and steam techniques that apply to all bread baking.
Instructions
- Mix and knead: Combine flour, salt, and yeast. Add water and stir until a rough dough forms. Knead by hand 10 minutes or by stand mixer 6-8 minutes until smooth and elastic.
- First rise: Cover and rise at room temperature 1.5-2 hours until doubled.
- Shape: Divide dough in half. Gently flatten each piece into a rectangle, fold in thirds like a letter, then roll into a 14-16 inch log with tapered ends. Place seam-side down on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
- Second rise: Cover loosely with greased plastic wrap. Rise 45-60 minutes until puffy but not quite doubled.
- Score and bake: Preheat oven to 475F with an empty metal pan on the lower rack. Score 3-4 diagonal slashes on each baguette. Slide into the oven and pour 1/2 cup hot water into the pan below for steam. Bake 24-28 minutes until deep golden, internal temperature 190F.
Tips
- Steam is the secret to a crackly crust — you can also spray the oven walls during the first 5 minutes
- Unbleached all-purpose flour closely mimics French T55 flour
- Do not over-flour during shaping; slight tackiness helps build surface tension
- Baguettes are best eaten within hours of baking — they stale quickly without preservatives
Created: 2/27/2026, 2:29:45 PM diytraditional
Baking sheet or baguette pan, spray bottle, sharp razor or lame, oven-safe pan for steam