Baguettes!
Bring the feel of a French bakery right to your home with these homemade French baguettes. These baguettes are light and airy on the inside with a crisp exterior. They’re perfect as a dinner appetizer or as a quick breakfast!
Prep Time: 2 Days Cook Time: 24 - 30 minutes Yields: 4 Baguettes
Ingredients
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700g of all purpose flour (~4 ¾ cups)
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2 tsp salt
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1 ½ tsp instant yeast
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530 mL warm water
Storing the Baguettes
If you want to save the baguette for a later date, you can store it in an airtight bag in the freezer once the baguette has cooled.
When you want to eat the baguette, remove from the freezer and let thaw for two hours before putting it into the oven at 200°F for a few minutes to warm it up.
Directions
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In a large bowl combine the flour, salt, and instant yeast. Whisk until ingredients are well combined
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Slowly add water and mix them together. Ensure that all dry ingredients are fully mixed in.
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Cover the bowl with plastic film and keep in a warm environment for 2 hours or until the dough has doubled in size.
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Once dough has proofed for 2 hours, place the bowl in the refrigerator for a minimum 24 hours. Can be stored for up to 48 hours.
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After the dough has rested in the refrigerator, lightly flour a surface for your dough. Remove the dough from the bowl, scraping the sides gently with a wooden spoon or rubber spatula as the dough is transferred to the floured surface.
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Divide the dough into 4 equal parts. Then take each part and make round dough balls by gently folding the edges of the dough towards the center and cupping your hands around the dough to create the ball shape.
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Once all the dough balls are shaped, space them out with around 1-2 inches between each and cover them with a damp cloth and let them rest for 45 minutes.
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After the 45 minutes, take one ball at a time, flatten the dough slightly with the palm of your hand. Then take the edges of the dough and gently pull them towards you before using the edge of your palm to seal the edges.
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With the sealed edge facing down, gently use your hands to roll the dough into a baguette shape rolling from the center outwards.
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Place the baguettes in folds of a heavily floured cotton dish towel, multiple sheets of paper towel or couche. Or you can place the baguettes onto a lightly creased sheet pan. Cover them with a damp cloth and allow the loaves to rise until they are slightly puffy (around 1 hour). Nearing the end of the proofing, preheat the oven to 450°F.
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If you used the towel or couche, gently roll them onto a lightly greased or parchment-lined baking sheet seam side down. Using a sharp knife, make 3 to 5 slashes along the baguettes
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Fill an aluminum roasting pan with 3-4 inches of boiling water and place on the bottom level of the oven.
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Brush or spray the baguettes with some water and place the baguettes on the upper level of the oven.
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Bake at 450°F for 24-30 minutes, or a nice golden brown shade.
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Remove from the oven and let them cool.
