Baguette, Authentic French
A baguette is a long, thin loaf of French bread known for its crispy, golden crust and soft, airy interior. It is made from a basic lean dough of four ingredients: flour, water, salt, and yeast. A symbol of French culture and a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage, baguettes are a staple in French cuisine, enjoyed at all meals.
Yield: 5 baguettes
Materials
For the mother dough
- 110 gr strong flour
- 110 gr water
For the dough
- 110 gr strong flour
- 375 gr water
- 7 gr fresh yeast
- 20 gr salt
Instructions
- Mix all the ingredients for the mother dough, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 3.5 hour
- Make a well in the flour and pour in the mother dough. Add the water and yeast and mix by hand. Finally, add the salt and knead the dough well. Roll into a ball and cover with a damp tea towel. Let rest for 90 minutes at room temperature.
- Press the air out of the dough and divide it into 300g pieces. Roll into balls, dust with flour, and cover with a damp tea towel. Let it rest at room temperature for 35 minutes.
- Press the air out of the dough and roll it out into a baguette shape. Let it rest for another 90 minutes under a damp tea towel.
- Preheat the steam oven to 230°C (450°F) and bake for 20 minutes with steam
Tip
- Baking with steam, especially for bread, is crucial for achieving a crispy, shiny crust and a more open crumb by allowing the dough to expand fully before the crust hardens.
- You can create the steam effect in a regular oven by placing a few pebbles inside and covering them with water.
Notes
