French Baguettes
French Baguettes
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| Total time: | Overnight, |
| Yield: | 2 baguettes |
Ingredients
Starter
- 1/2 cup cool water
- 1 cup King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
- 1/8 teaspoon instant yeast
Dough
- All of the starter
- 3 1/2 cups King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
- 1 cup lukewarm water
- 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
- 1/4 teaspoon instant yeast
Directions
1) Mix the starter ingredients till smooth, cover, and let rest at room temperature overnight.
2) Next day, mix the starter with the remaining ingredients, kneading until the dough is nice and springy, but not totally smooth. Place the dough in a lightly greased bowl, cover, and let it rise for 3 hours, gently deflating it and turning it over after 1 hour, and again after 2 hours.
3) Divide the dough in half, and shape each half into a rough oval. Wait 15 minutes, then fold each oval lengthwise, sealing the edge, and use cupped fingers to gently roll each piece into a long (about 17") log. Place the loaves onto a lightly greased or parchment-lined pan, cover, and let them rise* till they're puffy but not doubled, about 2 to 2 1/2 hours. Towards the end of the rising time, preheat the oven to 425°F. VERY gently, use a sharp knife or razor blade to make three diagonal 1/3"-deep slashes in each loaf. Mist the loaves heavily with warm water. Bake the baguettes for 22 to 28 minutes, till they're golden brown. Take the baguettes off the pan and place them right on the oven rack. Turn off the oven, crack the door open about 2", and let the baguettes cool completely in the oven.
*For extra-crisp baguettes, cover the shaped loaves, let them rise for 30 minutes, then refrigerate overnight. Next day, take them out of the refrigerator and let them rest at room temperature, covered, for about 3 hours, or until they're nice and puffy. Then bake as directed above.
Reviews
- 01/31/2012
- I've been trying lots of Baguette recipes. I've probably tried 5 or 6 by now. What I really like about this one is the chewiness of the final product. The crust is crisp, but the interior is soft and chewy with med-large holes. It's great for sandwiches. I was just in Paris, and this is very close to the baguettes they use for sandwiches in the neighborhood shops and street cafes.
01/10/2012- Have made this recipe twice. Tastes fantastic.Has such a rustic texture. My test tasters, the neighbors raved about it. I love the recipe with one exception my loaves just never seem to get to that golden brown color. Oven at 425, middle of the oven, spritzed well, 28 minutes, bottom is light brown, but the top color is just short of the desired golden brown. If I let it go any further, I'm concerned it will be to dry or the bottom will burn. Have been baking for over 30 years and KA flour is the only flour in my kitchen.
- 10/15/2011
- I have been making and experimenting with french breads for years. Excellent recipe. A new favorite. I have been able to cook these in my Breville Toaster Oven to perfection. Don't fool around with other flour brands, I wasted my money for years. These people know flour.
- 01/08/2011
- I've made a few different baguette recipes in the past week and a half and this one is by far the best. Crispy crust, soft crumb and more flavorful than other recipes. I like that it calls for the dough to be prepared on an oiled surface instead of a floured surface. Maybe I'm wrong but it seems to have more flavor than other recipes.
