French baguettes
For 4 pieces, you will need:
- 3 cups + 2 tablespoons plain white flour (French Type 65)
- 1 ½ cup water
- 1 tablespoon coarse salt
- ½ cup leaven
- 1 tablespoon yeast
Nutritional information:
% are calculated relative to a Recommended Dietary Intake or RDI of 2000 k-calories by day for a woman (change to a man).
Times:
Resting : 1 hour 50 min.
Cooking : 20 min.
Start to finish : 4 hours 32 min.
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Step by step recipe:
Put in the mixer bowl 1 ½ cup water and 1 tablespoon coarse salt, add ½ cup leaven, mix, then add 3 cups + 2 tablespoons plain white flour (French Type 65) and 1 tablespoon yeast. |  |
Knead for 5 minutes at minimum speed, then 5 minutes more on speed 1. You will obtain a rather runny and very sticky dough (the bakers say a "soft" dough), which is normal. |  |
Pour, if possible, this dough into a square or rectangular container, cover with a plastic sheet and leave at room temperature for 10 minutes. |  |
Work the dough by stretching and folding, i.e.: With a dough-knife or a spatula (it's much easier with a dough-knife), lift the dough from underneath to stretch it ... |  |
... and fold it back over on itself. |  |
Give ½ turn to the container and repeat the operation: raise, stretch... |  |
... and fold back. Continue until you have made a full rotation with the container and completely folded the dough back on itself. Tip the dough into the floured container, cover with a plastic sheet and leave to rest 20 minutes. This operation of working + resting, must be done 3 times. The gesture of the turn is rather difficult to describe, so you can watch it in this short video on the right. | |
The working and 20 minutes resting should be done 3 times. This succession of "rabats" will modify the structure of the dough which will change from the initial "dreadfully sticky soup" to a dough which holds its shape. Cover with a plastic sheet and leave to rise at room temperature for 1 hour. |  |
At the end of this time, the dough must be worked again. |  |
Tip it onto the work surface, and give it a turn, i.e.: Stretch it lengthways, and fold over into three on itself. Give ¼ turn to the dough, and repeat the operation. The gesture of the turn is rather difficult to describe, so you can watch it in this short video on the right. | |
Put dough back into floured container, cover with a plastic sheet and leave to rest 20 minutes. This operation, turn + rest, must be done 3 times. Eventually you should get a nicely risen plump "pillow" of dough. |  |
After the final resting, tip the dough onto the work surface, and cut into 4 equal pieces. |  |
Shape each piece into a ball. |  |
Place the 4 balls on a baking sheet, cover it with a plastic sheet and leave to rest 20 minutes. |  |
At the end of this time, place a ball of dough in front of you, flatten it a little with your hand. |  |
Roll it up on itself firmly, to transform the ball into long "sausage". |  |
Form the baguette by rolling with hands. You need to try to make a "W" with your hands, as you move them apart. This action is rather difficult to describe, so you can watch it in this short video on the right. | |
Place the shaped baguette in the mould. |  |
Do this with all the dough, cover with a plastic sheet and leave to rest 20 minutes. Preheat the oven to 240°C or 464°F. |  |
If you like, dust the top of the baguette with a little flour, score on top, and bake in the oven for about 20 minutes. |  |
Remove from the oven as soon as the baguettes are beautifully coloured. |  |
You will really appreciate the very light crumb and the crunch of the crust... |  |
Remarks:
Be careful to not to overcook the baguettes, otherwise the crust becomes thick and the loaves tough.You can make baguettes as for other bread: plain or with different flours, or with added seeds, grains, etc.
If you want more information about making your own bread, you can look at this dedicated page.
When you are "fluent" with this recipe, try increasing water from 350 to 400 ml, the dough will be more difficult to work, but your baguettes will be lighter and better.
Source:
Initailly from Eric Kayser, now home made.Last modified on: December 8th 2012
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Your 9 comments or questions on this recipe:
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At last, the french bakers secret !
Comment #1 posted on september 15th 2008 at 19:52 by jo.
I am confused. The recipe is for normal french baguette but it calls for leaven. I thought leaven was only used for making sourdough french baguettes. Is the recipe then for normal ("white") baguette or sourdough?
Comment #2 posted on november 30th 2008 at 05:16 by anonymous coward et bogos.
Yes, you're right, usually there is no leaven in classical baguettes recipe, but sometimes there is only a small part of leaven who is there mostly for the taste (yeast is more important for dough growing).
This kind of baguettes are called "French traditional baguette", and I'm suppose to call this recipe like that, but I think it's not very signifivative in translation to english.
Anyway, if you want only a completely "white" baguettes, you can suppress leaven from this recipe.
Comment #3 posted on december 1st 2008 at 09:35 by jh.
Thank you for a clear, well detailed page.
I made my all leaven baguettes using T65 flour following your instructions, the only variation was an overnight rest for the dough, and no dried yeast.
Hopefully these images come through for you. Thanks again. Gill from Cheltenham.
the crumb inside
And excellent recipe.
Comment #4 posted on may 10th 2010 at 14:32 by gillthepainter.
And lovely photos and baguettes, congratulations!
Comment #5 posted on may 10th 2010 at 14:43 by jh.
Hi, my food processor doesn't have the right attachments (only a sharp blade, no dough hook), can I still make these fabulous baguettes? I do have a bread maker. Txs..
Comment #6 posted on november 27th 2010 at 10:43 by Anonymous.
Hi,
Using the sharp blade is not a good idea, I think your dough will not be good.
Maybe using your bread maker, just for the kneading step, is a good idea.
At last you can knead with your hands, like in the old times, but it's a bit tiring...
Comment #7 posted on november 27th 2010 at 15:21 by jh.
Is this original recipe from one of Kayser's books, Ioff so, which one?
Comment #8 posted on june 19th 2012 at 21:56 by Brad.
No, it is not the verbatim recipe. Just an inspiration from Kayser's way.
Comment #9 posted on june 20th 2012 at 08:19 by jh.
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