French baguettes
This classic of French baking is rather different from the recipe for leavened bread, it's a question of making a good crust and light crumb along the whole length. To succeed, you should know that there are two secrets: water first of all (much more than for normal bread), and the working of the dough, which is also very different.
5 hours 6 min.
Average
12 baguettes
5 IngredientsLast modified on: October 24th 2017
For 12 baguettes, you will need:
- 1
13 cups plain white flour (French Type 65) - 2
4 2⁄3 cups water - 3
2 ½ tablespoons salt - 4
2 cups + 2 tablespoons leaven - 5
1 tablespoon yeast
Change these quantities to make:
Change measures:
Times for this recipe
Preparation: 45 min.
Resting: 4 hours 5 min.
Cooking: 20 min.
All in all: 5 hours 6 min.
If you start now, at , you will finish around : ?.Change start time
To finish around 7pm, you'll need to have started before: .Change end time
Step by step recipe
Stage 1
In bread-making, the water temperature is always important. It's not a fixed value, but related to 3 other temperatures: 1) the temperature of your flour, 2) the room temperature in your kitchen, and 3) the basic temperature of this recipe, which is 56-60°C.
You can calculate the temperature of the water for this recipe in one click, using this small calculator.
You can calculate the temperature of the water for this recipe in one click, using this small calculator.
Stage 2 - 7 min.
Put in the mixer bowl 13 cups plain white flour (French Type 65) and 4 2⁄3 cups water.
Knead for 5 minutes at minimum speed, to well mix water and flour.
Note: For the best way to knead, see: A few tips for effective kneading at home.
Knead for 5 minutes at minimum speed, to well mix water and flour.
Note: For the best way to knead, see: A few tips for effective kneading at home.
Stage 3 - 1 hour
Cover with a plastic sheet and let stay for 1 hour.
Stage 4 - 10 min.
After this time, add 2 ½ tablespoons salt, 2 cups + 2 tablespoons leaven and 1 tablespoon yeast.
Knead for about 10 minutes, ideally dough should be at the end of kneading at 73°F (23°C), or better try the window-pane test.
Knead for about 10 minutes, ideally dough should be at the end of kneading at 73°F (23°C), or better try the window-pane test.
Stage 5 - 1 hour 30 min.
Put the dough, roughly shape in ball, in a plastic container, covered with a plastic sheet, and let stay for 1h30.
Stage 6 - 3 min.
After this time, pour the dough on your working surface...
Stage 7 - 10 min.
...and scale pieces of 300 grams.
Note: if you plan to make half-size baguettes, you should scale 150g pieces instead.
Note: if you plan to make half-size baguettes, you should scale 150g pieces instead.
Stage 8 - 15 min.
Shape pieces of dough in balls, like in this short video on the right.
Stage 9 - 15 min.
Let stay dough lumps on your working surface for 15 minutes, covered with a plastic sheet.
Stage 10 - 15 min.
From lumps, shape baguettes as shown in this video.
Stage 11
If you use baguettes moulds, put lumps directly in, cover with plastic sheets and let stay for 1 hour.
Stage 12 - 1 hour
If you don't have moulds, put lumps on floured linen, then cover with plastic sheets and let stay for 1 hour.
Stage 13 - 1 min.
Preheat your oven at 460°F (240°C), slash top of lumps...
Stage 14 - 20 min.
...and put in the oven for about 20 minutes.
Note: As when baking any bread, you should ensure that the oven is filled with steam for the first 15 minutes of baking. This page shows you how; it really is the secret of golden-brown, crusty loaves..
Note: As when baking any bread, you should ensure that the oven is filled with steam for the first 15 minutes of baking. This page shows you how; it really is the secret of golden-brown, crusty loaves..
Stage 15
You will really appreciate the very light crumb and the crunch of the crust...
Stage 16
...of good French baguettes.
Remarks
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.
If you want more information about making your own bread, you can look at this dedicated page.
Keeping: For the crunchy, only a few hours, but can easily be froozen.
Source: From Thomas marie.
Nutritional information
| Proteins (gr) | Carbohydrates (gr) | Fats (gr) | Energy value (in k-calories) | Energy value (in k-joules) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Whole recipe | 280 RDI=110 % | 2,170 RDI=210 % | 40 RDI=6 % | 7,970 RDI=400 % | 33,380 RDI: 400 % |
| Per 100 g | 7 RDI=3 % | 60 RDI=6 % | 1 RDI=0 % | 220 RDI=10 % | 920 RDI: 10 % |
| Per baguettes | 20 RDI=9 % | 180 RDI=20 % | 3 RDI=1 % | 660 RDI=30 % | 2,780 RDI: 30 % |
How much will it cost?
- For 12 baguettes : 4.30 €
- Per baguettes : 0.40 €
Change currency: 
Note: Be careful, these prices are only an estimate, you can consult the table of prices by ingredients used for this estimate.
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This recipe uses (among others)
Plain white flour (French Type 65)
Like these other recipes: Loaf for "les filles'", Seeded loaf, New leavened bread, Roscoff loaf, Jura bread, ... See them all 19
Water
Like these other recipes: Couscous, Lumberjack turnovers, Ali Baba bread, Hazelnut and orange cake, Spaghetti Bolognese, ... See them all 132
Leaven
You can get more informations, or check-out other recipes which use it, for example: Bacon rolls, Yeast-based flaky dough (for croissants), Peanut rolls, Sandwich bread, Ali Baba bread, ... See them all 21
Salt
Like these other recipes: Polenta with spinach and soft-poached egg, Aperitif rolls, Five hours poultry, Green beans with feta cream and basil, Tomato and cream cheese terrine, ... See them all 629
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The 36 comments already posted on this recipe
That's OK too for instant yeast, but reduce weight of yeast by 25-50% in this case.
Can I use instant yeast to replace fresh yeast?
It was noisy indeed but so much fun, that's why I'd like to try making the baguette with this method :)
And thank you for the info about Respectus pannis! Very interesting. I understand that we could just leave the dough resting with very little kneading and it would turn out just fine but I'm surprised to read that this new movement really does rely on a very long resting time and a very little levain...
I just received Manitoba and T65 flours; might try both your baguette and bread with respectus pannis system this weekend. Merci bcp JH!
According to that, there is in the French bakery a new movement that is growing up, for a different way of making bread: less salt, less kneading, less yeast or leaven, but much more resting time at almost ambient temperature (16-18°C), it's called "Respectus pannis" if you want to check out.
I come with another question; instead of using a mixer/kitchen machine, can I use Bertinet's method (slap&fold) to knead the dough?
I understand that it will take longer than using a machine, but is it possible?
I will try your baguette recipe this weekend. Super excited!
It is, but please notice that's a different way that using leaven to make bread.
Keeping a part of your dough, in the fridge for one night, and using it in your daily dough (usually 10-20% of the weight of normal dough), is a way of making bread.
Using leaven in your dough (and in that case soured dough is useless) is another one, and different.
Using soured dough is easier, but less tasty than using leaven.
Have fun in bakery!
I also heard that you can keep a portion of your old dough as 'soured dough' and add it when you are making a new batch of baguette dough and this will enhance your dough.
Is that true?
If I'm using your recipe for 3 baguettes (500 gr) flour, how many soured dough should I keep/add from the previous batch?
Thank you again JH!
Yes, you can.
Can I still use it for the recipe without changing the weight measurement?
Thank you!
For this recipe you could start by a French one (50%), and see what you got?
Yes, you can add seeds (very good idea btw) , about 20% of the weight of flour. Check out this recipe for some advices: seeded loaf.
I would like to add some seeds, but how many grams and do I have to add more water?
Merci beaucoup!
The old one was coming from the web, and the new one from a great French baker who teach me.
Where the old one came from? Actually I saw a french baker in Youtube ising that method, playing the dough in a big plastic box. Is that method a traditional one?
Salut!
Sorry, no, but this one is much better and give tastier baguettes.
I was using the old version, could youpls keep it for reference? thanks!
Here's a new version of the recipe, more simple and more efficient.