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Authentic French Baguette

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  • Author: Megan Keno
  • Prep Time: 36 Hours
  • Cook Time: 25 Minutes
  • Total Time: 36 hours 25 minutes
  • Yield: 4 16" Baguettes
  • Category: Bread
  • Method: Oven
  • Cuisine: French

Description

Picture perfect baguette from Sur La Table Kitchens


Ingredients

Poolish:
7 ounces Bread Flour
7 ounces Warm Water (80 degrees)
1/2 tsp Yeast
Vegetable Oil

Dough:
14 ounces Bread Flour
7 ounces warm water (90 degrees)
3/4 tsp Yeast
2 tsp. Salt


Instructions

Day 1: Poolish
In bowl, whisk together flour, water and yeast until consistency is smooth. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and towel allowing to develop overnight in a dark, draft free area. Keep at room temperature.

Day 2: Bread
Grease large mixing bowl with vegetable oil and set aside.
For dough, place your bread flour, starter, warm water, yeast and salt and rested poolish into a stand mixer bowl with the dough hook attached. Mix on low for 3-4 minutes. Increase speed to medium and knead for additional 3 minutes or until the dough is smooth consistency.
Pour into greased bowl, cover with plastic wrap and allow to rise for 45 minutes.
Once rested, turn out dough onto floured surface. Grabbing the right side of your dough, stretch and fold it as if you were folding a piece of paper into three sections. Repeat this with the left side of the dough. Repeat this process from the top of the dough log and then the bottom of the dough. Just imagine the tri-fold.

Place into freshly greased bowl, cover and allow to rise again for an additional 45 minutes.
Place a baking stone into the center rack of your oven, preheating the oven to 475 degrees. If you don’t have a baking stone, double up two lightly colored baking sheets. Fill a shallow pan with water, set aside. The pan will heat the water, creating steam – essential for a crispy crust.
Pour the dough onto a lightly floured surface and divide into four sections, approximately 8 ounces each. Pat the dough to remove any gas bubbles. Shape the dough into a short log. Allow to rest again with the seam side down on a linen dish towel, covering with another linen dish towel and let rest for about 20 minutes.
Return logs to floured surface, pressing on dough to release air bubbles. Flip dough over so seam side is facing upwards. Fold the log in half from the top down. Now seal the dough using the heel of your hand. Roll the dough until it becomes a log about 14-16 inches long. Repeat on the rest of the loaves.
Set them onto a pan lined with floured parchment paper. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise one last time for 45 minutes.
After final rise is complete, cut small slits into loaves with a sharp knife or razor blade. This will allow the bread to vent while baking. Transfer baguettes on parchment, 2 at a time, to baking stone or doubled baking sheets.
Place shallow dish filled with water to bottom rack of oven and close.
Bake bread, 2 at a time, for 20-25 minutes. Check after 15 minutes to make sure they are not done early. All ovens are different. When toasted and brown, remove and transfer to wire cooling rack.
Allow to cool and serve, with butter. Lots of butter.