#French artisan bread recipes how to#

Once it becomes difficult to stir, go in with a clean hand and start squeezing and massaging the dough all over until all of the flour is hydrated. Start by stirring all of your ingredients together. A baguette is a lean dough so it only contains 4 ingredients: water, flour, yeast, and salt. I recommend doing this step the night before making the bread.Īfter the poolish has fermented, combine it with the rest of the dough ingredients. Mix the poolish together at least 6 hours before (and up to 10 hours before) making the dough. The advantage of adding a poolish to the dough is that it greatly improves the flavor and texture of the dough. This recipe utilizes a poolish, which is a French pre-ferment that has a high ratio of water to flour. To accomplish this, some of the water, some of the flour, and a little bit of yeast is mixed together and allowed to ferment before the final dough is mixed. Most French baguette recipes begin with a baguette starter, also known as a pre-ferment. However, you can also use active dry yeast with a longer fermentation period – see recipe notes. Note: I prefer to use instant yeast (also known as quick-rise or rapid rise yeast) for my baguettes because it increases oven spring and creates a beautiful texture. The technique we are using today produces artisan loaves that have a thin, crispy crust with characteristic large holes in the chewy center. There are many ways to approach making French baguette. In order to form the gluten structure that kneading produces, this dough ferments for a long period of time with several brief stretch and folds throughout. Due to the high hydration ratio, this dough is essentially a no-knead bread.Keep your fingers damp when working with the dough to prevent sticking.

Do not add more flour than the recipe calls for.

French baguette dough is a very wet dough.

Because of the long fermentation period, the water used in this recipe is slightly cooler (90☏/ 32☌) than in most bread recipes.

A scale is a small investment and by far the best way to accurately measure ingredients for bread dough.

While most of the special equipment used to make bread dough is optional and can be mimicked with other kitchen items, I highly recommend using a kitchen scale.

This ensures a complete understanding of the timing and steps involved.

To fully understand the process of making French baguette, read through the entire tutorial and recipe at least twice before getting started.

The French baguette is a symbol of France and its identity! So much so that this artisan bread has been given World Heritage Status by UNESCO.

Texture: Baguettes are ultra crunchy and crispy on the outside with a pillowy soft interior. Each loaf is long and thin with slits cut into the dough. Shape: French baguettes have a unique shape uncommon to other types of bread. The best way to perfect the baguette craft? Practice! What makes French baguette so special? The process of making an authentic French baguette takes time as well as an understanding of bread making techniques. Made with a lean dough (no fat present), a French baguette features a chewy texture inside the loaf. In French, the word baguette means baton or stick, and is sometimes referred to as “ French stick bread“. Put simply, baguette is a classic French loaf of bread characterized by its long, thin shape and crispy crust.

#French artisan bread recipes how to#

Learning how to make French baguette can seem intimidating, follow along as we master the art of this classic recipe. However, there are two more “ingredients” that are heavily involved in the process: time and technique. Water, flour, salt, and yeast are the only ingredients needed to make this delicious loaf of bread.

I say this not to scare you from making this iconic bread, but to help your perspective for how your first baguette attempt might look.Ī classic baguette is extremely simple in regard to it’s ingredients. I once heard a chef at a French bakery say that in France, an apprentice baker must make 10,000 baguettes before they can be considered competent at this skill. Techniques Used: Pre-Ferment (Poolish), Stretch & Fold Method for Bread Making.Follow this in-depth step-by-step guide to make authentic French baguettes in the comfort of your own kitchen. With a uniquely crusty exterior and a fluffy, chewy inside, these homemade French baguettes taste bakery-worthy.