French baguettes
By Greg
Total Time: 220 min
Prep Time: 200 min
Cook Time: 20 min
Crispy and authentic like a French bakery. Needs about 4 hours including resting time.
Notes: Stick to the recipe rigidly, the quantities: and using the correct ingredients are very important for successful results. Use scales for the measurements including the water, don’t convert to cups or measuring jugs, they are too inaccurate. Use proper white bread flour with at least 12% protein (12g of protein per 100g of flour), plain or all purpose flour
Recipe Details
Serves: 4 people
Difficulty: Easy
Created 13 December, 2020
Updated 11 August, 2025
Adjust Servings
Ingredients
Instructions
- Add the flour, yeast, salt to a bowl, mix together.
- Add the water and bring it all together to a sticky dough as shown.
- Cover the bowl and set the timer for 45 minutes.
- After the 45 minutes take the dough out of the bowl and with wet hands knock the dough back by giving it 5 or 6 turns. Repeat this procedure another 3 times
- After the last 45 minute rise, turn out the dough onto a well floured surface and divide the dough into 4 equal pieces and pre-shape them as shown in the video, cover them with a piece of oiled cling film / plastic wrap and let them relax for 15 minutes.
- After the 15 minutes form the pre-shapes into the baguettes and place them onto the well floured bakers Couche cloth as shown in the video, set the timer for 20 minutes
- After the 20 minutes reset the time for a further 10 to 12 minutes while the oven heats up to 220°C / 430°F / Gas mark 7 to 8, also place a tray of hot water on the bottom shelf of the oven.
- Place the baguettes on lightly greased baking trays, spray with a little water and score the baguettes as shown in the video.
- Place the baguettes in the hot oven, spray inside the oven with water as shown, and bake for 16 to 20 minutes, remove from the oven and place on a wire rack until cool.
- Enjoy.
