Classic French Baguettes Recipe

Need an escape during the pandemic but can't catch a flight to France? Bring a piece of France to you and make this Classic French Baguettes Recipe at home!

Paris is easily one of my favorite places to travel. I've gone there twice thus far and each time, it's been such an adventure. One thing I always wish that I could bring back home with me is the food. Specifically, the baguettes.

There's nothing like a classic french baguette that's crunchy on the outside and nice and airy on the inside. After several attempts, I finally mastered the art of baking baguettes. I'm so excited to share this recipe with you.

oui oui, paris!

Re-creating these baguettes truly transported me back to walking the Avenue des Champs-Élysées. Then heading to a small patisserie for a baguette and enjoying simply bread and butter with a café. One of my favorite things to do in Paris is see the sights - and then eat. Since I can't physically visit now as non-essential travel is not permitted, let's talk about how to recreate these classic french baguettes in your own home.

what do i need to make classic french baguettes?

So let's begin by talking about equipment needed. You don't need anything fancy, however, there are a few pieces that will make baking these baguettes seamless!

Firstly, Joann Fabric recently released a new line of bakeware, focusing on bread! I tested some of the products while making these baguettes and WOW, the baguettes came out perfectly every time!

Do you remember when Joann Fabric and I partnered last year for the Holiday Baking commercial last year? If not, go watch it HERE. Well, we've partnered again to showcase this amazing lineup of bakeware to make your bread baking easy, fun, and smooth.

Okay, so what do you need? I recommend the following:

• danish dough whisk
• proofing basket
• baguette pan
• bread lame

so how do you make classic french baguetttes?

This is not a quick recipe. Baguettes take time, so please keep that in mind. Anything worth having is worth working for and this is so true of this recipe. Let's get started.

begin by making a poolish

To make these classic french baguettes, begin by making a poolish - which is a pre-fermented sponge that sits at room temperature for up to 10-12 hours. The poolish helps develop the flavor of the baguette and also gives the dough a light and airy texture. To make the poolish, combine water, flour, and a little yeast in a bowl and mix to form a shaggy dough. Cover and let this sit as room temperature for 10-12 hours. The poolish should become bubbly.

combine, ferment, stretch and fold

After your twelves hours is up, add the poolish to a large bowl with the remaining ingredients - flour, water, salt, and yeast. Use the danish dough whisk to mix everything together to form the dough, allow the dough to sit for 20 minutes. This allows the dough to hydrate.

Then dampen your fingers with water and stretch and fold the dough about 3-4 times. Dough will be sticky, do not add additional flour as this is a high hydration dough. Let the dough sit for another 30 minutes and then stretch and fold again, 3-4 times. Repeat this every 30 minutes for two hours, totally 4 stretch and folds.

how do you stretch and fold your baguette dough?

To stretch and fold your dough, take one side of the dough and gently tug on it to create a flap without breaking the dough. Then place that flap in the center of the dough. Repeat on all sides and then let the dough rest.

let's resume baking!

After the stretching and folding is done, cut dough into 3 equal size pieces. TIP: Use a scale for this to ensure all baguettes are the same size. Roll each piece into a ball. Then grab one of the pieces and roll into a baguette/log shape, about 12-14 inches long. Pinch the ends of the baguette. Spray a baguette pan with oil and place on the baguette pan. If you don't have a baguette pan, place on a piece of parchment paper and cover with a well oiled piece of plastic wrap or slightly damp towel. Let the baguettes sit for 45 minutes. Then use bread lame to score three deep cuts in each baguette.

While the baguettes are proofing for one last time, preheat your oven to 450° F. Use an oven safe pan and fill with 1 cup of water. Let this pre-heat for 30 minutes. Then bake baguettes for 25-35 minutes, until golden brown. Allow them to cool completely before cutting.

The recipe and blog post for this Classic French Baguette recipe was made in partnership with Joann Fabric! I received compensation in exchange for this work. My opinions on their wine is genuine. If I didn't love their new line of bakeware, I would certainly mention it! Thanks for your continued support!

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Classic French Baguettes Recipe

By: Britney

Need an escape during the pandemic but can't catch a flight to France? Bring a piece of France to you and make this Classic French Baguettes Recipe at home!

Serving: 3 servings

Prep Time: 16 hrs

Cook Time: 25 mins

Calories: 400kcal

Ingredients

Poolish

• ▢ 1 cup Bread Flour
• ▢ ¼ tsp Instant Yeast
• ▢ ½ cup water

Baguette Dough

• ▢ 3 cups Bread Flour
• ▢ 1 ¼ tsp Instant Yeast
• ▢ 1 cup + 1 tbsp water
• ▢ 2 tsps salt
• ▢ All of the poolish

Directions

• Begin by making the poolish. Combine bread flour, instant yeast, and cool water in a medium sized bowl. Mix together to form a small dough and cover with plastic wrap or a towel. Allow to sit at room temperature for 10-12 hours. Poolish should be bubbly when ready.
• Make the dough. Add poolish, flour, yeast, water, and salt to a large bowl and combine using your hands or a danish dough whisk until a dough forms. Cover and allow to sit for 30 minutes. Then begin to stretch and fold the dough. Repeat this every 30 minutes for 2 hours, totaling 4 stretch and folds.
• Cut dough into 3 equal size pieces and roll into a ball. Then grab one piece and shape into a log/baguette, about 12-14 inches long. Spray a baguette pan and place on pan OR a piece of parchment paper. Cover with a well oiled piece of plastic wrap. Let dough sit for 45 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 450 °F. Place an oven safe pan on the lower rack of the oven and fill with 1 cup of water. Let oven preheat with pan filled with water for 30 minutes.
• Use a bread lame to cut three deep slits into each baguette. Bake in the oven for 25-35 minutes, until golden brown. Allow baguettes to cool completely prior to cutting.

Nutrition

Calories: 400kcal

Course: Bread, Breakfast, Dinner, Lunch

Cuisine: French

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