Homemade Baguettes

140 mins
Serves 2
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Directions

  1. 1Add 3.5 cups of all-purpose or bread flour to a bowl.
  2. 2Add roughly 3 teaspoons of brown sugar to the flour.
  3. 3Add 2 to 3 teaspoons of sea salt to the flour.
  4. 4Mix the dry ingredients with a whisk to avoid lumps.
  5. 5Pour 1 and 3/4 cups of hot water into a measuring cup.
  6. 6Add 3 heaping teaspoons of rapid-rise active yeast to the hot water.
  7. 7Add 2 teaspoons of granulated sugar to the yeast water mixture.
  8. 8Stir until the sugar and yeast dissolve, then let it sit for a couple of minutes.
  9. 9Pour the yeast water into the flour mixture and mix with the handle of a wooden spoon until combined.
  10. 10Cover the bowl with a dishcloth and let it sit on the counter or in an off oven for an hour and a half to rise.
  11. 11Flour a cutting board generously as the dough is very sticky.
  12. 12Scrape the risen dough onto the floured surface.
  13. 13Flour the top of the dough.
  14. 14Fold the dough over four or five times with a scraper tool until it forms a round ball.
  15. 15Cut the dough roughly in half with the scraper tool to make two loaves.
  16. 16Roll and stretch each half of the dough to roughly a loaf shape and give it two or three twists.
  17. 17Load the shaped dough into a baguette tray. If you don't have one, use a regular baking tray with parchment paper.
  18. 18Take a very sharp knife or razor blade and score the loaves a few times.
  19. 19Place the loaves in the oven for about 22-25 minutes at 475 degrees Fahrenheit, reducing the heat to 450 degrees Fahrenheit halfway through.
  20. 20Remove the golden-brown baguettes from the oven.
  21. 21Slice a piece of the warm baguette and smother it with butter.

Ingredients

  • 3.5 cups flour
  • 3 teaspoons brown sugar
  • 2 teaspoons sea salt
  • 1.75 cups warm water
  • 3 heaping teaspoons rapid rise active yeast
  • 2 teaspoons granulated sugar
  • butter

Equipment

bowlwhiskwooden spoondish clothovencutting boardscraper toolknifebaguette traybaking trayparchment paperoven mitts

Tips

  • You don't have to measure carefully, just be approximate.
  • The dough is wet and sticky, so flour your surface well.
  • Preheat the oven to 475 degrees Fahrenheit, cook halfway, then lower to 450 degrees Fahrenheit.