French Baguettes
There's nothing that tempts your taste buds like the smell of fresh baked bread coming out of the oven like French Baguettes!
Ingredients
- 2 tsp. active dry yeast
- 1 cup lukewarm water (between 105-110ºF)
- 1/2 tbsp. honey tips & tricks
- 2 1/2 cups bread flour
- 1 tsp. ground Himalayan pink salt
- olive oil, for bowl tips & tricks
- unbleached all-purpose flour, as needed, for work surface
- 1 egg wash (1 egg yolk mixed with 1/2 tbsp. water)
- cornmeal, for dusting (as needed if not using a baguette pan) Footnote
Directions
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine yeast, water and honey. Using a wooden spoon, mix the ingredients together. Let it sit for 10 minutes until it foams.
- In a large bowl, combine flour and salt; whisk well.
- Add dry ingredients to yeast. Insert dough hook and mix on speed 2 for 2 minutes. Increase speed to 3 and continue mixing, adding ½ tbsp. water if needed. Process until it forms a ball of dough, clinging around the hook and when pressing down on it, it bounces back.
- Form a ball by pulling it under and place it in a lightly greased bowl, swirling it around to coat with oil.
- Cover with a clean dish towel and place in a draft-free area such as the oven (temperature off). Let it rise for 45 minutes or until it doubles in size.
- Knock the air out and transfer the dough to a lightly floured work surface. Form a ball by folding under and using a bench scraper, evenly divide the dough into two pieces (or 4 if you want smaller baguettes). Form two balls again by folding under.
- Working with one at a time, stretch the dough into a rectangle shape, about 3x6-inches, before folding like an envelope; tuck the ends in. If the dough starts to stretch back, let the gluten relax for a couple of minutes.
- Transfer the dough logs onto a baguette pan (see footnote) and cover with a clean dish towel. Place them back in their draft-free spot and let them proof for 45 minutes or until they double in size.
- Remove the logs from their spot.
- Preheat oven to 450ºF and place a pan at the bottom rack and fill it up with water to create some steam.
- Slash the baguettes with a sharp knife, a bread lame, or kitchen scissors 3 to 4 times on a 45º angle. Brush them with an egg wash.
- Transfer the baguettes to the preheated oven and bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until golden brown.
- Remove from the heat and place the baguettes on a wire rack to cool off and prevent them from getting soggy.
Notes
Footnote: If you don't have a baguette pan, use this alternative by making a similar one using a large kitchen towel. Fold it lengthwise, creating two slots. Tie up the ends with large binder clips to hold the shape. Transfer one log into each slot and place another towel on top; proof for 45 minutes. When it's time to bake, place them on a baking sheet lined with a silicone mat or parchment paper, dusted with cornmeal. Slash them and brush on an egg wash before baking the baguettes.