Ingredients
- 3½ cups (440 g) bread flour or all-purpose flour
- 1½ cups (360 ml) warm water
- 2¼ teaspoons instant yeast (1 packet)
- 1½ teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon sugar (optional)
- Extra flour, for shaping
- Water, for creating steam in the oven
A Closer Look at the Ingredients
Bread flour or all-purpose flour. Bread flour has a higher protein content, which builds more gluten and produces a chewier crumb and sturdier crust, closer to a classic baguette. All-purpose flour makes a slightly softer, more tender loaf, and still turns out delicious. For consistency, weigh your flour at 440 grams. A scooped cup of flour can vary by 20 percent or more, which can leave you with a dough that’s too dry or too wet.
Warm water. The water should feel comfortably warm, roughly 105°F to 115°F (40°C to 46°C). Water that’s too hot will kill the yeast, while water that’s too cold slows the rise. At 360 milliliters, the dough is hydrated enough to produce an open, airy interior while remaining manageable.
Instant yeast. Instant yeast can be mixed directly into the dough. If you only have active dry yeast, use the same amount and dissolve it in the warm water with the sugar for 5 to 10 minutes, until foamy, before adding the flour.
Salt. Salt is essential for flavor and structure. Without it, baguettes taste flat and the dough can rise too fast and unevenly. Add it with the flour, rather than directly onto the yeast.
Sugar (optional). A teaspoon gives the yeast a quick boost and promotes a bit of extra browning. It doesn’t make the bread sweet, and traditional baguettes often skip it.
Extra flour for shaping. A light dusting prevents sticking while you shape the dough, but use only as much as you need. Too much flour at this stage can create dense streaks in the crumb.
Water for steam. Steam in the early minutes of baking keeps the crust soft and stretchy so the loaf can expand fully, then helps it set into a thin, crisp, glossy shell.
Instructions
In a large bowl, combine the warm water, yeast, and optional sugar. Stir briefly and let it sit for a minute or two. Add the flour and salt, then mix with a wooden spoon or your hands until a shaggy dough forms and no dry flour remains. The dough will look rough and sticky at this stage, and that’s normal.
Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead by hand for 5 to 8 minutes, until it becomes smoother and elastic. To knead, push the dough away from you with the heel of your hand, fold it back over itself, rotate a quarter turn, and repeat. The dough should remain slightly tacky. Resist adding too much extra flour. If it’s sticking badly, use a bench scraper and dust your hands rather than the dough. You can also use a stand mixer with a dough hook on low speed for about 5 minutes.
Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl, turn it once to coat, and cover with plastic wrap or a damp towel. Let it rise in a warm place for 60 to 75 minutes, or until doubled in size. A turned-off oven with the light on makes a reliable, draft-free spot. The dough is ready when it’s puffy and springs back slowly when you gently press a fingertip into it.
Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and divide it into two equal portions, using a scale for precision if you have one. Gently press each piece into a rough rectangle, being careful not to deflate it completely. Fold the top third down to the center and press to seal, then fold the bottom third up over it and seal again. Fold the dough in half lengthwise and seal the seam with the heel of your hand.
Then roll each piece with your palms, starting in the middle and working outward, applying gentle pressure and stretching it into a long baguette, approximately 12 to 14 inches long, with slightly tapered ends. Keep the seam side down.
Place the baguettes seam-side down on a parchment-lined baking sheet, leaving space between them. For better support, you can bunch the parchment between the loaves, or use a baguette pan or a floured kitchen towel (couche). Cover loosely with a towel and let rise for 25 to 35 minutes, until puffy but not fully doubled.
Place a rack in the middle of the oven and another on the lowest rung. Preheat the oven to 450°F (230°C). Just before baking, make 3 to 5 shallow diagonal slashes along the top of each baguette using a sharp knife or bread lame. Hold the blade at roughly a 30-degree angle and cut about ¼ inch deep, with each slash overlapping slightly with the next. A confident, quick motion works better than a slow, careful one.
Carefully place a heatproof pan of hot water on the lower oven rack to create steam. Slide the baking sheet onto the middle rack. Bake the baguettes for 25 to 30 minutes, until deeply golden and crisp. For extra steam, quickly spritz the walls of the oven with water from a spray bottle in the first few minutes, or toss a few ice cubes into the hot pan, closing the door promptly each time. Take care to avoid burns from the steam.
Transfer the baguettes to a wire rack and let them cool for at least 20 minutes before cutting. You may hear them crackle as they cool, which is a sign of a great crust. Slicing too early releases steam and can leave a gummy crumb.
Steam creates the crust. In the first minutes of baking, steam keeps the dough surface moist and flexible so the loaf can rise to its full volume, a phenomenon called oven spring. As the steam dissipates, the surface dries, sets, and browns into a thin, crisp, shiny crust.
High heat gives color and flavor. At 450°F (230°C), the crust undergoes the Maillard reaction and caramelization, producing deep golden color and complex toasty flavor.
Hydration influences the crumb. A slightly tacky dough holds more water, which turns to steam inside the loaf and creates a lighter, more open crumb.
Gluten gives structure. Kneading and the first rise develop gluten, which traps gas and gives the baguette its characteristic chew.
Scoring directs expansion. Shallow cuts give the loaf a controlled place to expand, preventing random splitting and producing the classic baguette look.