After some time off tofucado (&books), I am back and I have tons of ideas and honestly I can’t wait for you to see them. But today, I’m posting about my journey to become a bread-master and it’s my turn to make traditional baguettes and boy, I’m excited. Making traditional baguettes ain’t easy and I know there is a lot of room for improvement after my first attempt, but it was also such an enjoyable task! This is a long recipe and honestly, I’m still learning so I will other recipes from other people so you can choose whether to follow the professionnals or… me. But, let’s get started with these baguettes. As per usual, if you want to check out the video, you go ahead and can watch it right here (&also, don’t forget to subscribe if you liked it!)
Ingredients for making traditional baguettes
We are making bread and if there is something I learned since I started this bread journey is that the ingredients will always be simple. The basic bread recipe will always have the same ingredients and if it’s a bit fancier, aka you want to do some sesame seed baguette, the ingredient list will be a bit more complicated. But today we are making traditional baguettes which means the ingredients list will be short. You will need:
- Flour
- Water
- Yeast
- Salt
Yeah, I know that sounds pretty simple but honestly, it is that simple! The process itself will be long so it’s a relief that the ingredient list is so short!
Making the traditional baguettes.. the entire process
This whole recipe is all about patience and love. You can’t rush bread and even less baguettes. There’s a lot of rest time and there is a lot of repetition of the same moves over and over, but trust me the result is amazing and you won’t regret it.
Take care of the dough
First you’ll mix the ingredients. Once the dough is cohesive, you’ll let it rest for 20 minutes. Then you will turn it upside down. Then rest again 20 minutes, then repeat twice. Once this is done, you’ll wrap your dough inside a kitchen towel and let it rest for at least two hourts. Once those two hours have passed, you will shape the dough in a long envelope. Rest for 20 minutes, then repeat twice. At this point your dough should be quite big. Divide it in individual balls (350g per baguette) and leave it to rest for 20 minutes. Then shape in a baguette form, and rest again for 20 minutes.
Baking them
Wow, that was long. But now we can start baking! Pre-heat your oven at 230ºC with an oven safe recipient inside. You will put cold water in that so make sure it’s metallic. Once oven is hot, place your baguettes, add water to the container and let them bake for 10 minutes. Remove the water container and cook for 15 to 20 more minutes. Enjoy!
Other bread recipes
I have posted other bread recipes on tofucado, check them out:
- Dutch oven bread loaf
- Homemade korean sweet pancakes (Not strictly bread but similar process!)
- Focaccia
Other baguette recipes if you want to check out a pro:
Traditional Baguettes
Equipment
- Baguette mold
Ingredients
- 500 g all-purpose flour
- 7 g instant yeast
- 12 g salt
- 350ml lukewarm water
Instructions
- Mix the yeast and water for 10 minutes until the yeast reacts.
- In a mixing bowl, add the flour & salt. Mix well.
- Add the yeast + water and start kneading (I used a mixer but you can do it by hand). When the dough starts to look homogenous & elastic, cover with a towel and leave to rest for 20 minutes.
- Turn the dough upside down and rest for 20 minutes again. Repeat twice.
- Put the dough in a towel, add some flour and cover like an envelope. Rest for 2h at least.
- Once the 2h have passed, degaze the dough and fold like a long envelope (flip one corner to the center, then the other one on top). Rest 20 minutes and repeat twice.
- Divide the dough. One baguette should weight 350g raw. The quantities in this recipe should make enough for two baguettes.
- Shape the divided dough in balls and leave to rest for 20 minutes.
- Shape each ball in the shape of baguette. Leave them to rest for 20 minutes.
- Pre-heat the oven at 230ºC with a metallic container inside, we will put cold water in it afterwards.
- Once the oven is hot, place the baguettes in your baguette mold and put them inside the oven. Add water to the metallic container, close the oven lid and cook for 10 minutes.
- After 10 minutes, take out the water container and cook for 15 to 20 more minutes.
- Wait a couple of minutes and enjoy your bread!
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