Crusty French Baguette Recipe
This crusty French baguette recipe is approachable, satisfying, and endlessly rewarding. You start with flour, yeast, salt, and water, and a few hours later you have something extraordinary.
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Ingredients
- 2 cups 475 g warm water (95–100°F)
- 1½ teaspoons active dry yeast
- ½ teaspoon sugar
- 4½ cups 640 g bread flour
- 1½ teaspoons salt
- 3 tablespoons cornmeal for dusting
Instructions
- In a large bowl, combine ½ cup warm water, yeast, and sugar. Let sit 10 minutes until foamy.
- Add flour and salt. Pour in the remaining warm water and mix until a shaggy dough forms.
- Knead on a lightly floured surface for 3–5 minutes until smooth and elastic.
- Transfer to an oiled bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and let rise in a warm place for about 3 hours until doubled.
- Turn the dough onto a floured surface, divide into equal portions, and pre-shape into balls. Rest 20 minutes.
- Shape each into a long loaf and place seam-side down on a parchment-lined baking sheet or baguette pan.
- Cover with plastic wrap and let rise 1½–2 hours until puffy.
- Preheat oven to 425°F with a baking stone or inverted sheet pan on the middle rack and a pan on the lower rack.
- Just before baking, pour 1 cup hot water into the lower pan to create steam.
- Slash each loaf 4–5 times with a razor blade and bake 30–35 minutes, until deep golden brown.
- Cool on a rack for 30 minutes before slicing.
- Weighing ingredients is the most accurate way to bake, but cup measurements are included for convenience.
