My family's been making easy, 4-ingredient baguettes for years, and I think everyone should know the recipe (2024)

FAQs

What is the secret of baking a baguette? ›

One of the secrets of a great baguette is to start with a sponge (a mix of flour, water, and yeast), which gives the yeast time to mature and combine with the other ingredients, creating the mildly sour and nutty flavors and chewy texture.

It should be long and skinny (55 to 60cm would be traditional but is uncommon in these days of shorter baguettes) with a crisp crust, nice brown exterior color, and a moist, cream-colored crumb with an irregular structure. It's best eaten within a few hours once it's out of the oven.

A 1993 French government decree dictates that traditional baguettes must be made from nothing more than the four classic ingredients; flour, water, yeast and salt, with fermentation of the dough lasting 15 to 20 hours at between 4 to 6 degrees Celsius.

Baguettes are high in calories and are generally higher in calories than regular white sliced bread. The calories in baguettes primarily come from the high carbohydrate content of baguette bread.

Overall, the ideal flour for baguettes should have a moderate protein content, a fine texture, and should be of high quality. While traditional French type 55 flour is the ideal choice, a combination of all-purpose and bread flour can also work well in its place.

The French bread law

The law states that traditional baguettes have to be made on the premises they're sold and can only be made with four ingredients: wheat flour, water, salt and yeast. They can't be frozen at any stage or contain additives or preservatives, which also means they go stale within 24 hours.

First and foremost, the flour used in France is of very high quality. But the major difference between French and an American baguette is the fermentation process. Most French bakers use a poolish process, which consists of a mix of yeast and water that's allowed to ferment overnight.

Well as the name suggests, the tradition must be made using the traditional methods, while a baguette can include extra ingredients. A tradition must be made using only flour, yeast, salt and water - the recipe specified in the French government's 'bread decree' of 1993.

These crunchy baguettes feature a chewy interior riddled with holes, and a crisp, deep-golden crust. While it's a challenge to make "real" baguettes at home, this version is probably as close to an artisan bakery version as you're going to find.

Quignon or crouton: what do you call the end of bread? - Baguette Academy.

What is the difference between a baguette and a parisien? ›

A pain parisien, also called a flûte, is a long bread, similar to a baguette, but more rounded and approximately 400 grams in weight, compared to the baguette's average of 250.

The baguette is one of France's most-loved loaves and is eaten throughout the day. Baguettes can be eaten as early as breakfast time—often toasted, buttered, and dunked in coffee. It's a source of carbohydrates and the fiber necessary to start the day off right! Fruit jam can also be added for an extra treat.

Calculations from France Info put that at 320 baguettes made every second and works out at just under half a baguette per person per day.

32 million: that's how many baguettes are consumed every day in France! Its crispy crust and soft, honeycombed crumb make this long loaf of bread with simple ingredients an essential part of French people's lives. It's very typical that they love to start eating it as they leave the bakery.

The cool thing in France is that you are free to eat your baguette (and whatever you eat, really) the way you like. So yes, some eat their baguettes in thin slices, while some other just break pieces off.

Secret three: Preheat the oven for baking with a pan of boiling water. Then once ready to bake, spray the oven with water for extra steam. THIS is what will give you the crunchy crust. An absolute necessity for a classic French Baguette!

Slash the bread: Before baking, make sure to slash or score the top of the bread to release some of the steam, which will help the crust become crispy. 5. Brush with egg wash: Brushing the top of the bread with an egg wash (beaten egg and water) before baking can also promote browning and create a shiny golden crust.

It has no oil, so it dries hard and the shape of the loaf makes it dry out quickly. The packaged loaves popular in the US have preservatives added so they don't go moldy, and they go stale slowly. The bread isn't very good though: soft, moist and spongy.

Simply drench your rock-hard baguette in cold water then tightly wrap it in aluminum foil. Next, place the wrapped baguette in the oven (not preheated), then set the temperature to 300°F and let is heat for 12 to 15 minutes.