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Traditional baguettes by hand

by SoapyHollow on May 28, 2009 Table of Contents License: Attribution Non-commercial Share Alike (by-nc-sa) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Intro: Traditional baguettes by hand . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . step 1: Measure and Mix . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . step 2: I need you to knead me . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . step 3: Resting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . step 4: Preparing the loaves . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . step 5: Second rise . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . step 6: Baking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . step 7: Enjoy! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Related Instructables . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Advertisements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Comments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 2 2 3 5 6 8 8 8 9 9 9

http://www.instructables.com/id/Traditional-baguettes-by-hand/

License: Attribution Non-commercial Share Alike (by-nc-sa) Intro: Traditional baguettes by hand
Bread making can be one of the most zen things a cook can do. And while companies who make bread machines and bread mixes have a vested interest in convincing you that it is a time consuming, difficult process requiring a ton of equipment or specialized mixes; in fact, it's a really simple, really easy process. This instructable will walk you through making two loaves of baguette bread. Following the French tradition, measurements for flour and water are by weight. Because there can be a huge variance when using measuring cups, I've found this method the most successful. For a traditional white recipe you'll need: 18 ounces of bread flour 1.5 teaspoons dry active yeast, or 1/3 ounce of fresh yeast 2 teaspoons salt (I use Kosher salt that I've pestled down to a smaller grain) 12.5 ounces of water Tools: Mixing bowl, kitchen scale, counter-top or other smooth surface, bowl scraper, clean hands, baking sheet, kitchen scissors or razor, oven.

step 1: Measure and Mix

Measure your bread flour into large bowl. Add salt Add yeast to flour and crumble into the flour with your fingertips. (I don't proof the yeast, I've never found it to be necessary.) Make a well in the flour mixture and pour in the water. Using your scraper, fold the water and flour mix together into a shaggy blend.

http://www.instructables.com/id/Traditional-baguettes-by-hand/

step 2: I need you to knead me

Using your scraper, plop your shaggy mess out onto the counter, and scrape any flour that is still in the bowl out with it. Now, this part is sticky and messy, but it's important to remember that the dough will come together in a few minutes of working it. You want to try to avoid adding flour at this stage because it will make your bread really tough and hard to rise. You may want to flour your hands a little, and maybe add a tablespoon or less of flour to your work surface, but what you really want is to work the ingredients you've already got into a smooth elastic dough. I know, at this stage, it seems hard to believe this sticky glue ball will do that...but trust me...it does. Initially try to incorporate any flour that was left in your bowl. Then pushing and pulling the dough, start folding it over itself, then change directions and fold again. Keep doing this. It adds air to the mix, and activates the gluten and the yeast. Keep kneading and folding until your dough becomes elastic and stretchy.I usually pick up an end and swing it out, then fold it back on itself, then fold that rectangle in half, lengthwise. This process takes about 10 minutes to get it to a smooth, elastic texture. Here's a slideshow of me doing it. You can see how the dough goes from sticky and shaggy to smooth and elastic as air gets worked in, and the gluten starts to develop.

http://www.instructables.com/id/Traditional-baguettes-by-hand/

http://www.instructables.com/id/Traditional-baguettes-by-hand/

step 3: Resting
Now that your dough is smooth, elastic and activated, fold it in quarters a final time, making a big loose ball. (You want the air pockets to stay in your folds.) Put the ball in a lightly greased bowl, and roll it once to coat the bread with butter/crisco/your fat of choice. Cover loosely with a lint free tea towel, and put somewhere warm and draft free to rise. (I usually turn on my non-convection oven for a minute or two to get the temperature to about 98 degrees F (37 C), turn off the oven, and pop the big stoneware bowl in there. Make sure you don't get it too hot though, or you'll start cooking the bread. You don't want that. An accurate oven thermometer is a big help here if you don't have a digital readout.) Rest the dough for about an hour, or until it has doubled in size.

http://www.instructables.com/id/Traditional-baguettes-by-hand/

step 4: Preparing the loaves

Once your dough has risen, gently scoop it out of the rising bowl with your scraper onto a floured counter or workspace. Divide the dough into two pieces. Roll into baguettes by pressing each piece into a rectangle.(Not too hard, just lightly press) Fold one third of the rectangle into the middle, and press down along the edge to seal. Fold the other third into the middle, and press to seal. This gives the bread a strong "spine". Then fold the log lengthwise in half again, and seal. The slide show I linked in the previous step has pictures of this step towards the end of the slide show. Flip your baguette over and place on a lightly floured parchment lined baking tray, seam side down. Once on the tray, use a sharp pair of kitchen scissors or a razor to slice 5-7 slices in the top of the loaf. Cover your prepped baguette with a lint free and floured tea towel, tucking a bit of it between the loaves to keep them from touching during the second rise if necessary. Let rise for about an hour in a draft free and warm spot. (I pop mine back into the oven where I did the first rise, but don't add any additional heat.)

http://www.instructables.com/id/Traditional-baguettes-by-hand/

http://www.instructables.com/id/Traditional-baguettes-by-hand/

step 5: Second rise

Your loaves will look like this after the second rise. During the last 10 minutes or so of your rise, preheat your oven to 450 degrees.(If you're rising your bread in the oven...take it out BEFORE preheating the oven. )

step 6: Baking
Bake your loaves at 450 for 15 to 20 minutes, until they are a rich golden brown. (Times may vary due to oven temperature variances.) For a crunchier, thicker crust, spritz your oven with a few squirts ofwater just before you add the bread, or place an oven safe bowl of hot water in the rack below the bread. When done, remove to racks and let cool.

step 7: Enjoy!
Yum!

http://www.instructables.com/id/Traditional-baguettes-by-hand/

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Comments
50 comments Add Comment view all 52 comments

schneb says:

Mar 14, 2010. 10:35 AM REPLY I'm eager to try this. I've been making '5 min. artisan bread' for the last few months and worry I'll wear out my family's enjoyment of that by over-use. This will be a nice way to give some variety and you make it look 'doable'. so thanks! Just an FYI--this instructable is featured at another site (they give a link that acknowledges the instructables source). I assume there's no copyright infringement, but whether there is or isn't, it's gotta count as a solid endorsement of some kind. Here's the link: zedomax.com/blog/2009/05/29/baking-diy-how-to-make-traditional-baguettes-by-hand/

crestind says:
Will this recipe work if I use all purpose flour instead of bread flour?

Jun 24, 2009. 9:46 AM REPLY

rattyrain says:

Jan 14, 2010. 7:51 PM REPLY I read somewhere that you can make bread flour by adding 1 tablespoon of wheat gluten for every cup of all-purpose flour.

crestind says:

Jul 4, 2009. 10:39 PM REPLY Great recipe! Somehow I managed to screw it up partially, and got thin area of raw dough in the center of one of them (too thick?), but the other loaf turned out fantastic! Crispy crust, soft center. :)

http://www.instructables.com/id/Traditional-baguettes-by-hand/

WastedOne says:
Made this today. Very Nice! Now have Onion and potato soup cooking to have it with.

Jan 8, 2010. 10:59 AM REPLY

zaboss says:

Aug 10, 2009. 2:58 PM REPLY Thank you for this Instructable. I have never (atleast not for 50+ years) baked. Blew wifes mind to think that I do this. DELISH.. Thanks again. John

curecreator says:
Are you sure its not in the room?

Jun 9, 2009. 11:51 AM REPLY

shirley ujest says:

Jun 5, 2009. 4:13 AM REPLY You can get a hard crusty outer layer by putting a pan of water on the bottom shelf when you put it in to bake. Steam is what is needed for the crispiness.

SoapyHollow says:

Jun 5, 2009. 8:46 AM REPLY I mentioned that in the baking part. :) I didn't spritz my oven for this batch because I'm in the last 3 weeks of my braces, and super crunchy bread is off my radar until the end of the month. :)

SoapyHollow says:
I'm sorry, I didn't mean to be evil breadlady, tempting you via the intertubes! ;)

Jun 4, 2009. 11:42 PM REPLY

Robotrix says:

Jun 4, 2009. 7:11 PM REPLY I don't mean to bombard you with comments, but i made this bread today (subbed in two oz. Rye flour) and it came out soooo well. i wanted to say thanks for the tip about not adding more flour - i have always done this and have always been disappointed in the rise i get. Today i didn't add more flour at all and i got a superb rise with a nice crumb. I made a huge sandwich and finished off the first loaf later in the day. Thanks again!

SoapyHollow says:
Yay! That looks so yummy!

Jun 4, 2009. 11:33 PM REPLY

geckoguykc says:

Jun 4, 2009. 9:14 AM REPLY I got the crust on mine too dark, but since it has such a thick crunchy crust, it tastes even better that way! This is a great recipe. I made one really big loaf instead of two small ones. This is the first time I've made a bread with no sugar or fat in it. I always wanted to learn to make this type of crusty bread. I always have made the crumbly soft bread in American cookbooks, and it sucks. You can't do anything with it because it falls apart! It tastes good, but you can't even cut it without destroying the loaf.

http://www.instructables.com/id/Traditional-baguettes-by-hand/

SoapyHollow says:

Jun 4, 2009. 9:27 AM REPLY I've had very little luck with bread books, except for Dough: Simple Contemporary Breads by Richard Bertinet...who is a god among baker-instructors, in my opinion. (He's French, and spent much of his life working in "real" bakeries.) This recipe is an adaptation of his methodology. It was from him that I learned to stop adding more flour when things got too sticky.

geckoguykc says:
I did have to flour my hands, but I didn't add significantly more to the dough.

Jun 4, 2009. 10:29 AM REPLY

SoapyHollow says:

Jun 4, 2009. 11:22 AM REPLY I've even done pain de mie using this method, which is a bread that has butter and milk in it because that bread is more about creating a good "crumb" rather than a heavy crust...and even with the additions of fats, this method still worked a treat. I really like doing bread this way. I make bread at least once a week, sometimes more when I'm experimenting; and ever since I switched to doing it all by hand, and just trusting the bread to do what it's supposed to do, I've enjoyed such a higher rate of success than I ever did following the "bread bible" type methodology of "keep adding flour until it's not sticky". I think I've almost mastered a recipe that Igor (the 6 year old lab assistant to my Mad Scientist) dreamed up - a chai spiced raisin pain faon beaucaire...which is sort of a baked bagel type bread. It's truly fantastic. Once I've field tested the recipe one or two more times, I'll do a 'structable and share.)

Robotrix says:
/please/ share that when you finish it, it sounds amazing!

Jun 4, 2009. 7:07 PM REPLY

hellvig says:

Jun 4, 2009. 7:18 AM REPLY Thank you for a very well made instructible with lovely photos, and a bread that I definitely will try to make soon--but what's with the cups and ounces ? And 450 degrees? That would be outside every dial on my oven. Because... I am from a country outside the US--yes, that is the big part of the world where we use metric measurements since more than 100 years. In other words, me and probably many others outside USA would have liked to get alternative measures.

alphaone2112 says:
get a real measurment system... we tried it here nobody wanted it. you can convert...

Jun 4, 2009. 10:14 AM REPLY

geckoguykc says:

Jun 4, 2009. 10:22 AM REPLY As if the english system were better than metrics............ I definitely agree that they should have converted it themself though. It's not like they have a virtual sea of information at their disposal, or that it would have been faster to look it up than to type a whiney comment here.

SoapyHollow says:

Jun 4, 2009. 9:51 AM REPLY May I direct you towards this site which does the math for you for Fahrenheit to Celsius conversion: http://jumk.de/calc/temperature.shtml, and this page for converting volume measurements any form to any other form: http://jumk.de/calc/volume.shtml For the record: 450 degrees F = 232 Celsius (C) 505 Kelvin (K) 185.77 Reaumur (R) 12.5 fluid ounces = 369.66912 Cubic centimeter (cm): or Milliliter (ml) 18 ounces = 18 ounces = 510.291416 grams You can also do conversions via google by typing "X (american/imperial weight) in (metric measurement of choice)" i.e., "12.5 fluid ounces in ml", which will give you an answer almost instantly.

wendyvee says:
A little less snark and a little more Google will improve your day.

Jun 4, 2009. 8:04 AM REPLY

biscotta says:
Google has a unit converter built into their search. If you google: 18 ounces to grams It will tell you that 18 ounces = 510 grams.

Jun 4, 2009. 7:33 AM REPLY

SoapyHollow says:
Hee, thanks. :)

Jun 4, 2009. 9:21 AM REPLY

http://www.instructables.com/id/Traditional-baguettes-by-hand/

danahyatt says:

Jun 2, 2009. 8:23 AM REPLY Baguettes! Successful, finally after trying many other recipes. Your recipe was simple. The loafs came out of the oven looking like and tasting the same as the $3.89 a loaf of Artisan Bread from the bakery. I rubbed the tops with flour before putting them in the oven. This made them look just like the bread, and timed for warm freshness, I buy at the bakery. Most of all, it is so much fun.

SoapyHollow says:
Yay! :)

Jun 2, 2009. 9:55 AM REPLY

mintee says:

Jun 2, 2009. 5:45 AM REPLY Great entry... Quick Tip: After the initial mix of water/flour, let the dough set for 15 minutes before kneading so the flour will have a sufficient time to hydrate each molecule. (Also, try with about .5+ oz less water for a tighter hydration)

SoapyHollow says:
I'll give that a try. I'm going to be making pain faon beaucaire (with cinnamon and raisins...yum) today or tomorrow. :)

Jun 2, 2009. 8:15 AM REPLY

Chris708 says:
Worked great, tasted fantastic!!

Jun 1, 2009. 6:44 AM REPLY

SoapyHollow says:
Yay!

Jun 1, 2009. 7:56 AM REPLY

lemonie says:
Mmmm - they do look good. L

May 28, 2009. 3:04 PM REPLY

SoapyHollow says:
So yummy. :) I was having a serious carb craving, I think. :)

May 28, 2009. 3:10 PM REPLY

lemonie says:
I've done bread before, and pies at the same time, but not this type of bread. L

May 28, 2009. 3:16 PM REPLY

SoapyHollow says:

May 29, 2009. 7:00 AM REPLY Mmmmm...pies! One of my friends is a constant winner at the state fair for her pies...now I have to call her and try to trade her truffles and bread for peach pie.:)

lemonie says:
It was "I've had enough of the pub, I'm going back" - "well make us some bread and a pie then" - "OK" L

May 29, 2009. 11:32 AM REPLY

SoapyHollow says:

May 31, 2009. 8:08 PM REPLY Mmmm...that kind of pie. I haven't had those since the last time I lived in England. It's funny, when you're in London, and the weather is clammy and nasty, there's nothing better than a steak and kidney pie...as long as I don't think about what's in it. :) And here, where it's 100+ degrees F for more than half the year, I've forgotten about the yummyness of deep, rich food like that.

danahyatt says:

May 29, 2009. 3:12 PM REPLY SoapyHollow, I appreciate the accurate measurements, but I don't have a scale. What are the measurements for volume? Thank you, danahyatt

SoapyHollow says:

May 30, 2009. 7:24 AM REPLY It's about 3 & 3/4 cups of flour (give or take a tablespoon or two) and to the line for 13 ounces in measuring cup for the water. :) Remember when using volume measurements to not "pack" the flour too much into the cup, and use a knife or spatula to level off the cup, to avoid getting too much flour. :) Bread flour is easy to compress, and then you end up with way more flour than you think you have. Have fun!

danahyatt says:

May 30, 2009. 8:43 AM REPLY Thanks, You have been very helpful. Now my wife says I can buy a scale. One more question, if I may. I assume that All Purpose Flour is too course?

http://www.instructables.com/id/Traditional-baguettes-by-hand/

SoapyHollow says:

May 30, 2009. 9:27 AM REPLY I've done it with all purpose, so it will work, but it gives you a denser bread, without quite the same yeast rise...so you won't get quite the same sort of "swiss cheese" like action on the interior. If you use all purpose flour and dry yeast, you might consider using the double action yeast, which will give you a bigger rise. Just note that sometimes double action can deflate, in which case, turn it into Focaccia bread by brushing it with olive oil, and some herbs and Parmesan and channel your inner cat and pretend you meant to do that. ;)

danahyatt says:

May 31, 2009. 11:22 AM REPLY Exactly. I have been using all purpose flour and dry yeast and getting, at the best results, dense bread. My next try today will be bread flour and dry yeast. Because I have thrown away too many tries already. Funniest thing, I have cooked in every type of restaurant for 30 years. Yet, I have never learned to bake. Thank you very much for your help.

SoapyHollow says:

May 31, 2009. 8:05 PM REPLY Yay! Tell me how it turned out! You know it's funny, my mother is an executive chef who cooks the most amazing things in the entire world, but she doesn't bake either. I love making bread. It's sort of my meditation time. :)

CrazeexGood says:
French bread pizza!

May 29, 2009. 7:46 PM REPLY

SoapyHollow says:

May 30, 2009. 7:29 AM REPLY Mmmm! If you want to do that, add a little olive oil to the bowl for first rest, and then for second rest, press the dough out to fit your pizza tray or baking tray, and brush it with olive oil and and let it do a brief (20 minute or so) second rise. Bake for just a couple of minutes, then add all your toppings and bake for another 15 or so minutes. I'll be sort of a foccaccia / fluffy deep dish. (You could also add a tablespoon or so of oil to dough when you're mixing it up to make it a little softer.) Man, now I want pizza. :)

laradioken says:
I plan to make this but add butter and tons of garlic for truly homemade garlic bread. - Thanks

May 28, 2009. 9:35 PM REPLY

SoapyHollow says:

May 29, 2009. 6:55 AM REPLY Yeah, I make a pain de mie where I use butter and milk in the recipe...for this much flour, about two teaspoons of butter, crumbled in at the same time as the yeast. I usually use cold butter and a pastry cutter to cut it in before adding the liquids, as though I were making pie crust. Much more butter than that, and the bread starts to get a little dense and you won't get quite the same rise. It's yummy, mind you, but once you start adding fats, the bread becomes more about the "crumb" (a soft interior, also called la mie) and less about la crote, or the crunchy crust. I'd love to see pictures of your yummy garlic experiment!

ve2vfd says:
Really well made (and delicious looking!) instructable! I find it amazing nowadays how few people know how to make bread.

May 28, 2009. 3:10 PM REPLY

SoapyHollow says:

May 28, 2009. 6:48 PM REPLY Thanks! And considering how much artisan bread costs to buy...upwards of $5.00 a loaf around here, it just makes sense to make it yourself for a cost of about $1.00 and a little time. (I guess if you added in electricity for the oven running it might be as much as $1.50 or so.) But it's so much better than store bought, and so very simple to make.

Weissensteinburg says:
That looks delicious! I love baguettes...i'll have to make some sometime.

May 28, 2009. 3:54 PM REPLY

SoapyHollow says:

May 28, 2009. 6:46 PM REPLY We just had them for picnic dinner with havarti and strawberries and gouda. So good. This is one of my very favorite simple recipes. Igor (who is 6) can almost do the entire thing by himself, it's that simple. He needs help on the final forming, and I don't let him have a razor, but other than that, he loves doing making this bread.

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