Classic Homemade Crispy French Baguette Recipe

Classic Homemade Crispy  French Baguette Recipe
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Ever wonder how the French make their crispy crusty baguettes in Paris? Here is a classic homemade crispy french baguette recipe that will deliver the classic taste and texture of a traditional French baguette to your dinner table.

How To Make Classic French Crusty Baguettes Sticks?

Making authentic classic homemade crusty French baguettes sticks inspired by the bakeries in Paris is pretty straight forward but does require some time. This rustic authentic crusty baguette French sticks recipe uses a Biga which is a preferment dough that is prepared a day before making the baguette dough. The biga preferment will give your baguette it’s unique flavor and texture along with its strength and tolerance, resulting in a classic crusty traditional French baguette. With this baguette recipe, you will have the option of making mini baguettes sticks (Demi) or larger baguettes sticks. Whichever one you decide, I’m confident you’ll love our authentic rustic baguette recipe.

Ingredients For Biga (Preferment Dough):

  • 400 grams White Bread Flour or (All-Purpose Flour)
  • 240 grams of Water
  • 3 grams fresh yeast or (1 gram dried yeast)

Ingredients For The Baguette Dough:

  • 500 gram White Bread Flour or (All-Purpose Flour)
  • 5 grams fresh yeast or (1.5 grams dried yeast)
  • 18 grams Salt
  • 350 grams Water
  • 643 grams Biga Preferment

Instructions How To Make Biga Dough (Prefermented Dough):

  • Dissolve the yeast in some of the water.
  • Add the flour, water, and yeast into mixing machine with hook attachment and mix 2 minutes on slow speed followed by 4 minutes on medium speed until the dough comes together.
  • The Biga dough should not be fully developed, about 80%.
  • If you don’t have a mixing machine, dissolve the yeast with some of the water then combine all 3 ingredients into a bowl and mix together using a spatula until it starts to come together.
  • Transfer the mixture onto a flour-dusted work surface and knead the dough for about 5 minutes or until it’s almost fully developed.
  • Turn the biga dough onto a greased bowl that is twice the size and refrigerate overnight for minimal 12 hours before using. The biga dough can be kept refrigerated for up to 24 hours.

Instructions How To Make Authentic Traditional Crusty French Baguette Sticks:

  1. Remove the Biga from the refrigerator and set aside.
  2. Dissolve the yeast in some of the water.
  3. Add the flour, salt, water, and yeast to a mixing bowl with a hook attachment and mix on slow speed for about 4 minutes.
  4. Add the Biga preferment and continue to mix on slow for 2 minutes followed by 4-5 minutes on medium speed or until the baguette dough is fully developed.
  5. If you don’t have a mixing machine, add the ingredients into a bowl and mix using a spatula until the flour absorbs most of the water, transfer to a floured working surface and add the biga in small pieces and knead the dough for about 10-12 minutes or until the dough is fully developed.
  6. Transfer the baguette dough to a greased or flour large bowl and let it bulk ferment for 2 – 21/2 hours at room temperature or until it has doubled in size.
  7. You can also refrigerate this dough and shape it the next day.
  8. Once the dough has doubled in size, turn it onto a floured working surface and divide it into 5 equal parts or scale it at roughly 300 grams each.
  9. If you want smaller demi style baguettes, divide into 6 equal parts or scale at about 250 grams each.
  10. Shape each piece into a small log shape (8 inches in length) and let it bench rest for 20 minutes covered with plastic or cloth.
  11. To do the final shape of the baguette, slight press down and flatten the dough piece (rectangular shape) and bring the outer part of the dough into the center slightly pressing down with your finger.
  12. The final step, repeat by bring again the outer top portion of the dough to the opposite end that is facing closest to you and press down on the seam crimping it with your palm completely sealing it.
  13. Using both hands, roll out the baguette dough starting from the center of the preshaped baguette outward until it reaches about 16 inches in length for the 300-gram dough or 12 inches for the 250-gram dough.
  14. Transfer the baguette onto a floured couche.
  15. If you don’t have a couche (canvass) transfer the formed baguette onto the baking tray lined with parchment paper and dusted with semolina or rice flour. Depending on the size of your tray you might be able to fit 2-3 baguettes spacing them about 2-2 1/2 inches. Keep in mind, your dough will double in size during the final proof and further expand double its size during the baking.
  16. Repeat this process until all your baguettes are formed.
  17. Cover couche, if proofing directly onto a baking tray, cover with cloth or plastic and proof for approximately 60 minutes at room temperature.
  18. The dough is proofed when you press onto it and the indentation of your finger remains on the surface of the dough.
  19. Preheat your oven to 240°C (460°F) and place a deep tray at the bottom of the oven.
  20. Once your baguette dough is proofed about 90%, for longer baguette 16-inch score 5 diagonal cuts or 3 diagonal cuts for the smaller 12-inch baguette.
  21. You will only be able to bake one tray at a time, keep other tray uncut, and refrigerated until ready to bake.
  22. Bake one tray at a time, carefully using oven gloves, add warm water to the bottom empty tray to create steam in the oven. Bake baguettes for 20-25 minutes or until golden light brown.
  23. Remove from oven and repeat with the last tray.
artisan baguettes

CLASSIC HOMEMADE CRISPY FRENCH BAGUETTE RECIPE

Ever wonder how the French make their crispy crusty baguettes in Paris? Here is an autentic classic homemade crispy french baguette recipe that will deliver the classic taste and texture of a traditional autehntic rustic fcrusty rench baguette to your dinner table. This french sticks recipe is inspired by the bakeries in Paris France, during our family vacation there last year. Wheatjer you love your baguettes mini or large, I'm sure you will love our tradional french sticks recipe.
5 from 2 votes
Prep Time 40 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Dough Resting Time 2 hours 30 minutes
Total Time 3 hours 35 minutes
Course Breads, Dinner, Lunch
Cuisine France, French, Paris
Servings 5 Units
Calories 300 kcal

Ingredients
  

INGREDIENTS FOR BIGA (PREFERMENT DOUGH):

  • 400 grams White Bread Flour or All-Purpose Flour
  • 240 grams of Water
  • 3 grams fresh yeast or 1 gram dried yeast

INGREDIENTS FOR THE BAGUETTE DOUGH:

  • 500 gram White Bread Flour or All-Purpose Flour
  • 5 grams fresh yeast or 1.5 grams dried yeast
  • 18 grams Salt
  • 350 grams Water
  • 643 grams Biga Preferment

Instructions
 

INSTRUCTIONS HOW TO MAKE BIGA DOUGH (PREFERMENTED DOUGH):

  • Dissolve the yeast in some of the water.
  • Add the flour, water, and yeast into mixing machine with hook attachment and mix 2 minutes on slow speed followed by 4 minutes on medium speed until the dough comes together.
  • The Biga dough should not be fully developed, about 80%.
  • If you don’t have a mixing machine, dissolve the yeast with some of the water then combine all 3 ingredients into a bowl and mix together using a spatula until it starts to come together.
  • Transfer the mixture onto a flour-dusted work surface and knead the dough for about 5 minutes or until it’s almost fully developed.
  • Turn the biga dough onto a greased bowl that is twice the size and refrigerate overnight for minimal 12 hours before using. The biga dough can be kept refrigerated for up to 24 hours.

INSTRUCTIONS HOW TO MAKE CLASSIC TRADITIONAL FRENCH BAGUETTE:

  • Remove the Biga from the refrigerator and set aside.
  • Dissolve the yeast in some of the water.
  • Add the flour, salt, water, and yeast to a mixing bowl with a hook attachment and mix on slow speed for about 4 minutes.
  • Add the Biga preferment and continue to mix on slow for 2 minutes followed by 4-5 minutes on medium speed or until the baguette dough is fully developed.
  • If you don’t have a mixing machine, add the ingredients into a bowl and mix using a spatula until the flour absorbs most of the water, transfer to a floured working surface and add the biga in small pieces and knead the dough for about 10-12 minutes or until the dough is fully developed.
  • Transfer the baguette dough to a greased or flour large bowl and let it bulk ferment for 2 – 21/2 hours at room temperature or until it has doubled in size.
  • You can also refrigerate this dough and shape it the next day.
  • Once the dough has doubled in size, turn it onto a floured working surface and divide it into 5 equal parts or scale it at roughly 300 grams each.
  • If you want smaller demi style baguettes, divide into 6 equal parts or scale at about 250 grams each.
  • Shape each piece into a small log shape (8 inches in length) and let it bench rest for 20 minutes covered with plastic or cloth.
  • To do the final shape of the baguette, slight press down and flatten the dough piece (rectangular shape) and bring the outer part of the dough into the center slightly pressing down with your finger.
  • The final step, repeat by bring again the outer top portion of the dough to the opposite end that is facing closest to you and press down on the seam crimping it with your palm completely sealing it.
  • Using both hands, roll out the baguette dough starting from the center of the preshaped baguette outward until it reaches about 16 inches in length for the 300-gram dough or 12 inches for the 250-gram dough.
  • Transfer the baguette onto a floured couche.
  • If you don’t have a couche (canvass) transfer the formed baguette onto the baking tray lined with parchment paper and dusted with semolina or rice flour. Depending on the size of your tray you might be able to fit 2-3 baguettes spacing them about 2-2 1/2 inches. Keep in mind, your dough will double in size during the final proof and further expand double its size during the baking.
  • Repeat this process until all your baguettes are formed.
  • Cover couche, if proofing directly onto a baking tray, cover with cloth or plastic and proof for approximately 60 minutes at room temperature.
  • The dough is proofed when you press onto it and the indentation of your finger remains on the surface of the dough.
  • Preheat your oven to 240°C (460°F) and place a deep tray at the bottom of the oven.
  • Once your baguette dough is proofed about 90%, for longer baguette 16-inch score 5 diagonal cuts or 3 diagonal cuts for the smaller 12-inch baguette.
  • You will only be able to bake one tray at a time, keep other tray uncut, and refrigerated until ready to bake.
  • Bake one tray at a time, carefully using oven gloves, add warm water to the bottom empty tray to create steam in the oven. Bake baguettes for 20-25 minutes or until golden light brown.
  • Remove from oven and repeat with the last tray.
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