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FRENCH BREAD RECIPE

Easy no knead french baguette

This French Bread Recipe will help you to make light,crispy tasty french bread in FIVE SIMPLE STEPS.

Fresh Artisan French Bread/Baguettes are simply amazing!

These baguettes are light and airy with a crusty exterior and a very soft and chewy interior.

While it’s a challenge to make “real” french bread / baguettes at home, this FRENCH BREAD RECIPE is probably as close to an artisan bakery version as you’re going to find.

The ingredients in this French Bread Recipe are pure simplicity: flour, water, salt, and yeast.

FRENCH BREAD RECIPE :Ingredients

  • Flour: 700 g
  • Salt: 2 Tsp
  • Instant yeast: 1 and 1/2 Tsp
  • Water: 530 ml

HOW TO MAKE FRENCH BREAD:EASY FRENCH BREAD RECIPE ,No Knead Method

1.Prepare the french bread dough.

In to a large bowl,add all the dry ingredients and give it a good whisk to make sure everything is well combined.
Pour water and mix them together.Make sure there are no dry patches in the dough.

2.First proofing (2 hours)

Cover the dough with aplastic film and keep it in a warm environment for 2 hours or until the dough get doubled in size.
Keep it in the refrigerator.

3.Divide and preshape the french bread dough

Take the french bread dough, out of refrigerator and divide the dough (The total weight of the dough will be approximately1200 g)The dough is sufficient to make 5 baguettes of 250 g each.
Make round dough balls out of each by pulling the edges into the center. Cover with a damp cloth and let it rest for 45 minutes.

4.Shape the dough balls into the shape of french bread/baguette.

Working with one piece at a time, flatten the dough slightly then fold it nearly (but not quite) in half, sealing the edges with the heel of your hand.
With the seam side down, cup your fingers and gently roll the dough into a log (size matching your pan).

5.Final proofing

Place the logs seam-side down onto a lightly greased or parchment-lined sheet pan or pans; or into the folds of a heavily floured cotton dish towel (or couche). Cover them with lightly greased plastic wrapper a damp cloth, and allow the loaves to rise until they’re slightly puffy . The loaves should certainly look lighter and less dense than when you first shaped them, but won’t be anywhere near doubled in bulk. This should take about 45 minutes to an hour at room temperature (about 68°F).

Towards the end of the rising time, preheat your oven to 450°F .
If your french bread/ baguettes have risen in a dish towel or couche, gently roll them (seam side down) onto a lightly greased (or parchment-lined) baking sheet on to a non stick baking tray. If you plan on baking them on a baking stone, roll them onto a piece of parchment, and lift the parchment onto a baker’s peel.

Using a baker’s lame (a special curved blade) or a very sharp knife held at about a 45° angle, make three to five long lengthwise slashes in each baguette.

6.Bake the french bread/baguettes.

Load the baguettes into the oven. If you’re baking on a stone, use a baker’s peel to transfer the french baguettes, parchment and all, onto the hot stone.
Carefully pour the boiling water into the cast iron pan, and quickly shut the oven door. The billowing steam created by the boiling water will help the baguettes rise, and give them a lovely, shiny crust.
Bake the baguettes — on the pan, or on a stone — for 24 to 28 minutes, or until they’re a very deep golden brown.
Remove them from the oven and cool them on a rack.

Storing Baguette

Baguettes are best when they are fresh out of the oven.Authentic Baguettes have a very short shelf life..It’s a daily bread and should ideally be consumed the day of use. (Who can wait anyway?) If you need to store bread for longer periods of time, you should freeze it.

The best way you can store a baguette is by freezing them.

Step 1

Prepare a fresh baguette for freezing as soon as possible after baking. Let the baguette cool completely. Place it in an airtight freezer bag, squeeze out the extra air and zip it closed. If the baguette is too long to fit into the bag, cut it into pieces.

Step 2

Store the french baguette in the freezer until several hours before you need it.

Step 3

Remove the frozen baguette from the freezer bag, wrap it in a tea towel and thaw it on the counter for two hours, or until fully thawed.

Step 4

Heat the thawed baguette in the oven at 200 degrees Fahrenheit for a few minutes to warm it, if desired. Don’t leave it in the oven for longer than a few minutes or it will dry out.

Hope you will love this French bread recipe.

Watch this video to see how easy it is to make Bakery style Baguettes in your own home kitchen.EASY FRENCH BREAD RECIPE

Easy No Knead French Baguette

French Bread Recipe

This French bread recipe will help you make baguettes with crispy crust and soft, airy crumb inside ina very easy method.
5 from 2 votes
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 28 minutes
Proofing time 1 day
Total Time 1 day 33 minutes
Course Breakfast
Cuisine French
Servings 6 medium sized baguettes

Ingredients
  

  • 700 g Flour
  • 2 tsp Salt
  • 1 and 1/2 tsp Instant yeast
  • 530 ml Water

Instructions
 

Prepare the french bread dough.

  • In to a large bowl,add all the dry ingredients and give it a good whisk to make sure everything is well combined.Pour water and mix them together.Make sure there are no dry patches in the dough.

First proofing (2 hours)

  • Cover the dough with aplastic film and keep it in a warm environment for 2 hours or until the dough get doubled in size.Keep it in the refrigerator.

Divide and preshape the french bread dough

  • Take the french bread dough, out of refrigerator and divide the dough (The total weight of the dough will be approximately1200 g)The dough is sufficient to make 5 baguettes of 250 g each.Make round dough balls out of each by pulling the edges into the center. Cover with a damp cloth and let it rest for 45 minutes.

Shape the dough balls into the shape of french bread/baguette.

  • Working with one piece at a time, flatten the dough slightly then fold it nearly (but not quite) in half, sealing the edges with the heel of your hand.With the seam side down, cup your fingers and gently roll the dough into a log (size matching your pan). 

Final proofing

  • Place the logs seam-side down onto a lightly greased or parchment-lined sheet pan or pans; or into the folds of a heavily floured cotton dish towel (or couche). Cover them with lightly greased plastic wrapper a damp cloth, and allow the loaves to rise until they're slightly puffy . The loaves should certainly look lighter and less dense than when you first shaped them, but won't be anywhere near doubled in bulk. This should take about 45 minutes to an hour at room temperature (about 68°F).
    Towards the end of the rising time, preheat your oven to 450°F .If your french bread/ baguettes have risen in a dish towel or couche, gently roll them (seam side down) onto a lightly greased (or parchment-lined) baking sheet on to a non stick baking tray. If you plan on baking them on a baking stone, roll them onto a piece of parchment, and lift the parchment onto a baker's peel.
    Using a baker's lame (a special curved blade) or a very sharp knife held at about a 45° angle, make three to five long lengthwise slashes in each baguette.

Bake the french bread/baguettes.

  • Load the baguettes into the oven. If you’re baking on a stone, use a baker’s peel to transfer the french baguettes, parchment and all, onto the hot stone. Carefully pour the boiling water into the cast iron pan, and quickly shut the oven door. The billowing steam created by the boiling water will help the baguettes rise, and give them a lovely, shiny crust.Bake the baguettes — on the pan, or on a stone — for 24 to 28 minutes, or until they're a very deep golden brown. Remove them from the oven and cool them on a rack. 

Video

Keyword French bread recipe
Recipe Rating




Smita

Sunday 16th of May 2021

Hi. I tried the recipe and it turned out great. Is there anyway of making the baguette using whole wheat flour?

Jennifer

Saturday 27th of February 2021

I've made this recipe a couple of times now. It turns out great everytime. I look forward to trying more of your recipes.

Bincy Chris

Saturday 27th of February 2021

Hi Jennifer ,I am so happy to hear you made this french bread a few times and it turned out really well.Thank you so much for taking your time to write back me and for rating this recipe.Hope you enjoy other recipes too.

Annette

Friday 13th of November 2020

Hi, I don't understand this step: Cover the dough with aplastic film and keep it in a warm environment for 2 hours or until the dough get doubled in size.Keep it in the refrigerator.

Keep it warm AND keep it in the refrigerator?

Can you help me? Annette

Bincy Chris

Sunday 15th of November 2020

Sorry for the confusion. We need to proof the dough for 2 hours in a warm environment or on the counter top and after the proofing we are keeping the dough in fridge for the long cold fermentation which can give amazing texture and flavor to our bread. Hope it is clear now.

EASY CIABATTA ROLLS RECIPE | MerryBoosters

Wednesday 28th of October 2020

[…] to add complexity to the bread’s flavor and is often used in breads that have open crumb like baguettes, pizza,focaccia […]

Ruchika Shah

Tuesday 27th of October 2020

Hello Bincy, I love your recipe and am trying them out one after another. Just wanted to ask that for this recipe it is written flour.so which flour should be used? Bread or all purpose flour.

Bincy Chris

Monday 2nd of November 2020

Hi Ruchika,Sorry for the confusion.The flour I have used is all purpose flour.