On our last trip to Paris, my husband and I rented a little pied-à-terre, graced with a balcony facing magnificent centuries-old buildings, brightly-colored tiny shops, and a friendly street. Most mornings, straight out of bed, I’d scamper over to the balcony, fling open the vintage double doors to hear, just below, the laughter of school children and, on Sundays, the ringing of church bells. This was a real Parisian neighborhood, void of tourists and crowds –and full of simple, everyday life (and baguettes).
Baguettes are a stylish accessory in Paris –chic Parisian briefcases, minus the hefty price tag. More than a handful of boulangeries nestle along our narrow street, filling each turn with the beautifully addicting smell of freshly baked pain au chocolat, brioche and baguettes. Ou la la…it’s my ultimate version of heaven. Though simultaneously, it’s torture. Torture, knowing soon I’d be on a plane and lose access to my vast pool of Parisian pushers, who happily supplied me with my daily fix. I’m a junkie. A baguette junkie. I don’t know when it all started, but I have a sneaky suspicion my loving Dad turned me onto this addiction at an alarmingly young age. He’s the kingpin, and known to disown family members who consume, at their peril, one too many less-than-stellar baguettes.
I’m not that bad. But I knew I had to get my addiction under control. More times than I’d like to admit, I tried mastering the elusive baguette at home, testing out crazy antics to achieve a dark-golden, crispy, crackly crust, coupled with the the perfect elongated shape, and failing miserably in the process. Luckily, I’m as stubborn as I am foolish, so finally, finally, I’ve cracked the code for baking homemade baguettes. The key? A long, cold fermentation similar to that used for my favorite whole-wheat bread, with the addition of a hot steamy bath. I want to (literally) throw a party after pulling these babies out of the oven. It’s an occasion worth celebrating when four simple, rudimentary ingredients – flour, salt, water, yeast – are capable of such a Herculean feat. I feel nothing but joy…pure joy! I’ll invite Dad to the party, as I know even he’d approve of these baguettes, especially served warm with a good slathering of French butter.
Then again, I might keep them a secret, so I can close my eyes, and visit our balcony in Paris whenever I need my fix.
HOMEMADE FRENCH BAGUETTES, yields four 16-inch baguettes
Tweaked from Artisan Breads Every Day, Peter Reinhart
I can’t be entirely sure whether it made the critical difference or not, but I used this pan, instead of a baking sheet. Also, don’t be alarmed by the extensive instructions – there’s a lot of waiting time and a bit of planning involved, but everything else is pretty simple. Just please, please be extra careful when pouring in the hot water for the steam pan (see below in ‘Prepare for Hearth Baking’ section for more detail). Steaming water WILL splatter, so I definitely recommend using a watering can with a long spout, standing back and covering up those arms and hands!
Music Pairing: Yann Tiersen, La Noyee
Ingredients
- 5 1/2 cups unbleached bread flour
- 2 tsp salt, or 1 tbsp coarse kosher salt
- 2 1/4 tsp instant yeast
- 2 cups lukewarm water (about 95 degrees)
Method
Prep Day: Combine all ingredients in bowl of mixer, set with paddle attachment, and mix on lowest speed for 1 minute until well blended and smooth. Dough should form a coarse, shaggy ball. Let rest, uncovered for 5 minutes. Switch to dough hook and mix on medium-low speed for 2 minutes. Dough should be smooth, supple, and tacky but not sticky.
Knead dough by hand on lightly floured work surface for 1 minute, then transfer to a large clean, lightly oiled bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and immediately refrigerate overnight or up to 4 days.
Baking Day: Remove dough from refrigerator 2 hours prior to baking. Gently transfer to lightly floured work surface, taking care to degas it as little as possible. Divide dough into 10-ounce pieces for baguettes.
Form Baguettes: Pat each piece of divided dough into a thick rectangle. Fold the bottom half to the center and seal the seam. Fold the top half to the center and once again seal the seam. Roll the top half of the dough over the seam to create a new seam on the bottom of the loaf. Rock loaf back and forth to extend it to desire length, 6-12 inches. Let rest for 5-10 minutes. Repeat the same folding process: bottom to center, top to center, and pinch to create a seam. With seam side underneath, gently rock loaf back and forth, with hands moving out toward and increasing pressure at the ends, to slightly taper the loaf until baguette is the length of baguette pan (or baking sheet).
Mist top of dough with spray oil, loosely cover with plastic wrap, and proof at room temperature (preferably in a couche, or improvise on a clean linen towel, dusted with flour – leaving 3 inches between loaves so fabric can be bunched up to create “walls” for support while proofing – I placed my prepared towel and loaves on my baguette pan to further aid in keeping its shape, as shown above) for about 1 1/2 hours, or until increased to 1 1/2 times its original size.
Prepare for Hearth Baking: About 45 minutes before baking, preheat oven to 450 degrees. Place a sheet pan, which will serve as the steam pan, with a 1-inch rim on shelf under which baguettes will be baked. Remove plastic wrap from the dough 15 minutes prior to baking. Gently roll dough onto baguette pan. Just prior to baking, score the dough 1/2 inch deep with a serrated knife or razor. Transfer loaves to the oven, pour 1 cup hot water into the steam pan. Always use an oven mitt and wear long sleeves when adding water to the hot steam pan to prevent steam burns. It’s also advisable to cover the oven window with a dry dish towel to prevent backsplash from hitting the window and cracking it – but remember to remove the towel before closing oven door! Using a watering can with a long spout when pouring the water into the steam pan provides control and distance from the hot steam.
Bake for 12 minutes, then rotate pan and bake for another 15-25 minutes, until the crust is rich golden brown, the loaves sound hollow when thumped, and the internal temperature is about 200 degrees in the center. Cool on wire rack for at least 35 minutes before slicing or serving. Best eaten the same day, or heated briefly in the oven the next day if crust loses its crispness.
I love Paris! What a great idea to rent a little apartment, rather than stay in a hotel. The baguettes looks absolutely delish!
My boyfriend is going to LOVE you for this post. He is a true, blue bread addict. He eats artisan bread the way children eat candy. Actually, we are both so into the bread baking right now, it’s ridiculous! (movie, nah, let’s knead bread). And his Frenchy background craves the baguette. Maybe I will surprise him.
xo Michaela
Those are GORGEOUS!!!
I would love to rent an apartment in Paris and get the full experience, not just the tourist one. How did you find the apartment? Any good sites that you can suggest?
ashley, vrbo.com is a great resource, as well as tripadvisor.com, which compiles many useful sites for your particular country/region/city.
French food is like nothing else on earth!
I’m not a pro at baking but I will have to attempt these at some point- they look too wonderful.
Bread ought to be easy, right? But such is not my lot apparently. Your baguettes are so pretty though, I have to try again, with your recipe. Lovely!
christi, i think you’ll be surprised how easy this really is!
can we be invited to the party too?? these look awesome…vietnamese also add rice flour as well…have you tried making banh mi style baguettes?
ravenouscouple, but of course, you’re invited! :) the addition of rice flour sounds intriguing to me, will have to try it out.
There’s just something about freshly baked bread, isn’t there? Your baguettes look so gorgeous, will have to try it out soon. :)
OK. These look gorgeous, I am so impressed, but what I loved most about this post was that first line. “On our last trip to Paris, Tony and I rented a little pied-à-terre…” You are living THE LIFE, my friend. Love it.
These baguettes are one of the best I’ve ever seen especially for being made at home. Wow! Very impressive. I was just thinking about making baguettes the other day and saw a youtube video of a Frenchman making some (without the use of a cold fermentation), and they looked beautiful, too. Lovely photos you have here!
So lovely! I am always happy when your posts appear in my feed reader!
I love Paris – your neighbourhood sounds so idyllic. Extremely envious of your stunning baguettes (yes, baguettes are stunning ;) ) and I can imagine them being so delicious. Brilliant!
We are heading to Paris for a much-too-short visit in June and I plan to eat as many baguettes as I can get my hands on. I love all the treats but the bread is the thing I can’t live without. What a beautiful job you did!
dana, i TOTALLY agree. there’s no substitution. have so much fun on your upcoming trip! and in june? ohhh, what a perfect time to see paris.
They look pretty sensational. I am going to have to try these now. I have been looking at that chicago metallic baguette pan and wondering if I can fit yet another baking dish into my already huge and overcrowded drawer. Hmmm…I think you may have just sold me on it!
spiceandmore, i felt the same way, but am so happy i took the plunge!
A fresh baguette sounds so good right now. Beautiful photos, too.
Ah – I love Paris, but I’ve always stayed in a hotel – Right Bank, Left Bank so much fun and adventure. There is certainly something to be said for walking down the street nibbling on a delicious baguette.
BTW, the Twitterverse was a tweet with nothing but praise about your blog – they’ve discovered what I knew – your blog is something special. They were curious if you were going to get on Twitter? =)
Which Arrondisment did you stay in by the way? Looks familiar but I cannot immediately place it.
oysterculture, the lovely 3rd arrondissement. hmm, i might be the only person left on this planet without a twitter account at this point. i guess i best get going!
That sure looks like the real deal to me. And it is so impressive that there is a tray for baking baguette. Paris seems so lovely. It is one of my go to places in the near future.
Thank you so much. I have made fairly good French bread following a lot of your suggetions but can not compare it to “real” French baguettes since I have never eaten one. I do have a question, in the picture of the bread rising in the pan it looks like you are using dish towels in the pan. Do you remove them before baking ?- Seems like you would have to but was wondering how delicate you have to be? I guess since you can slash them you can move them- I just have never done that. Also what is the purpose of the towels- moistness?
charr, yes, definitely remove the linen dish towel before baking. the linen towel and its “walls” absorbs extra moisture (which aids in a obtaining a crispy crust), keeps the shaped baguettes straight, and prevents them from spreading sideways while proofing. it’s an improvised version of a couche, used by bakeries for proofing. once risen, gently roll them onto your prepared baking surface. then, make your slashes just prior to putting them in the oven.
This process seems so magical, kneading and waiting and kneading more and waiting, spritzing here and there to create the perfect baguette. The photo from your Parisian apartment is stunning.
this recipe is deadly for me, because i can eat a whole baguette or maybe two by myself!!!! gorgeous post :)
Beautiful pictures and baguettes. It is amazing how nicely photographed food can evoke sensations like few other objects. I will have to try this recipe as I have heard what an excellent book Artisan Breads is.
We will always have Paris and Crystal Springs. :) MUAH
gorgeous and utterly romantic!
Baguettes never looked this good. I haven’t baked baguettes in a long time and it takes a lot of practice to perfect them. Yours look absolutely perfect.
This is one of the MOST beautiful food sites I’ve seen around. I can’t believe I only just found you, but I’m so glad I have. I’ll be back many times to peruse this lovely collection of photos, stories and recipes. Thank you for sharing!
Man! You make it seem so EASY! I’ve tried my hand at baguettes and have managed to do NOTHING but embarrass myself. The bread comes out incredibly rock hard and tastes like cardboard. But will most definitely try your recipe. Wish me luck! P.S. I am headed to Paris in a few short weeks! This will be my second trip there, but this time, I am determined to experience the Paris which you describe in your post. Any suggestions for places/stores to see would be most appreciated! Bon voyage to me!
just GORGEOUS! love, love your photography and all i want to do now is eat lots + lots of baguettes.
Definitely worth the wait, I have a Pate Fermente sitting in the fridge ready to be turned and baked into baguettes this weekend. I have another sour dough from Peter’s book in the oven as I type.
I love the picture you paint of the baguettes being carried around the streets of Paris. I’ve always considered them one of lifes simple pleasures. Such simple ingredients, yet they are delicious and comforting at the same time. We have not been to Paris yet, but when we do we will certainly do it right and that includes soaking up the gorgeous views and wonderful food.
Wow–I’ve never been to your blog before and am so impressed.
This post is stunning–those pictures are so gorgeous. I am inspired now!
This CAN’T be as easy as you say! They’re too beautiful. I’ll screw it up for sure.
I loved Paris when my daughter lived there–fresh bread every morning! All day nibbling as well! The produce, the cheese, the wine, the food, everything. Paris will always enchant.
Ooo, gorgeous baguette photos. I’m eagerly, eagerly anticipating my first trip to France this year, in late summer. Any recommendations?
Kristina
Sweetfern Handmade
patty and kristina, gosh where to begin? wandering and strolling the neighborhoods is really the best way to discover magical nooks and crannies you’d never find or know about in any guide book. st-germain, le marais, along the siene, ile st-louis, montmartre…i’m getting excited just WRITING this! hit the open-air markets, pick up fresh goods, stop by a fromagerie and head over to place de vosges for a picnic lunch. and of course, all the wonderful cafes, boulangeries and patisseries to sample! hope you both have the BEST time. please eat a baguette (or two) for me.
Sounds like the perfect way to fall in love with a French baguette!
Those crispy loaves look positively fabulous… and they’re definitely giving me a craving.
This is so cool! And as always, your photos are beautiful! :)
Oh these look truly gorgeous! Love the window views too! Perfect locale for an early morning French baguette and people watching :)
Beautiful, absolutely beautiful. We use to make fresh baguettes at the french restaurant i worked for in Tucson and the smells were incredible, not only that NOTHING beats a freshly baked loaf of bread, especially a baguette — crunchy outside soft warm and heavenly inside. Man…maybe i have to go back to my roots and make a few loaves this weekend. Love love LOVED this post.
I just received that bread book two days ago and I can’t wait to try. Your bread looks fabulous. All that crusty exterior. What was the interior like? I will have to bookmark this for some upcoming bread action!
julia, the crumb was light, open, airy and moist – with big, irregular sized holes and full of flavor. i was beyond pleased. don’t you just love the book?!
i can almost hear those children playing in the streets too… your photo from the balcony is so vivid and real, i feel like i am right there. and i certainly wish i were ! there right now, so i could wake up in the morning and run out to the boulangerie to get in line behind the locals. and most especially do as they do – rip off the end of the baguette and eat it on my way home.
your photos are beautiful as always and your baguette looks like pure perfection. bravo ! next time you pull some more out of the oven, and throw a party… invite me ! :)
I can feel the magic of Paris in your photos. The baguette looks heavenly, with those perfect slits.
Oh my! so beautiful! a friend of mine just made these using your recipe and I cant wait to try it out for myself. Oui Oui :)
More bread making for me this year. A resolution. Now I have your baguettes on my list!
Wow you make bread making look so easy, thanks for the great pics!
Ooh La La! They are beautiful. I love fresh bread!
How can you keep these a secret? That just wouldn’t be fair, even if they do serve as a beautiful reminder of a trip to Paris. I’ve heard that before – about bread being a French accessory. I’ve been all over Europe but not yet to Paris. Maybe I won’t need to if I make these baguettes at home!
I have just discovered your fabulous blog (from the comment you posted on mine…thank you so much btw!) and now i am hooked! i think these baguettes would taste amazing with the homemade goat cheese, which i will most certainly be trying! looking forward to reading past blogs and making some of your great dishes.
I’ve been attempting various sourdough breads, and sourdough baguettes are my favorite. I just received a baguette pan for Christmas, and it will be getting a lot of use. Your baguettes are beautiful!
your pictures are always great and the recipes too… congrats! ;)
I stayed in a similar little place the time before last that I was in Paris. It really is the way to do it. Unfortunately, the flat was quite high up, and heights and me are not friends, so I was scared of our little balcony! The wrought iron balustrade just wasn’t enough for me :)
Call me impressed. I’ve got to get on the bread-baking bandwagon. Baby steps and into baguettes for 2010! Lovely.
Lovely looking baguettes. Thank you for the recipe and the gorgeous pictures.
Nisrine
These are absolutely beautiful. Flawless! And you made me miss Paris. ;)
your photos are amazing, and make me miss Paris
I tried your lovely recipe, and it is possibly the closest I have come to having a good Parisian Baguette here …thank you
thank you, amy! i’m so, so happy you enjoyed the baguettes and hope they bring to life a tiny bit of paris straight into your home!
Just beautiful.
Thanks for stopping by my blog-I’m so excited to see more of you delicious-ness!
Hello!
I just found your blog thanks to Cannelle et Vanille. I am thrilled to see this post as we lived in Paris for 3 months last year and weening myself off the baguette was a difficult process. Since we’ve been home we are mourning the loss of access to warm, perfect bread and I have been visiting every baker, artisan bread makers, and gourmet food shops within a 25 mile radius to no avail. I thought I’d try my own hand at them but baking is not my strong suit. You can see here, the baguettes were not a success http://potsandpains.blogspot.com/2010/01/recipe-updates.html. Anyway, I am going to try your recipe asap. Thank you for the post and I am truly enjoying the photography.
you’ve just put my fantasy into pictures. i think in my next life i want to be a baker (since i’m so crap at it now) – I could be a baker in italy or france but i want to be able to bake! beautiful post.
Hey there! I really love your pictures! It took me back to my trip in Paris…sigh. As a musician I was really enthralled to see Yann Tiersen as your musical selections! I love his work especially in Amelie. Thanks for your comment on my blog post!
What a wonderful story. I can’t wait to try out the recipe.
It’s a dream of mine to one day bake French baguettes in my own kitchen — I attempted it last year with terrible results, but I think the scars have healed and I’m ready to try again…looking forward to trying the recipe! (Lovely pictures, too.)
Hi I have been looking for a home made baguette recipe for a while and this seems to be the one i am looking for. Just one question…. How many baguettes does this recipe make?
Thanks.
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Would it be possible for you to add pictures of the interior (the crumb) of the baguette if you make this again in the future? Thank you!
What a wonderful post! What kind of camera do you use? Your pictures are always wonderful.
Mine are about an hour until oven time. I’m getting excited…
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How would you modify this recipe using an active dry yeast instead of an instant yeast?
Some years ago, while visiting London, my husband & I happened upon Patisserie Paul, everything looked so good, so I ordered a brioche, a quiche, and half a baguette. They said they couldn’t sell me half. I signed, but bought anyway, thinking what to do with the rest. When I laid my orders next to the table with 2 strangers, I felt embarrassed that I bought so much, and my long baguette extended over to their table. Oh well, we started eating….and my husband & I devoured the whole baguette with butter & jam, and every crumb. I am still thinking of this wonderful baguette. I can’t seem to be able to find a good bakery in Vancouver that has good baguette or chausson pommes. I guess I have to try and make some myself. Actually I did try doing the No Knead Bread, I tried it several times, and sometimes it is edible, and some times, it is so incredibly chewy, my gums hurt and I finally either have to soak it in my soup or throw it away and go buy some Terra Breads. Sigh! I will try again, must not give up! :)
Thank you for the beautiful pictures and sharing your recipes and stories. It is always inspiring, it makes life worth living again, and if my baguette turns out to be half as good as your pictures, man, I will be wriggling with happiness….
love the pic! my husband and I were in Paris a few years back. We have a heart to return with our family and serve the Lord, my heart yearns for it whenever I see a picture like that!
Question: the recipe says it makes four baguettes, but it looks like the pan (available from amazon) only holds three. Do you make two batches or am I missing something here? A response would be greatly appreciated!
Hi Pam – If using the pan, save the extra dough for a second batch (with only one baking). Or simply make a free form loaf with it.
Sounds fabulous! Cant wait to try it! lovely blog!
Bread… my weakness. Now I’m really hungry.
Your website is amazing!!! Recipes are outstanding, music pairings a delight, photos are works of art. Your pages are uncluttered but packed full of pure joy. I love reading your personal stories. Please keep them coming.
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Oh, I can’t wait to try these! My husband and I just returned from Paris and the first thing I did when we got home was to go out and buy baguettes at a local bakery. Somehow, though, they just weren’t quite right. =( I think it’s probably the long ferment they’re missing (they were also too fat). Which area in Paris was your apartment? It looks so lovely! We were on Rue Daguerre in Montparnasse and I loved being on an open air market street where the best food for our meals was so accessible and so fresh.
These look great!
i just made these (my first time making baguettes, + i’m pretty much a bread novice) + they turned out great! i’ll be making another batch to bring to my in-laws for Christmas day. thanks so much for sharing the fab recipe!
After my wife convinced me to get a stand mixer I have been trying to make the perfect baguette to no avail. Your recipe is by far the best I have tried (I’ve tried too many). The interior of the baguette was chewy, airy, and had the most plesant taste of any of the breads I have attempted. The crust was good, though in my rush to get the loaves in the oven, while preparing other food, I forgot to add the pan for the water during the pre-heat and instead added it in when I put the loaves in and spritzed the loaves with water. Next time I’ll follow directions to a “t” and I should have a winner on my hands.
My wife and I suffer from the same baguette deprivation described by others since returning home from Paris a week ago – and all of the local baguettes we have tried are not even close to the real deal. Thanks for your guided tour and recipe – but being novices, we don’t quite understand the folding technique you describe – can you be a little more clear about what it means to fold the top half to the center? How do you create a new seam by rolling the baguette on the work surface? The pictures in Peter’s book for the batard are also not so helpful to us newbies. Thanks for your help!
I recently moved to a small town in Vermont from a big city Tokyo, Japan and was having a hard time not being able to have access to all the gourmet food I used to have. Thanks to you, now I can make my own baguette and it’s even better than store-bought!
I am excited to try your recipe for the baguettes. Your blog is written so well, and I love the music pairing! Class act!
Very happy this blog was stumbled upon. Am making baguettes NOW. One question? When removing proved dough from fridge, do you wait two hours before starting the shaping process? Or two hours from start shaping to baking?
Is it possible to show a photo step by step for the folding and seaming? ” Fold the bottom half to the center and seal the seam. Fold the top half to the center and once again seal the seam. Roll the top half of the dough over the seam to create a new seam on the bottom of the loaf. Rock loaf back and forth to extend it to desire length, 6-12 inches. Let rest for 5-10 minutes. Repeat the same folding process: bottom to center, top to center, and pinch to create a seam.”