Bake

Dan Leader's 4-Hour Baguette

March 26, 2014

Every week -- often with your help -- Food52's Senior Editor Kristen Miglore is unearthing recipes that are nothing short of genius.

Today: You can make baguettes at home -- in 4 hours, from nothing -- and they'll disappear faster than your favorite bakery's. 

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Raise your hand if you've always wanted to get into the rhythm of baking your own bread. Now raise your hand if you've actually done it. 

Too many of us have hesitated, then let the thought slip away. We froze at the technical abyss of caring for a sourdough starter, couldn't commit to consecutive days of planning and tending. We don't know what we're making for dinner tonight, let alone in three days. (But one day we swear this will all come naturally, just as soon as we've got that wood-burning oven and proofing cabinet.)

Right. This recipe is the aggressive, no-more-excuses shove that we need.

It comes from Dan Leader, founder of Bread Alone, via William Alexander's IACP-award winning Saveur Magazine story on American Bread. Leader developed the recipe to fit in home cooks' ovens and nestle into their schedules, with ingredients and equipment they've got nearby -- but he told me, "If I had to make it at Bread Alone, I'd make this recipe."

If I can make a really good baguette -- in 4 hours, from nothing -- you can too. It will have a resilient, toffee-colored crust and a honeycombed middle that huffs hot, yeasty air when you tear into it. The smell of it baking will simultaneously make you feel hungry, safe, and accomplished. It will taste like home and like Paris. It might have arrhythmic slashes across the top -- some would call them unprofessional; I call them spunky. (If you want to look like a pro, buy a nice lame.)

And it will only take you 4 hours of intermittent attention, and won't require a starter nor any equipment you don't already own. You have an oven, baking sheets, an ice cube tray, a skillet, parchment, and a pair of scissors, right? (Don't you love quizzes like this?) I'd bet you also have salt, flour, and water, probably even active dry yeast. (If not, the closest corner store does.) 

"There are times when I plan out a menu only to realize I forgot to buy a baguette or two and can make this quick." Food52er Ashley Marie told me. "In addition, I find they're fun for when I want bragging rights for guests ('Why yes, these are really HOMEMADE baguettes I made fresh today')."

Here's how to do it -- as Leader says, "bread baking is more wait than work."

  

Stir together yeast and warm water. 10 minutes later, stir in flour.

  

  

Let that hang out for 20 minutes to hydrate.

  

Now add salt and knead for about 10 minutes, till it's smooth and springy. You could do this in a stand mixer with a dough hook -- or food processor, which Alexander prefers -- but I think a good knead is better than an hour of psychotherapy, and it's free. 

  

Plop it in a greased bowl, seal it with plastic, and park it in a cold oven (or microwave) for about 45 minutes. Its girth will double.

  

Fold it like a T-shirt, then put it back. Within an hour, it will double again.

  

  

Now roll it into three baguette-like tubes. Don't use much flour -- a little sticking will help keep them from sliding around.

Line your tubes up on a floured piece of parchment, then scoot them together with parchment poking up between each tube of dough. Stick rolled towels on each side as ramparts, so the baguettes rise up, not outward in their last stint.

 

While they double again, heat your oven to 475° F, with a baking stone (or rimless or upside-down baking sheet) in the middle and a cast iron skillet in the bottom (you'll see why soon).

Once the baguettes are puffed and the oven is scorching, slash the tops with your fancy lame, or just snip them with scissors -- a trick I learned from our Test Kitchen Assistant, Erin McDowell. A knife that isn't razor sharp won't help you here.

Now this is the only part that takes coordination -- pull out your middle oven rack, confidently slide the parchment with loaves onto the stone (or faux-stone), then tuck the rack back in and pour ice cubes into your hot skillet. Shut the oven and walk away. Set a timer for 20 minutes. This steam will help the loaves finish rising before the crust forms. 

  

And what a crust it will be. Four hours ago, this was still flour in a bin and yeast in a packet. You brought it to life, with the hands you have, the bread experience you don't. And you'll do it again soon.

Dan Leader's 4-Hour Baguette

Adapted slightly from Local Breads (W. W. Norton & Company, 2007) and Saveur Magazine

Makes 3 baguettes

1 1/2 cups (12 ounces) tap water, heated to 115° F
1 teaspoon (1/8 ounces) active dry yeast
3 1/4 cups (14 2/3 ounces) all–purpose flour
3 teaspoons (3/8 ounces) Diamond Crystal kosher salt
Canola oil, for greasing bowl
1/2 cup ice cubes

See the full recipe (and save and print it) here.

Got a genius recipe to share -- from a classic cookbook, an online source, or anywhere, really? Please send it my way (and tell me what's so smart about it) at [email protected]. Thanks to Food52 community member Ashley Marie for this one!

Photos by James Ransom

 
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See what other Food52 readers are saying.

  • Cheryl
    Cheryl
  • Mary LaCharite
    Mary LaCharite
  • maria.kudla
    maria.kudla
  • Kellie
    Kellie
  • Quek Hwee Ling
    Quek Hwee Ling
I'm an ex-economist, lifelong-Californian who moved to New York to work in food media in 2007, before returning to the land of Dutch Crunch bread and tri-tip barbecues in 2020. Dodgy career choices aside, I can't help but apply the rational tendencies of my former life to things like: recipe tweaking, digging up obscure facts about pizza, and deciding how many pastries to put in my purse for "later."

212 Comments

Cheryl March 24, 2019
I started this bread this morning and still found it very wet, sticky and difficult to knead by hand, ... so I sent a note to Dan Leader:
Hi Dan,
I found the recipe for your 4 Hour Baguette at Food 52 (https://food52.com/blog/10044-dan-leader-s-4-hour-baguette). I've made it several times and actually have one in its first rising now. While it is absolutely delicious it frustrates me to no end. I realize the dough should be tacky on the sticky side, but it is wet and sticky, almost impossible to knead by hand. Thank God for my 40 year old KitchenAid!
I'm hoping you can/will answer some questions. Do you have the recipe in weight (grams) rather than volume? If so will you share it with me? Should the dough be so difficult to handle when kneading by hand? Is the amount of flour and/or water correct in the recipe they posted?

That wonderful man answered!

Hi Cheryl,
This recipe was adapted from my book Local Breads which has all recipes in metric as well.
Here are the metric weights
500 grams flour type 55 equivalent
325-350 grams water
10 grams salt
2.5 grams instant active yeast.
You can leave the dough for a 1 hour autolyse for more elasticity.
I have a new book out October 1st called Living Bread.
Happy baking,
Dan

 
Cheryl March 23, 2019
I've been making a LOT of bread since I last commented on THIS bread in 2015. I now only use recipes that give their ingredients in weight (my preference is by grams) instead of volume and I always, always, always proof my yeast. I also whisk the salt with the flour before adding my always, always, always proofed yeast and the rest of the liquid.

King Arthur's Flour has a handy dandy little chart for ingredient specific conversions: https://www.kingarthurflour.com/learn/ingredient-weight-chart.html which I find invaluable.

I'm going to make this bread again this week, this time using the gram conversions I didn't use the first time, when my bread was absolutely delicious but didn't quite hold it's shape.
 
Mary L. March 23, 2019
It is tricky to recreate baguettes using American flour, which is milled from Durham wheat. Try King Arthur's French Flour, milled from red wheat, widely grown in France.
 
maria.kudla January 17, 2018
I wish mine looked this pretty!! Will try again!!
 
Kellie August 15, 2017
Quek Hwee Ling, a pizza stone insures a crispy crust but you could invert baking sheets and place the baguettes on the inverted bottoms. Does that make sense? Or use a large non-rimmed baking sheet. I do believe the results will be different but most likely, still delicious. Consider investing in a pizza stone......you won't regret it. I hope this helps.
 
Quek H. August 13, 2017
Is pizza stone a must? I don't have one.
 
karen September 5, 2016
Tried this recipe for the first time today and according to my daughters it was "the best bread they've ever had!" My husband also agreed!
 
Silvia M. January 19, 2016
Absolutely amazing results! I've lived in Paris and never managed to find a baguette elsewhere that was decently similar to the Parisian ones, but this really got me close. And it was only my first try, so I am confident practice will make it just perfect! THANK YOU!
 
Becky December 2, 2015
I am in love with this bread! I just took it out of the oven and have already wolfed down a half a loaf! I followed the recipe exactly except that I added a couple tablespoons of Bob's 7-grain hot cereal to the dough as I kneaded it in my kitchenaid mixer and a little more flour to get a firmer dough. Baked it on my pizza stone--it is crisp on the outside and nice and chewy on the inside. Perfect!
 
Shanti November 8, 2015
I wish you would check the links included in this recipe. The proofing oven on Amazon got the worst possible rating for very obvious reasons.
 
celia Y. August 4, 2015
THE WHEAT FLOUR IS DIFFERENT IN EUROPE, this is why it taste different. THE USA wheat lacks something. The sourdough needs a old ''mother starter' that i'ts reused again and again also needs to be fermented from 12 hrs up to 20 hrs..
 
celia Y. August 4, 2015
In France, Spain, Portugal porssible in Italy, they use a different kind of wheat for their bread. The butter is unsalted. and some bakers use O.oil instead of butter.
 
Lexi S. August 4, 2015
NOTE: 3 and 1/4 cups flour does not equal 14 and 2/3 ounces. It equals 26 ounces. I had to look twice when the dough after adding flour to yeast mixture was very runny.
 
peg D. July 1, 2015
No.
 
Kellie June 30, 2015
Wish I could but I just don't know. Please let us know what you learn.
 
Dave June 30, 2015
Anyone out there care to comment on my comment that the French bread actually made in France seems to have an interior dough with a somewhat "waxy" sheen/feel to it? That's the only way I can describe it. Again, any chance they mix olive oil or perhaps unsalted butter into the dough?
 
Sharon July 1, 2015
Dave, the baguettes in France absolutely taste different than any made here. It's all about age-old starters and location, location, location. Not to mention baking equipment that's been seasoned for centuries. But then, I've never tasted sour dough French bread anywhere like what I grew up on in San Francisco, either. Larraburu Bakery. I'll never forget it. It's about the perfect storm of air, humidity and regional micro-climates. It's handed down and unspoken. Above all, it's the touch of the master's hand.
Google "Larraburu" if you'd like to get some French bread knowledge under your belt and enjoy a good read. One link even posts their original sour dough formula. Priceless. Bon Appetit!
 
Dave June 2, 2015
I'm gonna try this because while I have all the ingredients and "tools" I have been too timid to go for the "standard" multi-day prep for traditional french bread. I lived in Paris for two years as a student and one year in Belgium -- then, later, three years in Paris with the State Dept. With rare exceptions, I have been disappointed with :"French" bread made in the US. Call me a snob, but there it is. The crust and holes are critical. But there was something else -- dare I write "je ne said quoi" -- a very slightly "waxy" sheen and feel to the dough after baking. I have no idea what that was but it is lacking in US made breads. Could it possibly be that French bakers add a small amount of olive oil to their dough? Look forward to others' thoughts and comments on this.
 
Dave June 2, 2015
P.S. I hate auto spelling correction -- that should be "sais" and not "said". Also, the "waxy" feel I describe is in the interior bread and not the crust, jest to be precise.
 
Brian June 2, 2015
I spent a semester in Belgium during school and visited many parts of Europe. I'd agree that most bread there is simply better than most bread here. It's the technique and the ingredients. That being said, I make this bread recipe about twice a week since it can be done in 4 hours and is far better than anything I can buy in "regular" grocery stores. Now, we have some French Bakeries here in Omaha that produce some excellent breads, but I can make a really great loaf with this recipe and save $4 a pop. $8 a week translates into a decent amount of beer money over the course of a year. Or, at least that's how I justify it.

In this recipe, I use bread flour and add .5oz of rye or barley flour to the mix (or some of each) to enhance the flavor. It makes quite a difference. I also typically just make one big oblong loaf and cut it down the center before baking on a parchment-covered sheet. Turns out great every time.
 
May June 2, 2015
What's slightly incongruous is that we can get really good bread flours up here in Canada: shared continent, terrain and even weather in parts, so how come our flour is better?
 
Dave June 2, 2015
Well, gee...it is Canada, right? (Just having fun here -- Mom born in Canada and some good friends there.) I'd still like to see some comments regarding "waxiness" of French Bread in France and how they achieve that.
 
May June 2, 2015
Hehe...and it would have helped if I'd been awake enough to finish my sweeping statement, eh! What I meant to add was, the good bakeries way up here in the great white north do manage to churn out a baguette with the crust you describe, very much so....but I don't know how they accomplish that, sorry. So, a total shaggy dog story after all.
 
celia Y. March 21, 2015
I always heard that you never mix salt with yeast... salt kills yeast. Is that true?
 
Keith W. March 22, 2015
Salt controls the fermentation of the yeast. Too much will kill it. You merely want to inhibit the rise.
 
Sharon March 22, 2015
Yes, it's absolutely true. Yeast feeds on sugar. If you introduce salt too early in the process it will definitely kill the yeast. Middle school science class experiment proved this.
 
Gary March 21, 2015
Most bread recipes have you adding yeast last as it impedes the action of the yeast. But, I wouldn't think it would stop all action if added first. Perhaps the water was too hot, the yeast old or a combination of all three things. Hard to say.
 
Keith W. March 22, 2015
Saf-Instant doesn't require proofing. You can add it in the beginning. I've used it for 30 years.
 
Mike March 21, 2015
I messed up somehow, could not get to rise not sure what I did wrong. Water temp to high for active yeast? Adding salt in first step not second step? No rise at all I think the yeast, any ideas.
 
Keith W. March 19, 2015
I skip the ice cubes. You lose too much heat in the jump. I have a Scünci steamer. I simply remove the burner and drip pan from the right rear of my stove top, aim the nozzle into the vent immediately after closing the door and hit the trigger for 15 seconds. You will love the golden brown color you get and enjoy the sound of the crust cracklin'.
 
celia Y. March 18, 2015
I THINK THEY sell mold specifically for this type of bread. it's curved to hold it in shpe.
 
giorgitd February 22, 2015
This was my first attempt at baking bread. The result: crust excellent top and bottom, color very good - but the crumb... I prefer a very airy, full-of-holes baguette. This one wasn't super dense, but had mostly small holes. What adjustments should I make for a more airy loaf? More yeast? Longer 2nd rise (it was certainly doubled)? Something else?
 
Julie March 18, 2015
Seems to me like the most important things to do to create bigger holes in the crumb are 1) make sure the dough has enough water in it to be slightly sticky, 2) judge the final shaped rise perfectly - this takes practice with the poke test, and 3) steam in the oven during the first half of baking time.
 
Joan S. February 5, 2015
Made these today. Followed the directions to a T. They were beautiful to look at and absolutely delicious.
 
Tina January 26, 2015
Hey my bread turned out nice too the second time. I had to change the oven temperature to 425 instead 475.
 
Cheryl January 26, 2015
The bread was great! I was worried because yes, it is a sticky, sticky dough. I measured by weight, used bread flour and regular active dry yeast, proofed. I kept the parchment pleateded up between the loaves during baking because the bread didn't have much structure to hold its shape and it turned out great.: a little tang, great crust and nice airy loaves although not terribly big. I really think refining the recipe to include weight by grams would help more folks have better success. Also, it's REALLY important to let that oven preheat for the entire last 50 min rise. Mine didn't hold the cuts but the crust looked just like the photo. Really enjoyed it with dinner!
 
Kellie January 26, 2015
Cheryl..........nice last name for baking. :)
 
Kellie January 26, 2015
Todd Fitzgerald......always use a quick-read thermometer to judge the temperature of your water. Don't try to guess. You'd be surprised how off you actually are.
 
Cheryl January 25, 2015
I love to bake bread. This intrigued me. I just now have my flour hydrating - and yes you should ALWAYS do this as well as "proofing" your yeast (which I did). After reading the recipe and comments and as I am just getting started I wish that the recipe was in grams rather that/as well as ounces, although ounces are far better than 'cups" and "tsp" because there is much variety amongst manufacturers. It is a much more accurate way to measure and any good scale offers grams.
 
Kelly January 11, 2015
Thanks for this recipe, I thought it was pretty good. My partner often makes bread, but this was my first time. Just wondering though how long I am supposed to let it rise for after shaping the baguettes and setting them up between the towels (before baking)? I live on a sailboat, so didn't have any ice, and my gas oven doesn't heat very well but they still turned out ok. I just had to cook them for about an hour (yep, the oven is that bad) and the crust didn't go very brown at all. Taste good though, and I don't think too salty at all and I used 3tsp of Himalayan salt. Will definitely make them again, however would love to know if there's another method I can use that doesn't involve ice?
 
peg D. January 7, 2015
I had given up -- no yeast infused flour and water concoction could ever create a loaf as good as one I could buy at the grocery. And then you posted this recipe. The crust is as close to New Orleans french bread as I have ever been able to make. My husband and I have filled our freezer with these because after putting them back in the oven the crust gets even crispier! Every time someone visits, my husband gets out a couple of loaves of bread -- one for us to enjoy with them, and the other for them to take home. This bread is absolutely wonderful!
 
Jennifer October 31, 2014
I followed the directions more or less to the letter - the main exceptions being that I used a combination of whole wheat bread flour and regular all purpose flour, and, because my dough was exceedingly sticky - I used my Kitchen Aid with the dough hook to knead, I definitely had to add a fairly significant amount of flour in order for it to lose the stickiness. All in all, the baguettes turned out perfectly. Very happy, will make again.
 
Todd F. September 1, 2014
Just made this. Wow. Best bread I've ever made. I think my water was too hot for the yeast, as they didn't rise as much as in the pictures. Will definitely do again, there may not be any left for the wife to try...
 
enrique R. August 27, 2014
Too salty, too dense...
 
Ann August 27, 2014
Correct! We adapted the recipe, less salt, and added more time to rise... concluded there is no such thing as a 4-hour baguette!
 
Kellie August 10, 2014
Exactly the same problem that I had, Nicole. The only thing that I have tried is misting the loaves with water while baking but that really seemed to do very little. Next time I will try an increase in oven temp but after that, I'm just not sure. Mine had superb flavor both times but I really wanted that beautiful color also. Let me know if you have any luck.
 
Nicole O. August 6, 2014
I made this recipe last night and while the bread looks fine on the bottom (golden and pretty,) the top looks like a non-shiny brown. Not nearly as pretty as the pictures. Any ideas on what might have gone wrong?
 
Rob May 29, 2014
Just got around to trying this recipe and the result was Great! I used bread flour and 1.5 tsp of salt. Taste was great, color was spot on and crunchy crust was perfect. Dough was a bit sticky to start with, but a little extra flour on the counter top took care of it. First time I've made baguettes, won't be the last, thanks for the recipe and detailed instructions.
 
Cocobomb April 25, 2014
Hello all! I was curious if someone in the know out there could tell me 1) if this can be made using whole wheat flour? and 2) what changes would need to be made? Thank you!
 
Kellie April 25, 2014
Any bread recipe that I've seen using whole wheat flour always has a percentage of regular flour and sometimes a third flour. So apparently it may not be possible by just using 100% whole wheat flour. Sorry I couldn't be more helpful.
 
Kellie April 21, 2014
I made these the other day and they were absolutely delicious! The only thing that was a bit disappointing was the color on top. They weren't that beautiful brown like the picture. I was wondering if using a spray bottle to spritz the loaves while baking would help. Does anybody know? Plus, why are so many people saying 4 tsp. of salt when the recipe calls for 3? Just wondering.
 
Christina @. April 25, 2014
@Kellie: the recipe was edited because so many people were complaining about it being too salty. @Cocobomb, I don't know what changes would need to be made, but there definitely would have to be adaptations if you used whole wheat; hopefully someone else will reply.
 
Kellie April 25, 2014
Thanks Christina and can you tell me how to get that gorgeous color on top of the loaves that perhaps isn't mentioned in the recipe?
 
Christina @. April 25, 2014
Kellie, whenever I have something that doesn't brown as I'd like it to, I move it higher up in the oven and/or raise the temperature. Keep a close eye on it as sometimes if you do both, it can brown very quickly. Good luck!
 
Kellie April 26, 2014
Thanks again Christina. I'm working with a gas oven so I'm not sure that would help but I'll do some tinkering and I'll post the results because these baguettes are so worth it!
 
Nomad April 17, 2014
I can't wait to try this out. Bread is so simple, but could be the most delicious meal ever.

I've made bread so many times and it's a labor of love. Sometimes the process could be a bit frustrating - dough too wet, too dry, etc - but the end result was far tastier than most breads you buy in stores.

Just a few weeks ago, I made the no-knead ciabatta in a $30 dutch oven and you would have thought I was nuts by how excited I was when I took it out and the bread sang for a good 15 minutes. It was beautiful!

 
Paul H. April 9, 2014
This recipe is actually way more complicated than it needs to be. You do not need to heat up the water, not at all. Straight out of the tap is fine. I don't hydrate the dough or anything like that and my baguettes are look way better.
Here is a recipe I use
(I use the metric system so if you are offended look away now)
500g of strong white flour
10g of salt - table salt is fine (people worry too much, but put fancy salt in if you prefer)
10g of instant yeast (i prefer using fresh but when I bake bread isn't normally planned)put salt one side and yeast the other.
350-370g of water (i prefer a wet dough, it takes more work/kneading to get to a handleable* dough but the results are better)

*yes i just made that word up

The shaping of a baguette is a little more important than make a sausage shape - buy a book called Dough by Richard Bertinett it has the steps laid out fairly well.
Bread isn't difficult, like most things though the more effort and practise you put into things the better the result.
 
Carol H. April 9, 2014
Hi Paul,

What do you mean by "strong" white flour? Do you have a multigrain option?
 
Nomad April 17, 2014
Strong white flour is bread flour.
 
Harper April 9, 2014
I made this recipe this past weekend, followed the directions exactly as written (except at the end, I had to bake longer for golden crust in my oven) and they came out great. I had to give them away, don't need to eat all three, but I could have. Thanks for posting. Passing recipe on to others.
 
Cuvee April 8, 2014
I have tried french breads in the past and the dough has always been sooo sticky that I couldn't knead it. I see that others have had the same problem. And the same tasteless results when more flour is added. I watched the u-yube video (thanks for sharing) and your photos. Mine looks like yours out of the bowl but never like yours while kneading. Any suggestions?
 
Nomad April 17, 2014
Just keep kneading and it will come together. It will be very sticky at first, but don't let that discourage you. The best thing to use is a plastic dough scraper - it's that white thing used to scrape the dough out of the bowl. With the very wet dough still in the bowl, fold the dough continuously using the scraper - maybe 2-3 minutes. This will strengthen the dough, keep it off your fingers and make it less sticky and easier to knead by hand.

Even if you feel all the dough is stuck to your fingers, just keep kneading. A few minutes later, the dough will not be as sticky.
 
Kt4 August 16, 2014
Sarak, thank you for the extra info. I've often had the same problem and couldn't figure out what I was doing wrong. Time to try again! :)
 
Karen April 5, 2014
When you are waiting for the yeast to foam up, is it just a pool of foam in the center or the whole top of the water?
 
Louisa April 3, 2014
I followed the recipe exactly and the bread came out fine, however, it didn't look nearly as beautiful as the photo. I wondered if that bread had an egg wash. The taste was ok for white bread. I'm going to try semolina flour next time.
 
Sharon April 2, 2014
I'm no lazy chef, but I learned LONG ago to leave baguettes to the professional bakers. Frankly, no one does it better. At best, you'll end up with an okay-tasting loaf of bread, but nowhere NEAR anything you can buy. I'm happy to stop and pick one up at my local store or boulangerie, just like the wise French do. That way I can focus all of my attention and energy on the exquisite meal I'm preparing...while munching on a baguette! Face it, some things just can't be beat or improved upon.
 
Kt4 August 16, 2014
Did you try this recipe and directions without success, or are you just making a general comment?
 
Sharon August 16, 2014
I have tried many baguette recipes and I wouldn't call any of them unsuccessful. But, none of them have been as good, and certainly none have been better than what can be bought from a good bakery. That is not the case with all bread, but I've found it to be true of baguettes. I do not buy loaves of sliced bread. Baguettes are the only bread eaten in my household. I got accustomed to this growing up on the superb sour dough French bread in my native San Francisco, and it was reinforced after living many years in Paris, France. Consequently, I thought it would be a good idea to experiment with baking my own. I always got an okay product, but I became acutely aware that true success is more likely rooted in an ancient starter dough, blazing, time-seasoned ovens and some well-kept secret! The whole idea of homemade products is that they are generally superior in taste and quality to store bought. But some things are just better left to centuries of wisdom and professional know-how. Even the French don't make baguettes at home. Baking them just for the fun of it can be a rewarding experience, but I suspect there's more to an authentic baguette than will ever be revealed in a printed recipe.
 
LittleStar April 1, 2014
I'm French and I made the baguettes with my Japanese friend ( surrounded by 3 excited toddlers ;-) . I decided to put the ingredients in my bread machine so we could chat over coffee but after 30mn it was wayyy too liquid. We thought we had the cups and ounces wrong so spent 5 mns frenetically calculating on our phones, and it took 70grs+70grs to get a "hold together nicely enough dough". I guess I put way too much (Himalayan ) salt - didn't read the comments before salting "de bon cœur" the dough.
Then my friend did all the kneading-
It took us 4 hours as stated but we weren't entirely sure of how risen rise is ( does it make sense?!) so we just followed our stomachs ( they were hungry).
The loaves once cooked are far from being as beautiful as the ones pictured above, and they were very dense (and salty) but tasty.
To be honest, I wouldn't make this recipe again and let alone by myself. It was a lovely moment to share with a lovely friend and we were so proud of how crispy the crust turned out. I don't leave in France so I jump on any post promising the keys to the bread's paradise...
The pictures are nice and the step by step well done, so thank you for posting!
 
Kt4 August 16, 2014
I wonder if using a bread machine thus skipping the 20 minute hydration pause caused the huge difference. Perhaps try again without altering the directions? Is be curious if that makes a difference ☺
 
arlene March 31, 2014
One day label reading I noticed on Kosher salt the Morton has a chemical added. The Crystal Diamond does not. Can this change the
flavor of the Baguette or the way it rises?
 
Christina @. March 31, 2014
Chef John from Food Wishes wrote this on his no-knead pizza dough recipe, "if possible, use bottled water as chlorinated water can retard the yeast growth" so I would guess that added chemicals can affect the yeast growth. I will also add that I personally don't like the Morton Kosher salt (only tried it once and never again). I avoid chemicals in my foods as much as possible anyway...why does salt need chemicals?
 
Marjorie March 31, 2014
I made this in my food processor (can't knead, because of injury)! It was a sticky mess!! No substance at all. I added a little more flour just till it had a little shape. Waiting for it to rise. Do u think I should continue or just throw it away and try again?
 
May March 31, 2014
Ooh - stick it in the fridge in a bowl or tub and cover for a few hours to settle down, and then scoop it out and shape it roughly in whatever amoebic shape it fancies on a large cookie sheet (on greaseproof paper makes it easier to lift off later), and bake it according to the instructions, and you'll still have a delicious (salty?!!?!!) big floppity bread!
 
JoanMyers March 31, 2014
My daughter and I made these yesterday and resisted eating all three loaves! Incredibly fun and rewarding to make our own baguettes and then we enjoyed the rave reviews from family and friends! To note, we followed directions explicitly, including the salt quantity, and the loaves are beyond delicious!
 
Carol H. March 31, 2014
I notice there are a lot of comments on how salty the bread was. Has the person who posted the recipe replied to any of this?
 
Christina @. March 31, 2014
Yes, Carol, she responded to my comment and we discussed the weight vs. volume of the salt as I had said that 4 tsps of Kosher salt is about twice the amount I use in my bread. However, when we weighed our level teaspoonfuls, the weight was different, so it's a bit of a dilemma. If you go back through the thread, you will see the comments.
 
Carol H. March 31, 2014
Thanks. Every time I make a comment or ask a question in food52, I get every single other comment emailed to me so sometimes I don't have time to read them all. I would like to try it but I don't like plain white bread and someone told me you have to put gluten in whole wheat or multigrain or other types of flour so I have to figure out where on earth in my city I can find it; certainly not in my local grocery stores. Maybe in a health food store or upscale grocery store. I'm going to wait until we actually get some spring weather.........
 
savorthis March 31, 2014
I made this again yesterday and referred to the original recipe in Saveur which calls for 1 1/2 t. I too weighed the salt (I was using Morton's kosher) and came up with just shy of 2 teaspoons. I thought it was just right with that amount.
 
May March 31, 2014
Carol - I rolled mine out in a handful of porage oats one time, and the next I used "Bob's Red Mill 5 grain rolled hot cereal," (wheat, rye, barley, triticale and flaxseed), and it was delicious with that extra bite and flavour, so you could simply stir some in, or whizz it in the blender first if you want something a bit more floury.
 
Carol H. March 31, 2014
Thanks May, I will try that.
 
Jennifer October 31, 2014
Carol, you can buy whole wheat bread flour, which has a higher gluten content.
 
walrusgumbo March 31, 2014
the baguettes came out amazing except for one thing... salt content. i would reduce the measurement to 1 or 2 t of kosher salt. i will make again!
 
Meg March 30, 2014
Started my Sunday morning with your baguette recipe...just now pulled the finished loaves out of the oven and they are amazing. Followed your perfectly written instructions step by step. I am no stranger to bread making...so I must admit I enjoyed the 10 minutes of hand kneading. Lol...thanks for a great recipe. Never thought I could get a crispy crust like that in my oven at home.
 
LizzieB March 29, 2014
Second batch today. Original recipe was gone in minutes for our 3 people household. Second batch getting oven ready now. Doubled the batch hoping for Sunday morning bread. What a wonderful recipe, love the step by step pictures and instructions. Thank you!!!! Celebrating eat -what- you- like- Saturday,organic whole wheat, gmo free, chemical and unpronoucables free. Yumm!
 
LizzieB March 30, 2014
O Wow.. French toast with this to die for. Also made "bread with an egg in the middle" O happy Sunday to you all!
 
LizzieB March 30, 2014
Second double batch had to be amended since I ran out of regular flour with 1.5 cups of self rising flour. Nice volume. I like! Salt was good at 2 tsp.
 
Gary March 28, 2014
I spent a couple of years playing with baguette recipes and techniques and have had the best luck using a very small amount of yeast, a well hydrated dough and a long rise. The flour makes a difference too. Not having European flour available here, we use King Arthur bread flour and a bit of wheat germ or rye flour for added flavor.
 
mdinmn March 31, 2014
King Arthur Flour has a "european flour" that is higher in protein content. Perhaps that will work for you. The addition of the rye flour is a great idea, most sour dough starters include it because wild yeast see it as a super food!Otherwise, the majority of euro flours are grown in .... North Dakota... the favorite boxed pasta in Italy is created in... Iowa...
 
May March 28, 2014
I don't see the need to get catty on this: the fact that there are now 116 comments here means that a whole lot of people are engaged in bread-making, and that's great! Trial and error, and all that....

I was looking at utube videos for how-to on pukka French baguette, and came across this one: even if your French isn't great, you can see the method, and it's all rather charming (and not a fancy Lacanche or La Cornue or copper pot to be seen!): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9hbqD6LVOVE
 
toga9633 March 28, 2014
This bread lacks flavor -- the flavor that you get when you pre-ferment part of the dough. These baguettes were like the bad ones you buy in the grocery store.
 
James B. April 1, 2014
I find that when someone puts down someone or something without giving a little bit of credit, encouragement, or helpful direction they're usually one of two things: an empty drum that has no merit because they're just repeating something they've heard and have no actual information to share, or someone who has skills but is looking to gain attention in a snarky way because they don't have the character to gather it on their own.

I'll be positive and say that if you don't have time to do a pre-ferment, this will get you close. It's a very useful recipe!!! If you can pull off a good presentation (e.g. properly shaped loaves and coloring) most people will not be able to tell the difference - or even care! 99% of the people I know would love to be able to make a baguette half as good.

 
Louise March 28, 2014
I'm on the final rise and then they're going into the oven. I weighed the flour with my (very basic) kitchen scale and used barely three cups. The dough was VERY sticky and almost soupy, but I used my dough scraper to manage it during the first knead and added a bit of flour. Stickier dough than I bargained for throughout the process, but everything looks pretty much like these photos, so I'm cautiously excited.
 
Ann March 28, 2014
Just curious...how much kosher salt did you use?
 
Louise March 28, 2014
Ann, after reading through the comments (and not having Diamond on hand or in the local market), I used a heaping teaspoon of table salt. Just put the loaves in the oven, and I think the dough is too wet. The last rise was half-hearted, and there wasn't much body to the dough. Stay tuned for the results, but I think I'll try this again tomorrow, with more flour from the beginning.
 
Louise March 28, 2014
The loaves actually looked baguette-y! Although flatter than they should have been (see above comment about weighing flour), so I'll definitely go over 3 cups next time. I have a bad head cold, so couldn't taste the bread, but the other people at dinner ate every scrap I put in front of them (with this as a topping: http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Arugula-and-Fava-Bean-Crostini-352852 -- substituting edamame for favas and ramping up the lemony stuff and incorporating the mint into the spread instead of using the leaves as a garnish).
 
LizzieB March 29, 2014
used 2 teaspoons of regular salt. Ran out of reg. organic flour on the second double batch, used 1.5 cups of selfrising in it. This is WONDERful bread. love it!
 
May March 28, 2014
Poor Kristen - you're really taking a'beatin' on this one!

Most other baguette recipes have around 1/4 of the recommended salt, and suggest leaving the dough to rise overnight, which imo makes life even simpler, for instance this one here: http://www.chefscatalog.com/recipe/detail/8-crispy-french-baguettes.aspx
 
Tina March 28, 2014
Ok thank you;)
 
Tina March 28, 2014
Is it ok to use plain table salt?
 
Christina @. March 28, 2014
You can, but table salt is more salty than Kosher salt so you will definitely have to cut down on the 4 teaspoons, at least half, considering people are saying the 4 tsps of Kosher was salty.
 
AntoniaJames March 28, 2014
I'd use no more than 1.5 teaspoons of table salt. ;o)
 
Tina March 28, 2014
Is it ok to use just plain table salt?
 
May March 28, 2014
Yes, but weigh the salt with some quality scales, and taste it before baking!
 
Ann March 28, 2014
Yes, but for the amount of flour in this recipe I would use only 1.5 teaspoons of table salt. My retired husband is starting to bake bread and as we live in Hawai'i we use locally sourced sea salt and he made this recipe yesterday using 3/8 oz. His first bread baking and we ate one of the three loaves as soon as they were cool enough to handle. The crumb was perfect...froze the other two to see how they defrost and heat up today. His next batch will be cut into slices for freezing to be toasted for crostini whenever needed.
 
James B. April 1, 2014
I agree with Ann that 1.5 tbsp of table salt is about right. I've made this 5 times now, starting with 2 tbsp initially and then cutting it down to 1 tbsp, finally bringing it back up to 1.5 with satisfactory results for my tastes.
 
Ann April 1, 2014
Opps! James.. you mean "tsp." teaspoons...not "tbsp." Tablespoons! My husband made another batch today...used a bit more flour to have a less sticky dough and used the "folding"method of kneading as described in "The Culinary Craft" by Judy Gorman...sadly out of print now. Worked perfectly!
 
James B. April 1, 2014
WHOLEY MOSES!!! That would be some salty bread!!! Thanks Ann! :)
 
Agnes Z. March 28, 2014
I made this yesterday/today and it turned out very well, although rise time was over night and definitely not 4 hours, as stated. The bread barely rose at all in the time frames listed but did finally rise over night. Also, I have a forced air (convection) oven and at the 475 stated, my bake time was 15 minutes to golden. Had I left it for 20 mins, the bread would have been burnt. (I would likely decrease the salt for future recipes but its still delicious.)
 
Ann March 28, 2014
When I was doing cooking demos for KitchenAid major appliances their convection oven had a "conversion" feature where you put in the temp called for in a recipe and it automatically converted the temp to the correct convection temp so there was no guessing as to how much less temp was needed for convection. Note: this is not an advertisement for KitchenAid...just a comment!!
 
Ramya` March 28, 2014
This was my first attempt and it was so good. I still can't believe that I made bread..
 
TrevorC March 27, 2014
I use Windsor Kosher salt and 4 teaspoons = 19.4 grams!
 
Aurelia March 27, 2014
I used the Windsor brand
 
Aurelia March 27, 2014
I followed the recipe. I couldn't understand why the dough barely rose. It couldn't rise because of the amount of salt The bread was uneatable due the amount of salt. What a waste of time and ingredients. This recipe is a TOTAL FAIL!
 
Kristen M. March 27, 2014
I'm sorry to hear that, Aurelia -- what kind of salt did you use?
 
Ann March 27, 2014
I have checked other sites showing this same 4 hour baguette recipe and the amount of sea or kosher salt called for is 1-1/2 teaspoons or 3/8 oz....not 4 teaspoons! Even "spell check" would not pick up that typo!
 
Kristen M. March 27, 2014
Hi Ann, it's not a typo -- Diamond Crystal kosher salt is in much larger flakes than table salt or fine sea salt (or even other brands of kosher salt) so 10 grams of it will be a larger volume. I'm quadruple checking the amount on other scales though, to be safe!
 
Ann March 27, 2014
Check Saveur and Foodstr sites ...same recipe ...both show 1-1/2 teaspoons in the ingredient list of sea or kosher. I have measured 3/8 oz of both Diamond Crystal kosher and a regular grind of sea salt and the former measures 3 teaspoons and the latter measures 2 teaspoons. I use a Salter scale. But other reprints of this recipe call for 1-1/2 teaspoons of sea or kosher, not 4.) What does Mr. Leader have to say?
 
Kristen M. March 27, 2014
For now I've rounded down the amount to 3 teaspoons, but sadly that still won't help people who use the volume measurements with finer salts.
 
Christina @. March 27, 2014
FOUR teaspoons of salt for LESS than a pound of flour? No way is that correct-it will make the bread way too salty! I use 2 teaspoons of Kosher salt for over a pound of flour and it's just right.
 
Kristen M. March 27, 2014
What kind of kosher salt do you use? 10 grams or 3/8 ounce, as this recipe has been published in several places, comes out just scant of 4 teaspoons of Diamond Crystal kosher salt, and we much preferred the results to smaller amounts of salt. If you use a finer grained kosher, sea, or table salt, you should use a smaller amount. But baking by weight is always safest!
 
Kristen M. March 27, 2014
To clarify: if using finer grained salt, you should use a smaller amount by volume, the same amount by weight. (Unless you prefer less salt in your bread -- then feel free to decrease, but we liked it this way!)
 
Christina @. March 27, 2014
Yes, I also use Diamond Crystal kosher salt. I just weighed 2 tsp of Kosher salt and it weighs 8g (4 tsp = 15 g) on my scale, so it seems like a discrepancy of measurements...hmmm...can't calibrate my scale, but it seems as though my 2 tsp is equivalent to your recipe's 4 tsp! So strange...
 
Kristen M. March 27, 2014
I just remeasured and 2 teaspoons (swept flat across the top) was 5 grams on our scale, 4 teaspoons was somewhere between 10 and 11 grams. So strange -- I'm getting another check from one of our recipe testers to make sure our scale isn't off!
 
Christina @. March 27, 2014
Just so you know, I also measured leveled off the salt when I weighed them.
 
Christina @. March 27, 2014
*oops, omit "measured" in that last sentence!
 
durun99 March 27, 2014
It's always interesting to follow the different iterations of a recipe. In most versions I've seen of this, the volume measurement for the salt (sea or kosher) is 1 1/2 teaspoons, weighing 10 grams. In addition, the 3 1/4 cups of flour comes to 500 grams, or 17.6 ounces, a full 3 ounces more than this version. Finally, other versions use instant yeast, so no waiting for the foaming or heating the water as with active dry yeast. http://www.cookstr.com/recipes/four-hour-baguettes --- http://www.farmgirlfare.com/2013/05/easy-french-bread-recipe-four-hour.html
 
AntoniaJames March 27, 2014
This is a pretty convincing demonstration of why weight (really, grams are so much better than ounces) rather than volume measurements are superior. In my experience -- I've been baking all the bread we eat for over 20 years -- 10 grams of salt to 500 grams of flour is perfect for this type of baguette. When you measure by weight, especially for salt, you don't need to worry about what brand of kosher, whether you're using kosher or sea salt, is your sea salt fine or medium, etc. Case closed. ;o)
 
guillermo March 27, 2014
my yeast won't get foamy, what to do?
 
May March 27, 2014
Mine didn't exactly go foamy, either, but it behaved perfectly when met by the flour.
 
Brian March 26, 2014
I had to try this one today and it turned out great. I weighed everything and used a mixer/dough hook for the 10 minutes of kneading. I was worried that since the dough didn't ball up that it might not have kneaded well, but pulled it out (it was sticky) and let it rise in an oiled bowl. The main trick I found was using enough flour on my counter so it didn't stick. But I just didn't fret too much, followed the directions, and they turned out GREAT. Standard oven, no convection. Upside down baking sheet like in the photos. I also made pretty deep cuts with the scissors, and I think that was right on. I may cut the salt back a little next time (I used the Diamond Crystal since that's what I have) but otherwise: PRIMO.
 
soleilnyc March 26, 2014
How is this a "Genius" recipe? It just sounds like "How to make bread". It's not like you just published Lahey's recipe...I've loved all the recipes in this column so far, but this one feels like it's misunderstood its audience: we already know how to cook.
PS: Nothing against Dan, I've known him for 15 years and his bread is delicious.
 
Brian March 26, 2014
Considering all the baguette and bread recipes I've tried before, this one seems pretty "genius" to me since - on my first try with it - the baguettes turned out spectacular. While the ingredients might be the exact same ones in most other bread recipes, the instructions and technique may well be genius-level if a semi-novice like me can turn out some tasty loaves on the first shot. Just my ol' opinion.
 
manykittiesmama March 26, 2014
Oh, I'm going to have to try this! Hmmm, I have a 'proof' setting on my oven, AND a woodburning beehive oven...
 
AntoniaJames March 26, 2014
A little trick, which I learned first from Julia Child book years ago, is to add a tablespoon ot 2 of rye flour to any bread like this. (You can get rye flour in bulk at Whole Foods Market; Bob's Red Mill also sells it in smallish bags.) Rye gives the bread a bit of the flavor that otherwise is lacking when you don't allow for a long fermentation of the dough. ;o)
 
Kenzi W. March 27, 2014
I love that! Thanks for sharing.
 
AntoniaJames March 27, 2014
Oh dear, I meant to say that I substitute the rye flour for an equal amount of all-purpose. I don't actually "add" it.
My latest bread baking trick, however, learned from my bread-knowledge hero, William Alexander (those who've been here awhile know that I've been singing his praises every chance I get), is to substitute some corn flour (N.B.: not corn meal or corn starch) in my baguettes (as well as the touch of rye flour).
It softens the crumb just a bit, while improving the loaf's flavor. ;o)
 
Jean N. March 26, 2014
I used to use Julia Child's method of throwing a handful of water on the bottom of the oven; this seems tidier. Looking forward to trying it.
 
tangogrl March 26, 2014
As others asked earlier.... any thoughts of how much to add if using a sourdough (water and flour) starter?
 
AntoniaJames March 26, 2014
What is the hydration percentage of your starter? I can run the numbers for you, once I know. I have a starter which I created using William Alexander's method, which I use in breads of all different kinds, including my Pullman loaves! I can only do the calculations by weight, however. Also, I'd prefer to give it to you in grams, if you don't mind. (Metric is so much easier to calculate!) ;o)
 
burns W. March 26, 2014
Here is a shared hydration table you could use. Just input whatever weight of starter you want to use - about 150g would be more or less right for 2 baguettes. The other numbers will fall into place. It assumes a 166% hydration starter (1c flour, 1c water) https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0AtpxkIHBzMdddG1kMUFKT3J2VmVweklCQm5CcVNxdXc&usp=drive_web#gid=2
 
tangogrl March 27, 2014
:/ hydration%... yikes? I dont know, but it started with 315g flour and 500ml water . I feed it once a week with 75g flour and 1/4 cup water. I usually make a sponge- 250g starter and 500ml water and 315g flour. And then I return 250 to my starter. I'm very much a novice bread maker, but my starter is quite happy and bubbly. He's prob on a denser side, as sometimes I dump out the excess grey water rather than mixing in, when hes in my fridge... however my starter is very happy and very bubbly when used :)
Can you figure out my hydration percentages with that info or do you need more?? Very much appreciated your advice. Thank you in advanced :)
 
tangogrl March 27, 2014
And I will also try with 150g of starter. Thanks BW
 
burns W. March 27, 2014
315g flour and 500ml water yields 159% hydration. (water/flour). 523g or ml water would yield 166% hydration. Check out http://www.northwestsourdough.com/ for the real experts.
 
Leandra March 26, 2014
Has anyone added seeds (caraway, poppy, sesame, pumpkin) to the top? I've done this with challuh bread because the egg wash that is brushed on acts as an adhesive for the seeds. Is there a trick to keep seeds stuck to bread that doesn't call for an egg wash?
 
Gary March 26, 2014
I am anxious to try this recipe but anticipate shaping the loaves with a dough this hydrated (82%) is going to be a challenge. I normally do 70-75%.
 
nancy S. March 26, 2014
No one has spoken of the oven...is this a fan-forced oven, or just the regular oven with heating coming from below and above? Recipes should specify what type of oven is used. Can someone let me know. Thanks.
 
Barbara C. March 26, 2014
REGARDING YEAST: I've been making bread for 40+ years. I have a wheat/grain grinder to do multi-grain breads. I buy 1-2# yeast at a time and keep it in the fridge, best sealed in a VERY dry canning jar and vacuum seal with the Food Saver (R). I stir the yeast with a plastic measuring spoon. I've found that if the Yeast is active this will 'aggravate' the yeast, i.e., make it stick to the measuring spoon, kind of like a magnet. I've never had this method fail me. That being said, Proof the yeast, measure the temp of the liquid (I heat the measuring cup then add the warm water, add a little sugar as food for the yeast or even some flour, blend in. I cover it with parchment or wax paper to keep the draft off. DO NOT have any salt at all get into the mix.
 
Debbie R. March 26, 2014
I so have to try out this recipe!
 
Mike March 26, 2014
Can I omit the salt and still be successful in producing great loaves?
 
catalinalacruz March 26, 2014
No, because salt is necessary in controlling the amount of rise by the yeast. There are breads in Tuscany that are made without salt but I assume they have adjusted the amount of yeast.
 
Carol H. March 26, 2014
I haven't tried this yet but it does look like an awfully large amount of salt. I don't like salty food. The other thing that bothers me is that it is all purpose (white) flour, which has no nutritional value as far as I know. If it can be made with whole wheat flour I am very interested; multigrain even better.
 
catalinalacruz March 26, 2014
Any white bread recipe can be made with all or partial whole wheat flour, provided the wheat flour is high in gluten or you add extra gluten flour to compensate. I have made lovely whole wheat breads and other baked goods for 40 years. High protein equates to high gluten in flour. Look for bread flour that is at least 12% protein.
 
May March 26, 2014
Not having any "4 tsp Diamond Crystal kosher salt," I googled for a comparable amount in regular table salt - 3 tsp, apparently. But - let me warn anyone interested that this is AWFULLY SALTY. I've got as far as the kneaded once and leave it for an hour stage, and will post back about the flavour, but so far, I have my doubts! Baguette, to me, is one of the less saltier breads....
 
Robin J. March 26, 2014
Your source steered you wrong. You should substitute 1/2 the amount of regular table salt for Diamond Crystal salt (other kosher salts have different substitutions, so look for a specific brand). So 2 tsp would have been right. Don't know if there is anything you could do, other than make up another baguette's worth of dough without salt and mix it in with this.
 
burns W. March 26, 2014
Refer back to the article on using a weigh scale. This is the kind of recipe that really needs weighed ingredients. Bakers ratio salt is 2% the weight of the flour. If you use 500g of flour, you need 10g of whatever kind of salt you have. But kosher is best. At 2% you barely taste the salt. Its what you would ant for baguettes. At 3% its noticeable. At 4% its 'definitely salty' and 5% - 'very salty' as in if you were making salted crackers.
 
May March 26, 2014
Yes, I'm all for weighing vs cupping, but will the saltiness be adjusted by matching the weight of my salt to the weight of Kosher Salt? I'm just starting another batch - without salt - and I'll mix the two together and let them have at it overnight in the fridge, and finish tomorrow morning. Nothing ventured, nothing gained, right!
 
May March 26, 2014
Well, that was an adventure in salt, kosher salt, and koshering salt I never expected of a snowy Wednesday evening!!! afaicfo, kosher salt (which is more correctly called koshering salt) is just salt with no added iodine, possibly a de-clumping agent but hopefully not, and a slightly bigger, maybe flatter, crumb than table salt? But don't use my favourite Malden salt, because it behaves differently again? Lol - salt. Who knew it was so complicated. It was so easy living by the sea in the Outer Hebrides and just scraping the stuff from the window sill....
 
May March 27, 2014
Good grief!!! I just looked at the Saveur link for this recipe, and it asks for A TEASPOON AND A HALF OF KOSHER SALT, not 4 teaspoons, lol: no small wonder my dough tasted like a packet of salted potato chips!

I made another batch of the dough - salt-free - and mixed the two together, left overnight, and baked this morning, and it was fine. Nothing special, just a regular loaf of bread, shaped like a baguette....
 
burns W. March 27, 2014
you could roll out that salty dough really thin, cut into squares, bake really hot for 10 mins and you will have salty crackers.
 
Christina @. March 27, 2014
4 teaspoons of Kosher salt is MUCH too much for under a pound of flour. I make bread every other day and use 2 tsp Kosher for over a pound and it's just right.
 
May March 27, 2014
I could.....but I was trying to make this enticingly photographed and droolsomely written about baguette....
 
Thank you for the inspiration.
What about sourdough starter that is languishing in my fridge. How much should I use(if any)
 
alien March 26, 2014
Can the 2 out of 3 unbaked baguettes be frozen and then thawed to room temp before baking?
 
Ashley M. March 26, 2014
I have baked the baguettes and then decided to freeze one - and done so successfully - but I've never frozen the dough. When you freeze after baking, they're great once thawed and warmed up or toasted a little!
 
alien March 26, 2014
I may do the experiment -- freezing the dough, which works great with pizza dough -- and report back.
 
cfihunter March 26, 2014
I recently read an article (can't remember where sorry) that said if you are freezing dough, you need to add extra yeast, up to double what the recipe calls for. I've not tried it yet myself though.
 
KarenLyons March 26, 2014
Read this article this morning and my dough is on its second rise. Can't wait to taste them!
 
esther March 26, 2014
Thanks so much. I'd like to know if anyone DOES use starter and how they adapt the recipe. I can't keep a plant alive but my starter is invincible! I have spread some on a parchment an put it in the oven with a light on to dry it out and used a mortar and pestle to grind it into powder that I have in the freezer just in case; never had to use it! So if I did not want to do a no-knead, which requires advance planning any ideas? I got all the info that I 'knead' on starter from breadtopia.com and they have an excellent selection of bread-making supplies, including those baguette pans!
 
Melanie March 26, 2014
Could this be made with spelt flour? Merci !
 
Vanessa March 26, 2014
What changes to the recipe for high altitude? Please and thanks!!
 
savorthis March 26, 2014
Vanessa, this might not be the right thing to do, but I make the recipe exactly as it is written and it works great. I am in Denver.
 
Vanessa March 26, 2014
savorthis, thank you for the response. I'm in Denver as well so I will try it out as is.
 
savorthis March 27, 2014
Also, I don't know if this matters, but I made two loaves instead of 3.
 
Robin J. March 26, 2014
So I'd love to do this with whole grain flour. What do you think would happen if I replaced half the all purpose flour with something like white whole wheat flour? (or even something more hearty)
 
May March 26, 2014
I'm doing this now, to make up for the over-salting error, so I'll let you know by tomorrow, hopefully.
 
gasgirl March 26, 2014
thanks for this article...I am a no knead bread maker..but will try this! BTW..what amount of instant yeast do I use vs the active dry? thanks!
 
Kristen M. March 26, 2014
gasgirl, see my response to May below!
 
gasgirl March 26, 2014
thank you Kristen....i will use one teaspoon of instant!
 
gasgirl March 26, 2014
One more question...why the 20 minute hydration wait ? why is it necessary? thanks
 
AntoniaJames March 26, 2014
I haven't made this specific recipe, but have made William Alexander's breads, from 52 Loaves (one of my favorite food-related books, ever), and many other artisanal breads. The 20 minute not only allows the flour to hydrate, but the hydration itself starts the formation of gluten, prior to any kneading at all. You'll be amazed at how just 20 - 30 minutes of sitting turns an inert mass of flour, yeast and water into a stretchy dough, with no kneading whatsoever. It works for any kind of bread. It's well worth the wait! ;o)
 
gasgirl March 26, 2014
Thank you Antonia...i appreciate the response and will hydrate!! did not know it would make such a difference!
 
Melanie B. March 26, 2014
And it looks like I will be making bread today - YUM!
 
May March 26, 2014
What's the methodology if I cheat and use the yeast sachets I've got kicking around - the dried stuff, instant as well as the other one? What amounts should I use?
Drooling already.....
 
Kristen M. March 26, 2014
I've seen a variation by Leader that uses the same amount of instant yeast, and you can skip the 10 minute proofing step and mix with the flour straightaway.
 
May March 26, 2014
Thanks for the quick answer, Kristen - I'll give it a go! -10'Celsius and blowing a hooly here in the 2' of snow-covered Ottawa Valley, so baking a baguette this afternoon is the perfect antidote!!!
 
Christine T. March 26, 2014
I am in search of the appropriate bowl to mix and rise dough in. I was hoping you could point me in the right direction. If you could... Thank you so much ... Can Not wait to try this bread!!
 
Kristen M. March 26, 2014
Any bowl that's roomy enough for expanding dough will work. That said, we do sell some especially handsome options: http://food52.com/provisions/search?q=bowl
 
fmacmac March 26, 2014
Will baked loaves freeze well, or is it advisable to cut the recipe in thirds?
 
Kristen M. March 26, 2014
Yes, they'll freeze well! You can also do all kinds of things with any stale baguettes, and then think, "Wow, *I* made those crostini, those croutons, those bread crumbs" (that's what I did, at least). Some ideas: http://food52.com/blog/8311-extreme-makeover-stale-bread-edition
 
Homeec March 26, 2014
Any chance you have attempted this gluten free?
 
Kristen M. March 26, 2014
I haven't, I'm sorry -- maybe a more experienced gluten-free baker can weigh in.
 
Diane V. March 26, 2014
I am having trouble understanding the towel concept. Can someone dumb this down for me?
 
savorthis March 26, 2014
You are just trying to help shape the baguettes while they rise. The towels keep them in place so they are a nice round shape instead of flattened out. The parchment keeps them from sticking together. I actually have a baguette pan that was my dad's- it is two half tubes connected on the long side- and it helps the baguettes rise and bake perfectly.
 
irina March 26, 2014
I too made these when the article came out. They were fantastic.
My husband keeps asking me to make them again!
Cheers
irina
 
daniel L. March 26, 2014
Hi Drbabs, Check the date on the yeast packages. I expect they are expired. Try buying SAF yeast from King Arthur and other artisan baking supply companies.
This recipe is fairly fool proof and very reliable.
Daniel Leader
 
drbabs March 26, 2014
Hmmmmm.....I've now tried 5--yes--FIVE-- packets of unexpired unopened yeast and they are ALL dead! Has anyone ever had this happen? Oh well, time to buy more yeast, and back to the drawing board!
 
Kristen M. March 26, 2014
Oh no! It won't foam very much -- just get cloudy on the top, which made me nervous the first time. Is that what yours looked like?
 
junecleaver_48 March 26, 2014
Try adding a pinch of sugar to feed the yeasty beasty & do not use water that is hotter than 110, it'll kill the yeast.
 
drbabs March 26, 2014
It was exactly 110 on my instant read thermometer, and no cloud or foam-- I just tossed it. I just bought more yeast, and I think I'll try the sugar pinch, but not today!
 
Mike V. March 26, 2014
I do mine at 100 only. 110 with your insta-read is pushing it.
Also, I don't trust those packets, I buy the active dry in the jar and keep in the fridge.
 
junecleaver_48 March 28, 2014
I don't use packets either, I buy the bag of active yeast from Bob's Red Mill (the store is down the street from my office) and I keep it in the fridge.
 
Michele March 26, 2014
Oh wow, I am so changing my plans for the rest of the day and doing this. You have actually managed to make it look not so overwhelming and possible. Fingers crossed, will report back!!
 
Jessica March 26, 2014
I don't have a cast iron pan. Would a metal baking pan work?
 
Kristen M. March 26, 2014
Yes, great question -- any oven-safe pan should work.
 
Abby @. March 26, 2014
A metal pan! Not a glass one! I once had a glass beaker explode on me when I dropped ice cubes into the hot beaker.
 
drbabs March 26, 2014
Wow, have you got my number. I have a surprise day off today and everything in my kitchen. No more excuses, I'm making this tonight!
 
Kristen M. March 26, 2014
You can do it!
 
savorthis March 26, 2014
I've been making those baguettes ever since I read the article in Saveur. They are so very satisfying!
 
Kristen M. March 26, 2014
So glad you like them too!
 
jbban March 26, 2014
Such a pleasure to read, as usual!
 
Kristen M. March 26, 2014
Thanks so much, jbban -- nice to hear.