French Baguettes

Based on a recipe by Richard Bertinet, via Gozney

A proper boulangerie baguette: crisp, crackly crust and an open, airy crumb. The overnight cold ferment is the secret.

In any baking recipe. including this one, I suggest you measure by weight and not by volume. You’ll get more consistent results.

Details

Prep time: 20 minutes (active)
Rise time: 1 hour + overnight cold ferment + 45-60 minutes final proof
Bake time: 12-15 minutes
Yield: 4-5 small baguettes

Equipment

Stand mixer with dough hook (or mix and slap-and-fold by hand)
Bench/dough scraper
Couche (linen proofing cloth) or well-floured tea towels
Baking stone or heavy baking tray
Lame or sharp razor blade for scoring
Water spray bottle (for home oven steam)

Ingredients

1000g (about 8 cups) strong bread flour
700g (3 cups) water
20g (4 tsp) fresh yeast, or 10g (2 tsp) dried
20g (1 tbsp + 1 tsp) sea salt

Instructions

1. Mix the Dough

Add water to the mixer bowl, then add flour and yeast. Mix on the lowest speed for 4 minutes, adding the salt halfway through. The dough should come together and begin to pull away from the sides.

2. Form and Rest

Turn the dough out onto the work surface. Spin and fold it over itself until it forms a smooth ball with a tight top. Place in a lightly floured bowl, cover, and rest at room temperature for 1 hour.

3. Cold Ferment (Overnight)

Cover tightly and refrigerate overnight. This builds flavor and makes the dough much easier to handle.

4. Divide and Pre-shape

The next day, turn the cold dough out onto a floured surface. Using a bench scraper, cut into 4 pieces (about 215g each). Shape each into a ball by folding the edges in toward the centre, pressing down as you rotate. Rest the balls for 5 minutes.

5. Shape the Baguettes

Take one ball, turn it rounded-side down, and flatten gently with the heel of your hand into an oval. Fold one long edge into the centre and press to seal. Fold in half lengthways and seal the seam firmly with the heel of your hand. Roll gently to extend to the length of your tray, keeping even pressure.

6. Final Proof

Lay the shaped baguettes onto a well-floured couche or tea towels, making a pleat of fabric between each to keep them separated. Cover and proof for 45-60 minutes, until roughly doubled in volume.

7. Preheat the Oven

Place a baking stone or heavy tray on the middle rack and an empty roasting tray on the bottom rack. Preheat to 240°C / 464°F for at least 30 minutes.

8. Score and Bake

Carefully transfer the baguettes to a floured peel or the back of a flat tray. Using a lame or sharp blade, make 3 diagonal cuts at a shallow angle. Cut cleanly in a single motion without dragging. Pour a cup of hot water into the empty roasting tray at the bottom of the oven to create steam, then slide the baguettes onto the hot stone. Do not open the oven for the first 4-5 minutes. Bake for 12-15 minutes until deep golden brown.

(Note: The original recipe was written for a Gozney wood-fired dome oven using a steam injector. Steps 7 and 8 have been adapted for a standard home oven, substituting a baking stone and a hot water tray for steam.)

9. Cool

Transfer to a wire rack. As they cool, the crusts will crackle. That’s the sound of a good baguette.

Tips

Cold dough is easier to shape. Don’t let it warm up too much before working with it.
Scoring angle matters. Hold the blade at a shallow 30-45° angle for the classic baguette ear. Straight-down cuts won’t open properly.
Steam is essential. It keeps the crust from setting too early, allowing maximum oven spring and that characteristic crackle.
Don’t rush the final proof. Underproofed baguettes won’t open well when scored. Wait for a clear increase in volume.
A hollow tap on the bottom (of any bread, actually) will indicate that it’s done.

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