My family's been making easy, 4-ingredient baguettes for years, and I think everyone should know the recipe (2024)

FAQs

What is the secret of best baguette? ›

One of the secrets of a great baguette is to start with a sponge (a mix of flour, water, and yeast), which gives the yeast time to mature and combine with the other ingredients, creating the mildly sour and nutty flavors and chewy texture.

Based on various laws on making bread over the last century, the 1993 le Décret Pain French decree states that traditional French bread must be made only from four main ingredients - good quality water, salt, a rising agent and wheat flour containing no more than 2.8% (in total weight) of bean, soya or malted wheat ...

You can eat a baguette every day and be healthy, but the key is portion size and what you're eating with your baguette. It's important to note that baguettes are particularly high in carbohydrates and sodium, so you should choose your portion size based on your diet and overall health goals.

First and foremost, the flour used in France is of very high quality. But the major difference between French and an American baguette is the fermentation process. Most French bakers use a poolish process, which consists of a mix of yeast and water that's allowed to ferment overnight.

Like I said, a real baguette contains nothing more than flour, water, yeast, and salt. Here's what goes into my formula, and why: High-protein all-purpose flour: Most French baguettes are made with a medium-protein flour (11 to 12%) for the proper crisp, yet tender texture.

Baguette or pain courant, which is what we typically call “French bread,” would be more of a commercial style (cottony texture and yeasted) whereas baguette de tradition would be more of the long-fermented style.

The French bread law

The law states that traditional baguettes have to be made on the premises they're sold and can only be made with four ingredients: wheat flour, water, salt and yeast. They can't be frozen at any stage or contain additives or preservatives, which also means they go stale within 24 hours.

A baguette is a long, thin type of bread that is commonly made from basic lean dough (the dough, though not the shape, is defined by French law). It is distinguishable by its length, crisp crust on the outside and soft inner core.

French bakers have cooked the world's longest baguette at 140.53 metres, reclaiming a record that was held by Italy for the past five years.

95% of French people eat bread every day. This is the number of baguettes sold in France every year. That means more than 300 baguettes sold every second, and more than 27 million per day.

What is a fun fact about baguettes? ›

Six billion baguettes are produced each year

Anyone who has visited France won't be surprised to learn the baguette is an integral part of French daily life. Around 12 million people visit a bakery every day, and six billion baguettes are produced each year in France.

The Bottom Line. In short, yes. If you have diabetes, you can certainly eat bread, as long as you keep in mind the number of carb servings that particular bread provides. Choosing healthier breads like whole-grain ones with a high fiber count is best for keeping blood sugar levels low.

Secret three: Preheat the oven for baking with a pan of boiling water. Then once ready to bake, spray the oven with water for extra steam. THIS is what will give you the crunchy crust. An absolute necessity for a classic French Baguette!

The flour you used may have contained too much protein. Protein is one of the ingredients that help yeast bread brown. Use bread flour that is purchased at a grocery store or a national brand of all-purpose flour.

Because a French baguette is so thin and narrow, it will turn stale quickly. Plan on buying a baguette the same day you want to eat it. If you purchase a warm baguette that has been placed in a paper or plastic bag, remove it so it doesn't trap the bread's moisture.

Spotting a Good Baguette

Hidden under a dusting of flour (make-up, some would say!), the crust should be smooth and brown, and the sides straight and regular. Five or six slices with a knife before cooking create an even texture on the surface, and act as an artisan bread maker's signature.

The baguette is recognisable by its long, narrow shape, a golden, crispy, shiny crust and its distinctive scoring, the baker's signature. The crumb can vary according to the production method used.

A baguette (/bæˈɡɛt/; French: [baɡɛt]) is a long, thin type of bread of French origin that is commonly made from basic lean dough (the dough, not the shape, is defined by French law). It is distinguishable by its length and crisp crust.

Adding steam to the oven by adding water or ice to a preheated baking tray or pan will help develop that crust. Make sure that your oven temperature is nice and high, we want to cook these quickly to help with that crust, but avoid an over baked crumb.