Homemade Baguette Recipe
Homemade Baguette Recipe – Französisches Weißbrot
All you need to prepare this homemade baguette recipe are flour, yeast, salt, sugar, water, and diastatic malt powder. The original French flour T65 is not easy to find in the States, therefore I used all-purpose flour, which is a good substitute and worked out fine.
Ingredients for Homemade Baguette Recipe:
- 250 g (8.81 oz) all-purpose flour, bleached
- 250 g (8.81 oz) all-purpose flour, unbleached
- 375 ml (12.68 oz) of water, lukewarm
- 1 pouch of dry yeast, rapid rise
- 1 teaspoon of salt
- 1 teaspoon of sugar
- 2 tablespoons of diastatic malt powder
Preparation of the dough:
Mix the flour and sift it into the mixing bowl of a stand mixer. Add yeast, diastatic malt powder, salt, sugar, and half of the lukewarm water and start to stir on low. Slowly add the rest of the water, mix shortly on higher speed until all ingredients are combined, then turn down to low. Knead for 5 minutes. Cover the bowl with a kitchen towel and let the dough rise for 40 minutes or until it has doubled.
Knead the dough with your hands. Flour the hands and surface because the dough is sticky. Fold the dough and let it rest for 60 minutes. Repeat the folding 2 more times, after 20 and 40 minutes.
Folding of the dough:
Shape the dough into a rectangle. Fold one corner to the center. Fold the second corner over the one in the center and continue with the two other corners. Place the dough with the seam down back into the bowl and let it rest. Repeat 2 more times, after 20 minutes and after 40 minutes.
Shaping the baguette:
Divide the dough in half to make 2 baguettes. Shape each dough into a rectangle. Fold one long side on top of the dough and roll the dough tightly towards you. Turn the seam to the top and close it with the fingers. Turn the seam down and roll the dough back and forth until you have reached a length of about 40 cm – 15.5 inches. Flour the top of the breads and place them on a baking sheet covered with baking paper. Cover the breads and let them rest for 15 minutes.
Baking of the bread:
In the meantime, place a heat-resistant pot of water on the bottom of the oven and preheat to 220°C – 425°F.
Add 3 ice cubes left and right of the pot on the oven’s bottom to create more steam. Make cuts into the breads using a sharp knife or a razor blade and place them on the third rack. Bake the breads for 30-35 minutes. Open the door completely after 15 minutes to release steam and close again.I leave the pot with water in the oven during baking time, but you also can take it out after opening the door.
To find the recipe for the buttermilk bread, click here, or for the oatmeal bread, click here and for the flavored bread, click here.