Crust sings and crumb stays tender. My easy french bread recipe fits busy days and calm weekends. It works as a 1 hour bread recipe and even plays like a 10 minute bread recipe when I plan ahead. Think 3 ingredients bread recipe energy with big bakery payoff. I mix warm water with yeast and watch tiny bubbles wake up. I fold flour and salt and a soft dough forms. The room smells clean and wheaty. Hands move and the bowl turns. The dough relaxes and I relax with it. We shape long loaves and score brave lines. Heat rises and steam hugs the dough. The crust crackles and the kitchen feels like a small cafe. Use this Bread dough recipe and stack it inside your Baking bread recipes box for the Best homemade bread.
Table of Contents
- 1) Key Takeaways
- 2) Easy French Baguette Recipe
- 3) Ingredients for French Baguette
- 4) How to Make French Baguette
- 5) Tips for Making French Baguette
- 6) Making French Baguette Ahead of Time
- 7) Storing Leftover French Baguette
- 8) Try these bread recipes next
- 9) French Baguette
- 10) Nutrition
1) Key Takeaways
I bake this at home and I keep the steps short and friendly. The loaf comes out crisp outside and light inside. I shape two slim loaves and we eat one warm and save one for later.
The dough stays simple and calm. Water wakes the yeast and flour brings body. Salt sharpens flavor. The method fits a busy day and a quiet Sunday morning.
Steam gives a crackly shell and a golden color. Scoring guides the rise. Cooling builds structure so slices hold butter without tearing.
2) Easy French Baguette Recipe
I lean on an easy french bread recipe for weeknights and fast brunch plans. This easy french bread recipe gives me bakery style results without fuss. I mix by hand and feel the dough relax. Small moves add up and the loaf rewards patience more than skill.
On Lila Cooks at https://www.lilacooks.com I write as Lila and I test this many times. Friends stop by and leave with a piece wrapped in a tea towel. The crumb stays open and the crust sings as it cools. A simple French bread guides soup, salad, or jam.
Short keywords slip in here with care. I map my day with a 1 hour bread recipe plan. When I stash pre measured sets I treat it like a 10 minute bread recipe setup. On slow days I smile at how this feels close to a 3 ingredients bread recipe with a soft nudge from time.
3) Ingredients for French Baguette
All purpose flour I use a steady cup that packs light and level. The flour builds the frame and holds the air that yeast makes. A strong but not stiff dough gives a tender bite.
Warm water I aim for hand warm. When I dip a finger it feels cozy not hot. Warmth helps yeast wake up fast and keeps the dough relaxed.
Active dry yeast I keep packets in a jar and note the date. Tiny bubbles show life and bring lift. Fresh yeast keeps the rise steady.
Fine salt A small spoon changes everything. Salt shapes flavor and steadies fermentation. I taste a pinch of dough after the first mix so I learn the balance.
Sugar optional A touch helps yeast start fast. I add it when my kitchen feels cool. On warm days I skip it and the rise stays strong.
Olive oil optional A spoon makes a slightly softer shell. I keep it for sandwich style loaves and leave it out when I want crackle.
Cornmeal or flour for dusting A light coat keeps loaves from sticking and adds a gentle bite to the base. I reach for cornmeal when I crave a rustic edge.
Ice or hot water for steam Steam fills the oven and slows crust set. The loaf expands well and the shine looks like a bakery case.
4) How to Make French Baguette
Step 1 Mix I pour warm water into a bowl then sprinkle yeast and a pinch of sugar. I stir and let it sit for a few minutes until a soft foam shows. This small pause sets a steady rise.
Step 2 Build the dough I add flour and salt and stir until the shag turns smooth. I knead on a light dusted counter. The dough pulls together and starts to feel bouncy. Simple French bread begins right here.
Step 3 First rise I tuck the dough in a clean bowl and cover it. A warm corner helps. I wait until it doubles and springs back slow when pressed.
Step 4 Shape I press the dough into gentle rectangles. I roll each into a snug log and pinch the seam. I taper the ends for that classic look. This echoes a basic French loaf and keeps the crumb even.
Step 5 Second rise I set loaves on parchment with a dust of cornmeal or on a baguette tray. A cover keeps them from drying. They puff and feel light under my palm.
Step 6 Heat and steam I preheat a stone or an inverted sheet. I place a metal pan on a lower rack. I score the tops with swift cuts then pour hot water into the pan for steam.
Step 7 Bake I bake until the crust turns deep gold and the loaves sound hollow. The kitchen smells warm and clean. I set them on a rack and listen to the soft crackle.
5) Tips for Making French Baguette
Keep the dough slightly tacky. Sticky means life and lift. Extra flour tightens the crumb and dulls the rise. A bench scraper keeps hands free and the counter tidy.
Use steam for shine and lift. A few ice cubes in a hot pan work well. Quick oven door moves hold heat in. Clear scores guide expansion and make a pretty top.
Plan with the day. When time runs short I lean on my 1 hour bread recipe notes. When I pre measure flour yeast and salt I treat the mix like a 10 minute bread recipe start. For flavor depth I rest the shaped loaves in the fridge to slow the rise and coax a nutty crumb.
6) Making French Baguette Ahead of Time
I like a calm morning. I mix the dough at night and let it rise in the fridge. Cold time builds flavor and gives a gentle chew. In the morning I shape proof and bake while coffee brews.
For busy weeks I freeze shaped loaves on a tray then wrap them well. I thaw in the fridge and bake on a hot stone with steam. This keeps the crust lively and the crumb open.
For gifting I bake light and reheat before serving. Friends call this the Best homemade bread and I smile. The method stays close to an easy baguette recipe which is a clear semantic kin to the easy french bread recipe we love.
7) Storing Leftover French Baguette
I store the loaf in a paper bag at room temp for the first day. The crust keeps its snap and the crumb stays tender. Plastic traps moisture and softens the shell so I avoid it for fresh bread.
For day two and beyond I slice and freeze. I toast slices straight from the freezer. Heat brings back the crackle and the aroma fills the kitchen again.
For crumbs I dry extra slices in a low oven then blitz. These crumbs coat chicken or top baked pasta. This keeps waste low and gives me a pantry boost that supports many Baking bread recipes at home.
8) Try these bread recipes next
9) French Baguette
Easy French Bread Recipe baguette with crackly crust by Lila Cooks
Ingredients
For the dough
- 3 and 1/2 cups all purpose flour
- 1 and 1/2 cups warm water about 45 C
- 2 and 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast
- 2 teaspoons fine salt
- 1 teaspoon sugar optional
- 1 tablespoon olive oil optional for a softer crust
For baking
- Cornmeal or flour for dusting
- Ice cubes or hot water for steam
- Extra flour for shaping
Instructions
Mix and wake the yeast
- Add warm water to a large bowl and sprinkle in yeast and sugar. Stir and rest for 5 minutes until a light foam forms.
Make the dough
- Add flour and salt to the bowl and stir with a spoon until a shaggy dough forms.
- Turn the dough onto a lightly floured counter and knead for 8 minutes until smooth and stretchy. A stand mixer works too.
First rise
- Place the dough in an oiled bowl and cover. Let rise in a warm spot until doubled about 60 minutes.
Shape
- Gently deflate the dough and divide into two or three equal pieces.
- Press each piece into a rectangle then roll into a tight log. Pinch the seam. Taper the ends for a classic look.
Second rise
- Set the loaves seam side down on a parchment sheet dusted with cornmeal or on a baguette tray. Cover and let rise 30 to 40 minutes until puffy.
Prep the oven
- Place a baking stone or an inverted sheet pan on the center rack. Put a metal pan on the lower rack for steam. Heat the oven to 230 C.
Score and bake
- Slash each loaf with three to five diagonal cuts using a sharp knife or lame.
- Slide the loaves onto the hot stone or sheet. Pour one cup of hot water or toss a few ice cubes into the steam pan and close the door.
- Bake 20 to 25 minutes until deep golden. Loaves should sound hollow when tapped.
Cool
- Transfer to a rack and let cool 20 minutes. Listen for the gentle crackle. Try not to cut too soon even if the aroma begs you.
10) Nutrition
One average slice carries about one hundred seventy calories with one gram of fat and one gram of sugar. Sodium sits near three hundred thirty milligrams. Carbohydrates land near thirty five grams and protein near six grams. Fiber sits close to one gram per slice.
I serve two slim loaves for a batch which feeds four to six people with soup or salad. Kids like thin slices with butter. Grown ups reach for olive oil with a pinch of salt and a twist of pepper.
This easy french bread recipe plays well with simple spreads. Try fresh tomato with a shake of salt or a spoon of honey. Basic French loaf is another semantic for this style and it fits the same method and timing.
Recipe by Lila for Lila Cooks at https://www.lilacooks.com
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