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Classic French Baguette

Classic French Baguette

Bake two classic French baguettes with a crisp, deeply browned crust and a light, chewy crumb. A simple overnight-style dough delivers proper bakery character for soups, cheese boards and everyday sandwiches.

125 mins total for first methodServes 2Oven
Ingredients ↓Method ↓

Ingredients

Method

100 mins prep25 mins cook125 mins total

  1. Mix the strong white bread flour, fast-action dried yeast and salt in a large bowl, keeping the yeast and salt separate at first.

  2. Pour in the warm water and olive oil, then mix until a rough, sticky dough forms.

  3. Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 8–10 minutes until smooth and elastic.

  4. Place the dough in an oiled bowl, cover and leave in a warm place for about 1 hour, until doubled in size.

  5. Divide the dough in two. Shape each piece into a long baguette, place on a lined tray, cover and leave for 30 minutes.

  6. Heat the oven to 230°C. Slash each loaf diagonally with a sharp knife and place a tray of boiling water on the oven floor for steam.

  7. Bake for 25 minutes until deeply golden and crisp. Cool on a wire rack before slicing.

Notes

Add a tray of boiling water to the oven as the loaves go in, then score quickly so the dough expands cleanly.
About this recipe

This classic French baguette uses a straightforward dough, a generous first rise and a hot oven to build its familiar crisp crust and open, chewy crumb. The recipe makes two slim loaves with enough structure for clean scoring.

Use strong white bread flour and handle the dough gently after rising so the baguettes keep their airy shape. A little steam at the start of baking helps the crust blister and colour without drying the centre.

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