Easy Crusty Baguettes

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Hi, so I’ve now had feastingisfun.com for a year! Thank you to everyone who has taken time to read and comment on my blog. I appreciate you more than you could ever know. If I could bake each and everyone of you a cake I would. Instead I have a bread recipe for you!!! I know, I’m all heart – but this is a recipe you will, hopefully, thank me for. Easy Crusty Baguettes.

Easy Baguettes
Easy Crusty Baguettes

 

You may be thinking – “why bake my own baguettes when I can pick them up from the grocery store?”

Well, not everyone can get to a shop, they can be out of stock – but mostly I’m the kinda girl who is inquisitive. If I can buy something, I want to know if I can make it! Personally I get a real kick out of making something that’s so easy to buy – knowing exactly what’s gone into my creation! Easy Crusty Baguettes are so easy to make (if you have a stand mixer with dough hook or a bread maker they are easier still!) and taste so good.

The only ‘special’ piece of equipment I use is a French Baguette Tray.

French Baguette Trays
French Baguette Trays

 

I purchased my baguette from Amazon UK

Swift Faringdon Collection Bakers Pride Non-Stick French Bread Pan Carbon Steel 39 cm x 16 cm x 2.5 cm

by Faringdon Collection

 

I have made baguettes on a baking sheet, they were ok but tended to spread a little. I decided to buy one French Baguette Tray, used it, was thrilled with the results and quickly purchased a second tray. The advantages of using the baguette tray are that they really do hold the shape of the baguette, whilst it’s proving and baking and they are longer than most baking trays so you can put them in your oven at an angle – giving you longer baguettes. These Easy Crusty Baguettes are made using these trays.

Gorgeous imprint on the underside of the baguette from the tray.
Gorgeous imprint on the underside of the baguette from the tray.

 

Recipe : makes 3 x 16″ (40cm) Easy Crusty Baguettes

500g/1lb 2oz Strong White Bread Flour

1 x 7g Sachet Fast Action Dried Yeast

1tsp Sugar or honey

300ml/10floz Lukewarm Water

25g/1oz Unsalted Butter

1tsp Salt

Method :

I use a bread maker to mix, prove and knock back the dough, instructions will also be given for a stand mixer using a dough hook.

Place the water into the bowl. Add the yeast and sugar. Swirl with clean fingers to mix.

Add the flour so that it covers the water/yeast mixture. On top of the flour add the salt and butter.

If using a bread maker set the program to mix and prove.

If using a stand mixer slowly start to mix the ingredients. Once combined increase the speed to medium and mix for 10 minutes. Once mixing is complete form the dough into a ball, place back into the stand mixer bowl, cover with a clean tea towel and leave in a draft free place until doubled in size.

When the bread mixer has finished proving, or the dough in the stand mixer is doubled in size it is time to knock back the dough.

Using the bread maker mix and prover cycle, start again and allow to knead for the mix part of the cycle then stop the machine and remove the dough.

Using a stand mixer with a dough hook attachment as before, remove the towel and start the mixer on low increasing to medium to knock back and knead the proved dough. If the dough doesn’t all pull together, stop the mixer. Using clean hands pull the dough into a ball shape. Knead the dough on a medium speed for a further 10 minutes. Stop the mixer and remove the dough from the bowl/dough hook.

Place the dough on a floured surface.
Place the dough on a floured surface.
Divide the dough into 3 equal pieces - unlike mine!!!
Divide the dough into 3 equal pieces – unlike mine!!!
Roll each piece of dough out to just under the length of your baguette tray.
Roll each piece of dough out to just under the length of your baguette tray.
Place the baguette roll in the tray and using a very sharp knife slash lightly through the dough as in the photo.
Place the baguette roll in the tray and using a very sharp knife slash lightly through the dough as in the photo.

 

I could have recombined my dough to create three equal sized baguettes. What I did instead was to place the smaller baguette in a separate tray, knowing it would cook a little quicker than the other two! Very lazy I know!!

Place the trays in a draught free place and cover with a clean tea towel. Leave to prove until doubled in size.

Preheat the oven to it’s hottest setting and place a tray of hot water in the bottom of the oven. The steam produced will help give your Easy Crusty Baguettes the super crusty, crunchy exterior that is required in a baguette!

Removing the towel place the baguette trays into the oven diagonally. Bake for 20-25 minutes until the baguettes are golden, with a hard crust. They should sound hollow when rapped on the base with your knuckle.

Easy Baguettes - golden, crunchy, crust.
Easy Crusty Baguettes – golden, crunchy, crust.

 

Remove from the oven and place the baguettes on a cooling rack.

We ate one baguette the day they were made. The other two were stored in our bread tin. 2 days later I sprinkled them with a little water and placed in a preheated, hot oven for 5-8 minutes. Below is the baguette I refreshed in the oven. It tasted as good as the day it was made. Absolutely delicious with a really crunchy crust.

Easy Baguettes - perfect with cheese and chutney.
Easy Crusty Baguettes – perfect with cheese and chutney.

If you have enjoyed this recipe for Easy Crusty Baguettes then you may also like these:

Garlic Rosemary Focaccia Bread

FF Easy Crusty Baguettes
Garlic Rosemary Focaccia Bread

Oat Bran White Bread

FF Easy Crusty Baguettes
Oat Bran White Bread

Cheddar Cheese Thyme Soft Breadsticks 

FF Easy Crusty Baguettes
Cheddar Cheese Thyme Soft Breadsticks

Of course there are times when we all buy baguettes – because, LIFE! If I lived near an artisan bakery I may never have made these. Really I am so glad I tried. For minimal effort, delicious bread is on hand. Easy Crusty Baguettes so worth the few minutes prep time.

Have you ever made baguettes?

I love reading your comments and appreciate you taking the time to write them.

You may also like Crusty White Bread                                                                 Wholemeal Cob Loaf

Sammie x

This is not a sponsored post, item links provided for information purposes only.

 

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Sammie

Hi, I'm Sammie and I’m passionate about creating tasty recipes, both sweet and savoury that you can make at home. Every recipe is easy and fun to make and should taste like a feast without the fuss!

26 thoughts on “Easy Crusty Baguettes”

  1. So that’s how they get the shapes for baguettes. I always wondered how they were made. I eat vietnamese sandwiches and they use french bread to make them so I eat these all the time. Thanks for the recipe.

  2. these are great looking baguettes, and I love the imprint that the pan leaves – I have lusted over the pans myself…but then I buy a baguette from the supermarket for less than 50p & I forget all about them!

  3. Congratulations. The first year anniversary is always the most exciting . It feels quite something that you’ve made it. Those baguettes look fantastic. I’ve never made them and now feel I need one of those baguette trays.

    1. Thanks Angie. I was amazed that they tasted as good as freshly bake, 2 days later when I refreshed them in the oven. I love my baguette tray. It makes them look professional!!!

    1. Thank you Laura. One of my goals in my second year of blogging is to encourage more people to bake their own bread. It really is so worth it for such a little amount of effort.

    1. Ah Amrit sorry to bust your diet 😉 I’m working on a seeded baguette, maybe a little healthier for you? Or maybe you could bake some, invite friends round and share so your not tempted to over indulge 😉

    1. Thank you Flick for your lovely comment. Just as a helpful tip, if you start your loaf/baguettes the night before and leave them to prove (covered), overnight, they will rise slowly and should be perfect for putting straight into a hot oven first thing in the morning! They will also taste AMAZING as the slow prove will allow the flavour to really develop. Hope this helps?

    1. Ah thank you. Please don’t be scared. Baking with yeast, especially a simple loaf couldn’t be easier an the results are so satisfying (and delicious)!!

      1. When you heat up the oven at it’s highest (550F for my oven), do you bake the bread at such high heat for 20 minutes??

        1. Hi Lorraine, I’m not sure what the C/F conversion is – but bake at your highest temperature until the baguettes are golden brown. Tap the bottom of the baguette with your knuckle, if you hear a hollow sound then the baguette is cooked. The crustiness of the baguette is directly related to it’s colour. If you cook it for longer, to a dark golden colour, the baguette will be extra crusty. I hope this helps? Please leave a comment if you require more help? Thank you very much for taking time to look at my blog and comment. Sammie

          1. Thanks for your help. I did bake the baguettes at 450F for 20 min. and they turned out perfect. I’ll be adventurous and will try using 1/2 whole wheat and 1/2 white flour next time. next step will be adding whole grains for a healthier bread. I enjoyed my first experience and certainly will bake more in the future.

          2. Ah I’m so glad you were happy with the results Lorraine. I’d love to see what you bake in the future. Sammie x

  4. HAPPY 1 YEAR ANNIVERSARY of your beautiful blog! I’m sure when you started, a year seemed so very far away. Congrats Sammie – you have inspired and encouraged so many of us readers and fellow bloggers. I have never tried bread or baguettes other than beer bread (bonus – no proofing required!) Your instructions make it seem less intimidating though and you make me want to put on my big girl pants and give it a try! 😉 I love your tip about “refreshing” the bread with a few sprinkles of water before popping in the oven to crisp up – so clever! Thanks for sharing and CHEERS to you! xo

    1. Thank you Liz. I never thought anyone would read my blog at the start. I thought of it as an online recipe diary, so I feel very humbled and blessed that you and all my other readers and fellow bloggers enjoy and take time to comment on my blog. I have learnt a lot and still have plenty more to learn. However, I can honestly say the blogging community has welcomed me with open arms. Love Sammie x

  5. Oh I LOVE baguettes, so this is a fab recipe, thank you! I’ll definitely be trying this out this weekend.
    Congrats on one year of blogging as well!

    Sian xx

  6. These look great! Have thought about making these before but would buy the specialist trays for it. Thanks for the recipe. Your breads always look good 🙂

    1. Thank you Zoe. I definitely think the trays are worth buying and they aren’t that expensive. The results from baking the baguettes in them are great – especially the professional marks underneath! 🙂

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