Looking for an easy French baguette recipe using a bread machine that does most of the work for you? In this post, you’ll learn how to create delicious baguettes that has a gorgeous outer crust and is moist inside, all done with the help of a bread machine and your two hands.
If this is your first time ever making baguettes using a bread machine, you’ll see that it’ll do all the heavy lifting for you – letting you do the actual fun parts of baguette forming later. A great recipe and total win-win for homemade bread.
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Ingredients
- 4 1/2 Teaspoons of Bread Yeast
- 2 1/4 Tablespoons of honey (or 1/4 cup of sugar)
- 3 1/2 cup Bread Flour
- 1 Cup of Water (heated to 110°)
- 2 Tsp of salt (be sure to keep separate from the yeast)
- 1 Egg yolk + 1 Tablespoon of water
- Bread Machine set to Dough Mode
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French baguette bread machine instructions
Follow the following steps or watch this video to make your own homemade french baguette.
Step 1: Add water, honey and salt into your bread machine. Then add in your flour. Make a little hole in the center of the flour and add in your yeast. Set your bread machine to dough setting mode and press start.
Step 2: While your dough cycle is doing its first rise, it’s time to grab the baking trays. To prep your baking tray, add some parchment paper and sprinkle some brown rice flour or cornmeal – this will help keep your bread from sticking and create that gorgeous crispy crunch. Now you are ready to work with the fresh dough from the bread machine
Step 3: Once the dough cycle (and dough rise) is complete (you’ll know it’s ready if indentation remains when touched), transfer the dough from the bread machine to a lightly floured surface. Punch out the risen bread dough and roll into a 16×12-inch rectangle. Divide dough in half, creating two 8×12-inch rectangles. Set aside one portion to work with and cover the other dough ball portions with a cloth or plastic wrap to keep it from drying out.
Step 4: Taking your first dough rectangle, and beginning at one long side, roll up each half of dough tightly – similar to folding a letter. Continue to do this throughout the entire length of the one side of the dough, pounding out any air bubbles as you go. Repeat this step on the opposite edge of the dough – this helps to lengthen the dough into that long iconic baguette shape.
Be sure to seal the dough seams together as well as folding and tucking each end of the baguette.
note: for rolls, cut your dough into smaller pieces and follow the above instructions the same way.
Step 5: Place all your loaves on the tray or bread pan about 3 inches apart.
Step 6: Make deep diagonal slashes across each of the loaves every 2 inches or one slash going lengthwise on each loaf. Once done, cover and let the dough do a second rise for least 30 minutes. This will make the baguette loaves double in size.
Step 7: Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.
Step 8: Mix egg yolk with 1 tablespoon water in a small bowl to make egg wash; brush over the top of the bread loaves. Let bake for 13 minutes or until crust is a golden brown hue.
Note: If you want super crusty bread, prepare an ovenproof bowl or tray with ice-cold water. Place the bowl or tray of ice water on the bottom of the oven rack and then immediately put the bread tray on the rack above the water in the preheated oven. Do not open your oven door while your bread is baking.
Once done, remove your bread loaf tray from the oven and place onto to a cooling wire rack. Once cooled down, serve and enjoy, preferably with some olive oil sprinkled with parmesan cheese and salt.
some baguette baking Notes
- To prevent a sticky situation, line your tray or cookie sheet using brown rice flour (the best kept nonstick secret). This will help your dough not stick to the tray and help it crisp.
- If you’re fresh out of brown rice flour, you can use cornmeal or parchment paper too.
- Always make sure to cover your dough to prevent it from drying out.
And there you have it. A delicious homemade french bread recipe with a crispy crust you can serve to your loved ones. It’s a simple recipe that’ll get your tastebuds singing.
