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French baguette (sliced at the end in an angle) on a bamboo cutting board

French Baguette in the bread machine

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There is nothing like the smell and taste of a freshly baked French baguette. Crusty and beautifully colored on the outside, buttery soft and chewy on the inside, Serve it with butter, olive oil, or with your favorite soup. It’s a perfect way to say “I love you” to you anyone (including yourself).

  • Total Time: 3 hours 5 minutes
  • Yield: 3 loaves 1x

Ingredients

Units Scale
  • 3 1/2 cups all-purpose (I recommend using the ‘scoop and swipe’ method)
  • 1 1/2 cups warm water
  • 1 teaspoons salt
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons instant yeast
  • 1 Tablespoon honey

for baking the bread

  • 1 cup very cold water

Instructions

  1. Place all ingredients (Minus the [wprm-ingredient text="1 cup very cold water" uid="5"]) into your bread machine in the order recommended by the manufacturer. Select Dough cycle; press Start (If you have the option, set the time to 1 hour and 30 minutes).
  2. When done, pull out the dough onto a lightly floured surface. Kneed a couple more times, basically until the dough bounces back.
  3. Turn the dough on a lightly floured work surface. Divide into 3 equal parts and shape into rectangles. Cover and let rest for 30 minutes.
  4. Start preheating the oven to 500F, with a baking stone positioned in the upper half of the oven and an empty bread pan filled on the bottom rack.
  5. Stretch each dough rectangle slightly and fold it into a cylinder, sealing the seams. Using your hands, roll the cylinders gently stretching them to the desired length, about 14-15 inches.
  6. Flour the baguettes, cover them with a slightly damp flour sack towel or use a couche and proof at room temperature for about 30 minutes.
  7. Transfer the baguettes to a piece of parchment paper or silicone made. Using a bread lame, a sharp knife, or a razor blade, make 3 scores on each baguette* [See notes 1 for details].
  8. Open the oven, and slide the baguettes off onto the baking stone. Pour [wprm-ingredient text="1 cup very cold water" uid="5"] into the empty pan on the bottom rack. Take caution not to get burned doing this. Close the oven immediately, DO NOT OPEN AT ALL, and reduce the temperature to 475℉. Bake for 15 minutes.
  9. Rotate the baguettes, drop the temperature to 450℉ and continue baking for another 15 minutes or until deep golden brown.

Notes

Ingredient details and Substitute Options:

  1. When scoring, use a swift and firm motion to ensure nice and clean cuts. You could also cut it into a Pain d’épi.

Nutritional Facts:

These numbers are based on the serving size stated. All are estimates and you should not rely on this information as a substitute for, nor does it replace professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. If you have any concerns or questions about your health, you should always consult with a physician or other healthcare professional.

  • Author: Jenn Giam Smith
  • Prep Time: 20 minutes
  • Cook Time: 15 minutes
  • Category: bread
  • Cuisine: French

Nutrition

  • Calories: 29.29
  • Sugar: 5.75
  • Sodium: 782.61
  • Fat: 0.19
  • Saturated Fat: 0.02
  • Carbohydrates: 6.79
  • Fiber: 0.67
  • Protein: 1.02