Baking / Loaves & yeast breads
French Bread
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Three golden baguettes that crackle while they cool, loud enough to hear from the other room. It's flour, water, yeast and salt, and one unhurried afternoon while the dough rises.
The short version
Mix a wet dough, knead until smooth, and let it rise twice, about 2 hours. Shape three baguettes and rise 1 hour more. Slash, then bake at 450°F with a pan of boiling water on the lower rack for 25 to 30 minutes. Cool on a rack.
What makes ours better
small changes, very loud compliments
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Add a little whole wheat flour. A quarter cup gives the crumb a slightly nutty, wheaty flavor that all-white French bread lacks.
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Fold the dough for a second rise. A brief second knead and rise before shaping evens out the crumb and builds strength, so the loaves hold their shape and bake tall.
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Add steam from a preheated pan. Hot water poured into a skillet on the bottom rack keeps the surface moist for the first minutes, so the loaves spring open before the crust sets. That's what makes the crackle.
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Rest the loaves in the turned-off oven. Five minutes with the oven off and the door cracked dries the crust out and keeps it crisp.
tap each one as it goes in. no double-salting.
Steps
apron on. phone down. mostly.
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Mix the dough
Stir the lukewarm water and yeast in a large bowl and let it sit 5 minutes. Add both flours and the salt and mix with a wooden spoon, or on low speed in a stand mixer with the paddle, until it just comes together. Cover and rest 20 minutes.
About 20 min. Cook mode has a timer for this step.
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Knead until smooth
Knead with the dough hook on medium-low for 8 to 10 minutes, or by hand on a floured counter for about 10. The dough should look smooth and feel elastic and tacky, but not stick to clean hands.
The dough is wet. Resist adding more than a tablespoon or two of flour, or the crumb turns tight.
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First rise
Put the dough in an oiled bowl, turn it once to coat, cover, and let it rise in a warm spot until doubled, about 45 minutes.
About 45 min. Cook mode has a timer for this step.
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Knead and rise again
Knead the dough for 3 minutes, shape it into a ball, return it to the bowl, cover and let it double again, about 1 hour.
About 60 min. Cook mode has a timer for this step.
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Shape the baguettes
Divide the dough into 3 equal pieces. Pat each into a rough 10×8-inch rectangle. Fold the top third down and the bottom third up like a letter, and seal the seam. Fold it in half lengthwise, seam on the bottom, and roll with your palms into a 14-inch rope, tapering the ends slightly.
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Final rise
Set the baguettes seam side down on a baguette pan, or on a sheet pan sprinkled with cornmeal. Cover loosely and let rise until puffy and nearly doubled, about 1 hour. A fingertip pressed in should leave a dent that fills in slowly.
About 60 min. Cook mode has a timer for this step.
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Heat the oven with a steam pan
In the last 20 minutes of the rise, set a rack in the center and another on the bottom. Put a metal pan or cast-iron skillet on the bottom rack and heat the oven to 450°F. Bring a cup or so of water to a boil.
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Slash, steam and bake
Cut 3 long diagonal slashes in each loaf, about ¼ inch deep, with a razor or very sharp knife. Slide the pan onto the center rack, pour the boiling water into the hot pan and shut the door fast. Bake until deep golden brown and the bottoms sound hollow when tapped, 25 to 30 minutes.
Be careful of the steam. Stand to the side and wear an oven mitt.
About 25 min. Cook mode has a timer for this step.
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Crisp and cool
Turn off the oven, crack the door and leave the loaves in for 5 minutes. Move them to a wire rack and cool at least 20 minutes before cutting.
About 5 min. Cook mode has a timer for this step.
Good to know
the stuff I’d tell you over the phone
- For two fatter loaves instead of three baguettes, divide the dough in half, shape into oblong loaves, and add 5 to 10 minutes to the bake.
- Dough that is too sticky to shape? Dust with flour, not more than you need, and use a bench scraper to lift and fold it.
- Best the day it's baked. Refresh a day-old loaf in a 375°F oven for 5 to 8 minutes.
- A baking stone or steel heated with the oven gives a crisper bottom crust, though a sheet pan works.
- Storage. Same day for the crispest crust. Wrapped in a paper bag, 1 day. Freeze whole or sliced up to 3 months; reheat wrapped in foil at 300°F for 10 minutes, then unwrap for 3 more.
Questions, answered
asked and answered at the kitchen counter
Why isn't my French bread crusty?
Not enough steam, or an oven that wasn't fully hot. Preheat the oven and the steam pan for the whole rise, and pour the boiling water in just as the loaves go in.
Can I use bread flour?
Yes. It gives a chewier crumb and takes a bit more water, so add a tablespoon or two if the dough feels stiff. All-purpose gives a lighter, softer crumb.
Do I need a baguette pan?
No. A rimmed sheet pan works well. A baguette pan helps the loaves keep their shape and gives a crisper bottom.
How do I know when it's done?
Deep golden brown crust, a hollow sound when you tap the bottom, and an internal temperature of about 205°F or higher.
Can I make the dough ahead?
Yes. After the first rise, refrigerate the dough up to 24 hours, then shape it cold and let it rise about 1½ hours before baking. The flavor improves.
From the table
Made it? Tell me everything. Especially if somebody said it was better than their mother’s. I’ll keep your secret.
Made it?
tell me the truth, then tell me who had thirds
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Published October 29, 2026.