I bake this easy french bread recipe when the house feels quiet and needs a warm lift. Flour meets water and a little yeast. The dough wakes up fast. The smell hits first and you know a good crust will follow. I keep the mix simple and the steps clear. One bowl. A short rest. Hands that press and fold. The dough turns smooth. I learned this trick from a tired weeknight. I wanted a loaf that felt like a small win. The crumb stays light and the shell stays crisp. We slice while it steams. Butter slides in and melts. A bowl of soup sits close. The loaf goes from board to table in no time. This works as a 1 hour bread recipe on busy days and it doubles as a 10 minute bread recipe for hands on time. Use it when you need a 3 ingredients bread recipe mindset or push it to a 4 ingredient bread recipe with sugar for a softer bite. It aims for best homemade bread and gives a clear bread dough recipe that you can trust.
Table of Contents
- 1) Key Takeaways
- 2) Easy Baguette Recipe
- 3) Ingredients for Baguette
- 4) How to Make Baguette
- 5) Tips for Making Baguette
- 6) Making Baguette Ahead of Time
- 7) Storing Leftover Baguette
- 8) Try these Bread next
- 9) Baguette
- 10) Nutrition
1) Key Takeaways
We bake fresh bread when the room feels quiet and we want comfort. The loaf rises fast and the crust sings when it cools. The crumb stays light and tender. We keep tools simple and the path short.
Linda from Cook Daily Recipe shares a calm plan that works in a home kitchen. I lean on one bowl and a warm spot. I use clean steps and clear checks. No fuss. No stress.
The easy french bread recipe keeps the mix small and the flavor big. I mention 1 hour bread recipe ideas for busy days. I nod to best homemade bread goals for weekend joy. You get a loaf that you will bake again.
2) Easy Baguette Recipe
I start with an easy french bread recipe and I say it twice because I mean it. The easy french bread recipe uses warm water and quick yeast. The dough wakes up fast and feels soft under the palm. I mix until clumps give way to a smooth ball. The scent turns to toast even before the bake. That small thrill always gets me.
We keep the kit small. One sturdy bowl. One wooden spoon. A clean towel. That is it. The plan fits a weeknight and still gives a golden crust. The 10 minute bread recipe idea shows in the short hands on time. Most of the work happens while we rest our feet and sip tea.
I like how this dough forgives small slips. A pinch more flour. A minute more rest. It still gives a proud rise. It feels like a win that you can hold. On Cook Daily Recipe you can find the link for more notes at https://www.cookdailyrecipes.com
3) Ingredients for Baguette
Bread flour Strong flour builds structure and gives a crisp shell and a tender bite. I sift to keep clumps away and to help a steady mix.
Warm water Water that feels like a warm bath helps yeast wake up. I touch with a clean finger and stop when it feels warm not hot.
Instant yeast Fast acting grains lift the dough with steady power. I check the date and keep the jar sealed so it stays lively.
Fine sea salt Salt sharpens flavor and strengthens gluten. I add it to the flour so it blends well and never shocks the yeast.
Sugar A small spoon helps color and gives a gentle lift. I add it when I want a softer crumb that kids love.
Olive oil A light splash adds a tender edge and helps the crust shine. I use it when I want a mellow chew.
Ice cubes Cold cubes in a hot pan make steam that sets a bold crust. I keep a handful ready as the loaves slide in.
4) How to Make Baguette
Step one Stir warm water yeast and sugar in a bowl and wait until a soft foam forms. The mix should smell bready and look airy.
Step two Add flour and salt and mix with a spoon then switch to your hands. Pull and fold until the dough turns smooth and springy.
Step three Set the dough in a clean bowl and cover. Place in a warm spot and let it rise until it doubles. The poke should fill back slow and steady.
Step four Turn the dough onto the board. Divide in two. Press each into a rectangle and roll into a tight log. Pinch the seam and tuck the ends.
Step five Proof on a lined sheet. Cover and let the loaves puff. Heat the oven with a heavy pan inside to build heat for steam.
Step six Slash three quick cuts across each loaf. Slide the dough onto the hot surface. Toss ice into the hot pan and close the door fast.
Step seven Bake until deep gold with crisp sides. Cool on a rack. Slice when the steam calms so the crumb stays neat and light.
5) Tips for Making Baguette
Flour sticks to wet dough so I dust the board with care. Less flour keeps the crumb open. More flour tightens the bite. I aim for a soft tacky feel that pulls clean from the board.
Use steam for snap. A metal pan on a lower rack and a quick toss of ice make a bold crust. For a softer shell brush the hot loaf with water. That trick gives shine and a tender chew.
Think about goal and time. On a packed day I treat this like a 1 hour bread recipe and I let the oven work. On a slow Sunday I chase best homemade bread with a touch more rest. Both paths taste great.
6) Making Baguette Ahead of Time
I mix the dough at night when the house goes quiet. I place it in the fridge. Cold slows the rise and builds flavor. In the morning the dough looks airy and smells sweet. I shape and bake while the coffee drips.
Another path fits a work day. I shape the logs and park the tray in the fridge. When I get home I warm the oven and proof on the counter. The dough wakes in twenty minutes and feels ready for heat.
For a party plan I parbake to pale gold. I cool then wrap tight. Before guests arrive I reheat to deep color. The kitchen fills with that easy french bread recipe scent that makes people smile.
7) Storing Leftover Baguette
We store the loaf at room temp in a paper bag. The crust stays crisp and the crumb stays light. I slice what we need and leave the rest whole. That simple move keeps the center soft for another day.
For day two toast brings life back. I wet my palm and brush the crust with a little water then warm the loaf in the oven. The shell crackles again and the house smells like a bake shop.
For longer keeps I slice and freeze. A quick toast gives hot bread on demand. This keeps the promise of an easy french bread recipe during busy weeks when time runs short.
8) Try these Bread next
9) Baguette
Baguette Easy French Bread Recipe
Ingredients
- 3 and 1 half cups bread flour
- 1 and 1 quarter cups warm water about 40 C
- 2 and one quarter teaspoons instant yeast
- 1 and one quarter teaspoons fine sea salt
- 1 teaspoon sugar optional for a softer crumb
- 1 tablespoon olive oil optional for a tender crust
- Ice cubes for steam
Instructions
- Mix water yeast sugar and oil in a bowl and let it foam for five minutes
- Stir in flour and salt and bring the dough together with a spoon then use your hands
- Knead on a lightly floured board for eight minutes until the dough turns smooth and springy
- Rest in a covered bowl for thirty minutes in a warm spot
- Divide into two pieces and press each piece into a rectangle then roll into a tight log and pinch the seam
- Set the loaves on a parchment sheet seam side down and cover for twenty five minutes
- Heat the oven to 245 C with a baking steel or a sheet inside and place a metal pan on a lower rack
- Slash each loaf with three quick cuts on the bias with a sharp blade
- Slide the loaves onto the hot surface and toss a cup of ice into the pan to make steam then shut the door
- Bake for twenty two to twenty six minutes until deep gold with crisp sides
- Cool on a rack for twenty minutes before slicing so the crumb sets
10) Nutrition
A typical slice brings steady fuel for a meal. I pair it with soup or eggs. The balance feels right for a simple table that feeds well without fuss.
One slice holds about one hundred eighty calories with a lean gram of fat and six grams of protein. Sodium sits near three hundred sixty milligrams. Carbs land near thirty eight grams with two grams of fiber.
Numbers help but the real guide sits in how we feel. I eat warm bread with a clean spread and a crisp salad. The plate tastes bright and the loaf feels like home.
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