A Better French Baguette

Sometimes a classic French baguette is necessary to brighten everyone’s spirits. The crackly crust, soft center, and amazing fresh-baked smell will put a smile on most faces. For this recipe, we give thanks and inspiration to Paul.

---

Ingredients

You can also double this recipe if you want 4 mini loaves.

5g active dry yeast (about 1 1/2 tsp)
1 tsp brown sugar
50 mL water (100-110F)
250g flour (about 2 cups, weigh if you can)
5g salt (about 1 tsp)
2 tbsp olive oil
130 mL cool water

---

Directions for a Better French Baguette

I’m going to let the master explain this one: please follow the directions in Paul Hollywood’s baguette recipe, EXCEPT:

• add the olive oil at the same time as the cool water
• it’s ok to knead it by hand if you prefer (I like to get a feel for the dough)
• the first rise might need to be 2 hours to double
• the second rise can be on a parchment-lined baking sheet instead of a linen couche (that way you can just put it straight in the oven and not have to move the loaves and risk them deflating). Good idea to cover the rising loaves with a linen cloth though. 🙂

Enjoy your delicious, homemade French baguette straight from the oven! ❤️🤗