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How to make French baguette at home by yourself with only 4 ingredients.

Ingredients

• 350 g of bread flour, strong white bread flour
• ¼ teaspoon of instant dried yeast
• 1 teaspoon of kosher salt, If you use table salt, just 0.5 tsp
• 280 mL of water, US 9.5 oz

Preparation

1. In a big bowl, pour the flour and mix with yeast and salt. Add water and use a wooden spoon to mix well until it becomes a thick dough.

2. Cover the dough by an oiled food wrap and let it rest for 45 minutes to make it rise. After 45 minutes, remove the dough and fold a few times on a clean flat surface (use your wet hands to fold). Then put back the dough into the bowl for the second time and let it rise again for 45 minutes. Repeat this step 4 times.

3. After the final rise, you will see the dough is now fully bodied and smooth. Sprinkle flour on a flat surface. Remove the dough from the bowl and sprinkle flour onto it and divide it into 4 pieces (about 310g / 11 oz per each). This step is to pre-shape the dough pieces, just pop any bubbles that appear. Then cover with lightly oiled plastic wrap. Let it rest it for 15 minutes.

4. Take out the plastic wrap and sprinkle flour on each dough. Then form the baguette shape, start by manipulating the dough into a rectangle, and pop any gas bubbles that appear. Fold the dough towards you, once you reach the end, seal it by tapping it with the heel of your thumb. Roll a dough in a baguette shape, sprinkle with flour and place it on a cotton towel. Do the same for the other ones. Cover with a towel. Let it rest for 1 hour or until you see it rises and doubles in size.

5. While you wait for the dough to rise, heat the oven at 200 C or 400 F (or gas mark 6). Place a pan of boiling water in the bottom to create a steamy atmosphere, this make for a crispier crust.

6. Once the baguettes have risen, transfer them into a baking tray (by using a piece of cardboard covered in foil).

7. Spray water onto the baguettes before scoring them. Use a sharp knife or scissor to score each baguette with 4 to 5 lines.

8. Then put them in the oven, spray water over them inside the oven again to make them extra crispy. Bake for 8 minutes on each side or until they become golden brown. Take them out and let them cool down, enjoy !