French baguette refers to the popular types of bakery products. The product contains pulp inside, a crisp, sometimes sprinkled with flour. In the classic version, this product has a length of more than half a meter, and a width and height of about five centimeters. Baguette is considered one of the most popular symbols of France. French baguette recipes are very similar, but make it possible to experiment with toppings.
Baguette history
It is believed that the first such bakery product appeared during the reign of Napoleon. According to legend, they should have worn it right in their pants, but this legend does not stand up to criticism, since by the evening such a product would have been inedible.
A more believable version is the one in which the authorship of the baguette belongs to Austria. In 1839, a store was opened in the French capital selling Austrian baguettes, which the townspeople loved so much that this product became one of the country's most popular symbols.
Since that time, many recipes have changed, but the classic recipe for a French baguette in the oven with a photo can be read below. This recipe was first developed in 1993, when France issued a law allowing bread merchants to go about their business and not be afraid of supermarket competition.
Home recipe
French baguette can be found not only in the vastness of France, but also cook at home yourself. This process is not complicated, on the contrary, interesting and enjoyable. There are many recipes for this product. Below will be presented one of the classic options for making French baguette.
Components for making three baguettes:
- pressed yeast - 15 grams;
- white flour, premium - 3.75 cups, about 480 grams;
- warm and clean water - 300 ml;
- a small amount of oil so that the dough does not stick to the hands;
- sugar - about five grams;
- salt - about 7 grams.
During cooking, it is better to keep the oil near, as it may be needed to lubricate the table and dishes.
Homemade French Baguette Recipe:
1. Sift all the flour into a very large bowl. You can repeat this process 2-3 times, then the flour will be saturated with a large amount of oxygen and help the yeast to develop better.
2. In sifted flour, break the pressed yeast into small pieces. You can do it with your hands.
3. Add salt and sugar to this mixture.
4. Grind the yeast in the flour to a fine crumb. The mixture should be homogeneous.
5. Collect the mashed flour with yeast in the middle of the bowl and make a deepening. Pour water into it. Water temperature should be around 40 0.
6. Stir everything with a fork.
7. Sprinkle flour on the table, put the dough on it and knead on the table.
8. The dough should always remain a little sticky and very soft.
9. In order not to have problems sticking it to your hands, they must be lubricated with a small amount of sunflower oil. You can do the same with a table by adding a thin layer of oil to it.
10. Knead the dough for at least 20 minutes. If kneading takes less time, then the dough will not turn out quite lush, and this is necessary to create the right baguette. After about five minutes of kneading, it stops sticking, and the process becomes easier.
11. Put the dough in a greased bowl. Cover with a towel and place near the battery for 90 minutes.
12. When it rises, dump it again on the table.
13. Divide it into 3-4 parts.
14. Form each part into a rectangle using hands. Its dimensions should be smaller than the A4 sheet format.
15. Wrap one long edge towards the center.
16. The second to wrap, as the first.
17. Collapse the first and second edges again and fasten the edges.
18. Scroll the future baguette on the table so that it stretches out. The thickness should be the same along the entire length.
19. Repeat the whole process for the remaining two pieces.
20. Put them on a flour-flavored baking sheet at a distance of about five centimeters from each other.
21. Cover with a towel and put in heat for half an hour.
22. Preheat the oven to 200 degrees.
23. 10 minutes before the moment when the baguettes should be sent to the oven, they need to be cut diagonally.
24. Before you put the product on cooking, you need to take a cast-iron frying pan or metal utensils, heat it on the stove, put in the oven. Then put a baking sheet with a future baguette.
25. Pour cold and clean water into the dishes under a baking sheet.
26. Close the oven.
27. Bake for half an hour at a temperature of 200 degrees or more, until a golden crust appears.
28. Pull out the finished dish and in order for the crust to be soft, but crispy, you need to cover it with a towel, sprinkling a little water on the baking sheet. Wait about five minutes to finish cooking.
Taking note of this recipe for a French baguette in the oven, you can please your family and friends with fresh and crisp bread.
Baguette with cheese and garlic
Cheese and garlic filling will add richness, bright and rich taste to the dish. Also, garlic can be replaced with other spicy spices.
To prepare this dish you will need a small amount of components:
- finished baguette - 1 piece, preferably slightly dried out;
- garlic - 15 grams;
- greens - any amount;
- butter - half packs;
- Parmesan cheese - 100 grams.
This number of components is required for five servings.
French baguette recipe with cheese and garlic:
1. Grate cheese on any grater.
2. Cut the garlic and herbs very finely.
3. Slightly melt the butter and combine it with the mixture.
4. Thoroughly mix what happened.
5. In the baguette, make deep cuts, almost to the end.
6. Add the prepared mixture to each cut, wrap the baguette with foil.
7. Put the baguette in the oven, preheated to 200 degrees. Wait 25 minutes.
8. Open the foil and bake for another 5 minutes.
The dish is ready. It can be used as an independent dish, or with soup.
Types of Baguettes
In the world there are three types of baguettes that differ from each other. The first option is a classic baguette with a crust, gold or yellow. The weight of such a product is about 250 grams.
The second type is a shaped baguette. It is baked in industrial furnaces, it has a drawing on its base, which indicates that it is made using technology.
The third type is Farina. This baguette is sprinkled with flour before cooking, so it does not have a crisp. At the same time, it can be prepared according to the classic recipe. Photos with French baguettes of different types will be listed below.
Despite the differences, each of these types of baguette has a great taste and will suit almost any table.
Baguette Properties
French baguette recipes are very similar, which is why they have similar properties. One of them is quick drying. This usually occurs at the end of the day. Therefore, French bakeries try to bake bread in the morning so that it can be used without losing properties until the end of the day.
Baguette in Paris
More than half a million baguettes are sold daily in the French capital. By the way, in Paris this bakery product weighs exactly 200 grams. Interestingly, in the bakery you can ask to sell only half of the baguette, and the buyer has no right to refuse.