Mini French Baguettes

Posted by Raissa Nebie on August 4, 2009 | 16 Comments

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A friend of mine once told me that she was so broke during college that she had to bake her own baguettes. She said that at times that’s all she would have to eat with butter. I exclaimed: “Oh my God!” Shamefully, this was not so much because I empathized with her as it was because I was amazed that she baked her own baguettes.

See I love bread, but bread baking is one of the few processes that have never worked out for me. I’ve tried, tried, tried and failed, failed, failed miserably each time. So after numerous trials followed by countless ego-crushing failures, I was on the verge of giving up. But I stumbled upon the following youtube video which completely dispelled my fear of bread baking. 6 hours later, I had baked my first successful batch of French baguettes for 1/4 of what it would cost me to buy a similar quantity at Whole Foods.

What I didn’t know is that baguettes are baked at a very high temperature in steam injection ovens, producing crusty and light breads. Luckily, this method can be replicated at home by placing a metal roasting pan in the oven and pouring hot water into it to create steam.

Mini French Baguettes (adapted from several recipes)

I tried to simplify the recipe as much as I could, but feel free to ask any questions in the comment section.

Makes 8 mini baguettes

4 cups bread flour
1 tsp active dry yeast
2 tsp salt
1 tsp sugar
Warm water

Proof the yeast by mixing it with 1/2 cup of warm water and a teaspoon of sugar. Let it stand for a few minutes until it becomes foamy.

Meanwhile, mix the flour and the salt in a bowl with a wooden spoon.

Incorporate the yeast mixture to the flour. While mixing with the wooden spoon, gradually add warm water until you obtain a dough ball that detaches itself from the edges of the bowl. The dough will be a little sticky, but no worries.

Transfer the dough ball to a floured surface and knead for about 8 minutes until smooth.

Place the dough into a bowl lightly coated with oil, cover with a kitchen towel or a plastic bag and let rise at room temperature for 2 hours. The dough should double in volume.

After the dough has doubled. Transfer it to the floured surface and gently knead for 4 minutes.

Divide it into 8 equal pieces. Gently stretch each piece and roll it to form a log that will later be shaped into a mini baguette. Set aside and repeat this process with the remaining pieces of dough. This allows each piece to relax a little.

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Starting with the first log that you shaped, elongate each baguette by rolling it back and forth on the work surface until the loaf reaches the desired length. Be mindful that the bread will expand as it bakes.

Place the mini baguettes on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or lightly floured. Make 2 diagonal slashes on each loaf with a sharp knife and dust with a little flour.

Cover with a kitchen towel and let rise for 40-60 minutes until the mini baguettes are plump.

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30 minutes before baking, preheat the oven to 500 degrees F. Place an empty roasting pan on the bottom rack.

After the oven temperature has reached 500 degrees F, pour 2 cups of hot water into the roasting pan to create some steam and place the baking sheet with the baguettes on the top rack.

Bake for 10 minutes at 500F, then lower the oven temperature to 400 degrees F and bake for 20 -25 minutes until the mini baguettes are golden brown and crisp.

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Voila! Enjoy your fresh baked mini baguettes while they are still warm with butter, cheese and French charcuteries. And if you want to be really French, add a glass of red wine.

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Filed under: Baking, Brunch, Cooking, French

Comments

16 Responses to “Mini French Baguettes”

Jill McKeever
August 4th, 2009 @ 11:01 AM

I was never a bread baker until I read Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day. It is the BEST bread book written. After mastering the master recipes, you’ll want to open a bakery.

Jen @ MaplenCornbread
August 4th, 2009 @ 11:12 AM

These are PERFECT!!! Mini baguettes might even be my favorite. I love baking a variety of Artisan breads.

Raissa Nebie
August 4th, 2009 @ 11:13 AM

Thanks for the tip Jill. I’ve ordered Peter Reinhart’s The Bread Baker’s Apprentice: Mastering the Art of Extraordinary Bread and can’t wait to start baking my heart out. Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day could be my next purchase.

Raissa Nebie
August 4th, 2009 @ 11:17 AM

@ Jill and Jen. Have you ever heard of the Bread Baker’s Apprentice Challenge? Looks like a fun way to sharpen one’s bread baking skills.

Melinda Stanton
August 4th, 2009 @ 5:54 PM

I’ve never baked bread before, but this had made me really want to try it! I wonder if the same recipe would work with a whole wheat flour?

Amanda Emerson
August 4th, 2009 @ 8:28 PM

Those look amazing and fairly simple.
Thanks very much!

justine Mulholland
August 4th, 2009 @ 11:33 PM

Beautiful baguettes. They make we wish I was in France!

jo
August 5th, 2009 @ 7:55 AM

The mini baguettes look absolutely delicious and there is really nothing like freshly baked loaves. I too recently purchased Artisan and will be getting down to trying some of it’s basic recipes soon.

Raissa Nebie
August 5th, 2009 @ 10:40 AM

Thank you guys. I highly recommend you try making the baguettes. I made a batch that I froze and eat as wanted.

@ Jo. Your brioches look amazing. That’s my next project.

Larissa
August 7th, 2009 @ 4:21 PM

Is is supposed to be a Tablespoon of yeast and sugar, or a teaspoon, because the video calls for a tablespoon, your text calls for a teaspoon…

Raissa Nebie
August 7th, 2009 @ 4:42 PM

That’s correct Larissa. My recipe calls for 1 teaspoon of yeast and is adapted from the best recipes I could find online. The video is helpful for the technique.

Bohemian Plates
August 7th, 2009 @ 7:30 PM

how exciting, I too have been trying and trying to find that PERFECT no-fail bread, and I cannot wait to try this one! Thanks so much!

Jenny
August 7th, 2009 @ 7:52 PM

Really nice recipe. I’ve been baking off and on for years, and this is one of the simplest baguette recipes I’ve seen. Looking forward to trying these next week!

Kate
August 28th, 2009 @ 9:12 PM

Raissa, these look wonderful. You mentioned in an earlier comment that you froze for later – did you freeze after the last rise (right before actual baking) or after actual baking? These look to me like perfect little sandwich rolls, and I plan on making a whole-white and a honey wheat batch, but am curious about freezing before/after baking.

Thanks!

Raissa Nebie
August 30th, 2009 @ 1:20 AM

@ Kate – I freeze them after baking, then warm them up in the oven as I need them.

Dani
October 2nd, 2009 @ 9:43 PM

These look fantastic! I can’t wait to try this recipe. And to think you can have them in the freezer any time you want – wonderful.

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