How to Master Pâte à Choux (For Éclairs, Gougeres & Cute Little Cream Puffs)

This original article was written to detail the process of specifically making crullers, a fried pâte à choux based pastry. For the February episode of Bake it Up a Notch, we took a deep dive into all things pâte à choux, and …

This original article was written to detail the process of specifically making crullers, a fried pâte à choux based pastry. For the February episode of Bake it Up a Notch, we took a deep dive into all things pâte à choux, and I wanted to update the article to discuss the broader scope of this process—one of my favorite pastry building blocks and baking standbys.

Read More >>

Vegetarian French Onion Soup

This vegetarian French onion soup is the ultimate comfort food! It’s got the rich flavor of the classic, topped with a golden crust of cheese. There’s just something about silky caramelized onions topped golden, crusty cheese that takes your breath away every time. This is classic French cooking at its finest. It’s not just the flavor. It’s the promise that while the outside world is cold and brutal, every spoonful of French onion soup is pure bliss. This vegetarian French onion soup is our spin on the classic: it’s so full of rich, nuanced flavor you won’t miss the traditional beef broth. It’s a bit of a project: but it’s worth every moment of the prep. Promise! How to make French onion soup: an overview French onion soup has a long history; onion soups go back as far as the Roman times. But the modern version of French onion soup comes from Paris in the 1700’s. It was introduced in the US in the 1860’s in a New York restaurant, and it’s been popular ever since. You’ll need about 1 1/2 hours to make this vegetarian French onion soup. But it is 100% worth the effort, and you can make […]

A Couple Cooks – Healthy, Whole Food, & Vegetarian Recipes

This vegetarian French onion soup is the ultimate comfort food! It’s got the rich flavor of the classic, topped with a golden crust of cheese.

Vegetarian French Onion Soup

There’s just something about silky caramelized onions topped golden, crusty cheese that takes your breath away every time. This is classic French cooking at its finest. It’s not just the flavor. It’s the promise that while the outside world is cold and brutal, every spoonful of French onion soup is pure bliss. This vegetarian French onion soup is our spin on the classic: it’s so full of rich, nuanced flavor you won’t miss the traditional beef broth. It’s a bit of a project: but it’s worth every moment of the prep. Promise!

How to make French onion soup: an overview

French onion soup has a long history; onion soups go back as far as the Roman times. But the modern version of French onion soup comes from Paris in the 1700’s. It was introduced in the US in the 1860’s in a New York restaurant, and it’s been popular ever since.

You’ll need about 1 1/2 hours to make this vegetarian French onion soup. But it is 100% worth the effort, and you can make a few components in advance as time savers. Make it on a cozy day when you have time to prep, or do the advanced prep if you’re serving for a dinner party.

Caramelize the onions1 hour
Make the vegetarian broth30 minutes (while cooking onions)
Make the soup20 minutes
Vegetarian French onion soup

The key to vegetarian French onion soup: homemade broth

Here’s one important thing to note. Vegetable broths and stocks vary widely in flavor and quality. Try it in a French onion soup, and most purchased veggie broth comes out sweet: not savory like you’d expect! Trust us, we tested a few times and it did not taste right.

Here’s what you’ll have to do: make a homemade vegetable broth! It might sound like overkill, but it makes for just the right flavor. When Alex and I tried it with this homemade broth, we were amazed by the flavor. Don’t skip this step!

Of course, if you want a classic French onion soup: just use beef broth! You can make the same recipe without that step and of course, it tastes great too.

Caramelizing onions: a few tips

The main time-consuming step for vegetarian French onion soup is caramelizing the onions! Sure, you can saute onions in about 10 minutes. But to get them fully dark brown and caramelized takes about 1 hour. Here are the basic steps, and a graphic that shows the color of the onions each phase!

  • Thinly slice the onions.
  • Sauté the onions in butter for 10 minutes on medium high.
  • Reduce the heat to medium low, add salt and saute for 40 to 45 minutes until deep brown and very soft.
How to caramelize onions

Dry sherry brings big flavor (or use white wine)

This vegetarian French onion soup uses dry sherry to bring in complexity and intrigue into the flavor. What is it, and what’s a substitute?

  • Sherry is a fortified wine made in Spain that’s made by adding grape liquor to white wine. The flavor is sharp, with a scent of apple cider and a very dry finish. It’s worth finding for this recipe if you don’t have it already.
  • How long does sherry last? An opened bottle of sherry lasts in the refrigerator for 2 to 3 months.
  • What’s a substitute for sherry? Don’t’ have it? You can use a dry white wine instead (make sure it’s not a sweet wine).

The crouton topping: broil or bake!

The last component to a great vegetarian French onion soup is the crouton topping! That is: it’s topped bread and cheese, broiled to golden perfection. There are a few techniques to achieve this, but I love the one that Alex devised using both Swiss cheese and grated Parmesan. Here’s what to do:

  • Place the soup into small oven-safe bowls or ramekins. This is key! Make sure you have some small serving bowls: typically this soup is not served in large vessels.
  • Add 1/2 inch slices of bread, then Swiss or Gruyere and grated Parmesan cheese. The two cheese really makes the perfect melting. Remember: grated Parm is the kind that looks like snow (don’t use shredded).
  • Broil for 2 minutes or bake 20 minutes at 400 degrees. The broiling method here is much easier and quicker: we prefer it! But if you don’t have a broiler, go the oven route.
How to make French onion soup

Make ahead tips for vegetarian French onion soup

Last tip before we get to this (very tasty) recipe: here’s how to speed it up! You can make both of the main components in advance:

  • Caramelize the onions in advance. This makes the prep time take next to nothing! Caramelize the onions, then refrigerate until serving. Bring to warm before you pick up in the soup recipe.
  • Make the homemade broth in advance. Same idea! You can refrigerate until serving, then warm it up and pick right back up in the recipe.

What to serve with French onion soup

Here’s a final important thing to note about French onion soup: it’s not intended as a full meal. It’s generally served as an appetizer to an elegant meal, or as a lunch. How to make it into a light meal? Here’s what to add:

Vegetarian French onion soup recipe

This vegetarian French onion soup is…

Vegetarian. For gluten-free, use gluten-free bread.

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Vegetarian French Onion Soup

Vegetarian French Onion Soup


1 Star2 Stars3 Stars4 Stars5 Stars (6 votes, average: 5.00 out of 5)

  • Author: Sonja Overhiser
  • Prep Time: 5 minutes
  • Cook Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
  • Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
  • Yield: 6
  • Diet: Vegetarian

Description

This vegetarian French onion soup is the ultimate comfort food! It’s got the rich flavor of the classic, topped with a golden crust of cheese.


Ingredients

For the caramelized onions

  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 3 pounds yellow onions (5 medium)
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/2 cup dry sherry (or white wine)
  • 1 tablespoon flour

For the soup

  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 8 ounces mushrooms
  • 1 carrot
  • 2 celery ribs
  • 6 garlic cloves
  • 8 cups water
  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 1 teaspoon each garlic powder and onion powder
  • 1 teaspoon vegan Worcestershire sauce (purchased or use this substitute)
  • 2 teaspoons kosher salt
  • 6 slices Swiss or Gruyere cheese (or shredded)
  • 6 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
  • 6 large or 12 small slices bread, sliced about 1/2” thick

Instructions

  1. Caramelize the onions: Thinly slice the onions about 1/8-inch thick. In a soup pot, heat the butter over medium high heat. Add the onions and sauté for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring often, until very soft and just starting to brown on the bottom. Reduce to medium-low heat and stir in the kosher salt. Cook for 40 to 45 minutes, stirring every 5 to 10 minutes and adjusting the heat so they continue to cook slowly without burning. The mushrooms will change from raw to golden to light brown to very dark brown, and reduce in volume by about 1/4. (Make ahead tip: Make the caramelized onions in advance and refrigerate until ready to make the soup. Reheat in a pan and go to step 3.)
  2. Meanwhile, make the homemade broth: Slice the mushrooms. Wash and cut the carrot in half length-wise, then into large chunks. Cut the celery into large pieces. Smash and peel the garlic. In a second pot, heat the butter over medium heat. Add the mushrooms and sauté until browned, about 6 to 7 minutes. Add 8 cups water, kosher salt, and vegetables. Bring to a boil and simmer for 30 minutes. (Make ahead: Make the broth in advance and refrigerate until serving. Then warm before proceeding to Step 3.)
  3. Simmer the soup: When onions are very reduced and dark brown, stir in the sherry and deglaze the pan by scrape all the bits off the bottom of the pan. Sprinkle with the flour and stir until the onions are coated. Strain the homemade broth into the onions (discarding the vegetables). Add 1 cup water and bring to a simmer for 2 minutes.
  4. Broil the topping: Place the soup into 6 oven-safe small bowls or ramekins. Preheat a broiler to high or an oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Top with bread slices (about 1/2-inch thick), 1 slice Swiss or Gruyere cheese, and 1 tablespoon grated Parmesan per bowl. Broil 1 to 3 minutes (or bake for 20 minutes) until the cheese is melted and browned. Place on a plate and serve immediately, taking care since the bowls are very hot. 
  • Category: Main Dish
  • Method: Stovetop
  • Cuisine: French

Keywords: Vegetarian French onion soup, French onion soup, How to make French onion soup

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Rustic Potato Leek Soup

This Rustic Potato Leek Soup recipe is left nice and chunky (not puréed), it’s naturally gluten-free and vegan (no cream), and made with a simple, light, garlic-herb broth.  So cozy and delicious! Meet my favorite kind of leek and potato soup. ♡ By contrast to traditional potato leek soup recipes — which are usually puréed […]

This Rustic Potato Leek Soup recipe is left nice and chunky (not puréed), it’s naturally gluten-free and vegan (no cream), and made with a simple, light, garlic-herb broth.  So cozy and delicious!

Rustic Potato Leek Soup

Meet my favorite kind of leek and potato soup. ♡

By contrast to traditional potato leek soup recipes — which are usually puréed and loaded up with tons of heavy cream — this more “rustic” version is left deliciously nice and chunky, which I love.  It’s also made with a light, herby, garlicky broth that tastes wonderfully flavorful on its own, without any need for cream.  And when served with zesty homemade croutons or a good loaf of crusty bread, I’m telling you, this soup is the most wonderful wintertime comfort food.

I’ve been making various versions of this soup ever since we moved to Europe, since leeks absolutely abound here.  (Truly, they’re so popular that even the tiniest little convenience stores always carry them!)  But it always seemed like such a basic simple recipe that I never really considered posting it here until my husband insisted this winter that our friends and family back home would love it just as much as we do.

As you’ll see, the ingredient list is short and simple and can be customized with whatever fresh or dried herbs you happen to have on hand.  It’s also naturally gluten-free, vegetarian and vegan.  (Although if you happen to eat dairy, we always love topping our bowls with some coarsely-grated Parmesan cheese.)  And best of all, it can be ready to go in just a half hour or so, making it a great recipe for busy weeknights.  We usually serve ours with a simple side salad and some crusty bread (or croutons) and the combo always feels perfectly light and cozy.

So if you’d like to join our little family in our simple soup tradition, pick up some leeks and potatoes the next time you’re at the market and let’s make some rustic potato leek soup together!

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French Lentil and Mushroom Soup

This simple French Lentil and Mushroom Soup recipe is simmered with a cozy blend of veggies, herbs and greens.  It’s healthy yet hearty, naturally vegan and gluten-free, and total French-inspired comfort food. Anyone else “traveling” vicariously through your cooking lately? Memories have been popping up on my phone the past few weeks from our trip […]

This simple French Lentil and Mushroom Soup recipe is simmered with a cozy blend of veggies, herbs and greens.  It’s healthy yet hearty, naturally vegan and gluten-free, and total French-inspired comfort food.

French Lentil and Mushroom Soup

Anyone else “traveling” vicariously through your cooking lately?

Memories have been popping up on my phone the past few weeks from our trip to Provence, France a year ago when my husband’s and my parents all came over to Europe to visit us.  And seeing photos of all of those beautiful countrysides, narrow cobblestoned streets, charming cottages, and dreamy local markets overflowing with fresh flowers, produce, breads, cheeses and wines has me feeling some major wanderlust again.  I’m so, so ready for the time to come when we can all safely travel again!!

Sigh, I know it’s still going to be awhile.  So in the meantime, at least, Barclay and I have been re-living some of our favorite past adventures and dreaming about future trips to come through our meals.  And I have to say that this cozy French Lentil and Mushroom Soup recipe had us feeling all of those Provencal fall vibes again in the most delicious of ways. ♡

This lovely soup was inspired by our trips to the outdoor markets around Aix-en-Provence, where local mushrooms, leeks, greens and herbs were all proudly in season this time of year.  When simmered together with those beautiful marbled French lentils (my favorite type of lentils to use in soup) and finished with a splash of balsamic, they combine to make a simple yet wonderfully satisfying meal that we have been enjoying on repeat lately.  I intentionally wrote the recipe here to make a fairly large batch, since the leftovers keep beautifully for easy lunches and dinners later in the week.  And the recipe itself also happens to be naturally gluten-free, vegan, and packed with good-for-you-protein, making it the perfect healthier counterpoint to some of the more indulgent comfort foods we’ve been enjoying this time of year.

So if you could also use a bit of delicious taste of France in your life right now, gather up these ingredients and let’s make a steaming pot of French lentil soup together.

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“The salt-cured cod was layered with cream mashed potatoes and presented in a small cocotte… the mussels bathed in white wine and garlic sauce.”

“Caramelized slices of pear hid beneath the custard, and the top was sprinkled with shards of toasted almonds.”

“She made it with whole milk and a dash of cream and pieces of dark chocolate. I dipped a piece of buttered toast into the chocolate.”

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The Parisian Cookbook We’re Escaping Into

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While we may not be able to travel, I've been finding solace in distraction: in words and images from distant places. Like that of the bartender at Le Mary Celeste stashing wine for La Buvette chef-owner Camille Fourmont; or Fourmont herself, tinkering with tubs of panna cotta, as a student in her tiny Parisian kitchen; or fellow chef and friend Lee Desrosier poking a cabbage in a fire years ago, and what he might be planning for dinner tonight.

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A Very Good Beef Bourguignon, Made for One

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“As is the case with most famous dishes, there are more ways than one to arrive at a good boeuf bourguignon,” writes Julia Child in Mastering the Art of French Cooking. If you’ve ever tasted Julia’s famous beef stew in red wine, then you know how good it is. If you’ve ever made Julia’s famous beef stew in red wine, then you know that it’s not exactly a walk in the park.

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Bijou Cocktail

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This cocktail gets its name from the three main ingredients, and their relationship to bijoux, or jewels or gems. The clear gin is like a diamond, the red vermouth is like a ruby, and the green from the Chartreuse is the emerald. The original recipe called for those ingredients to be used in three equal parts but cocktail expert and bartender Dale DeGroff, who resurrected the cocktail, refashioned the quantities. I actually prefect a touch more red vermouth than he does so I up that to 1 ounce, but you can leave it as is.

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Baguette Recipe

This crusty French baguette recipe is easier to make than you think! Here’s a video tutorial showing how to make this classic crusty bread. What’s better than a crunchy fresh French artisan baguette? (Almost nothing.) Well, here’s an easy baguette recipe you can make at home! It’s simple to make: there’s no special equipment required! And the only ingredient you need are all-purpose flour, yeast and salt. You will be absolutely amazed at the crunchy texture, tangy flavor, and beautiful long loaf. We have a long list of bread recipes (including our “famous” sourdough bread), but Alex and I agreed this one is our new favorite. The flavor is out of this world. Here’s what to do! How to make this baguette recipe: an overview! Here’s the basic outline of what you’re getting yourself into with this baguette recipe. The process spans 3 days! Day One takes 1 hour (just a few minutes of hands on time) and you’ll need about 3 hours on Day Three to shape and bake it. In between, you’ll rest the dough in the refrigerator for 2 days. This is the secret to the very best baguette flavor! Here’s an outline of what you’ll have to do: […]

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This crusty French baguette recipe is easier to make than you think! Here’s a video tutorial showing how to make this classic crusty bread.

Baguette Recipe

What’s better than a crunchy fresh French artisan baguette? (Almost nothing.) Well, here’s an easy baguette recipe you can make at home! It’s simple to make: there’s no special equipment required! And the only ingredient you need are all-purpose flour, yeast and salt. You will be absolutely amazed at the crunchy texture, tangy flavor, and beautiful long loaf. We have a long list of bread recipes (including our “famous” sourdough bread), but Alex and I agreed this one is our new favorite. The flavor is out of this world. Here’s what to do!

How to make this baguette recipe: an overview!

Here’s the basic outline of what you’re getting yourself into with this baguette recipe. The process spans 3 days! Day One takes 1 hour (just a few minutes of hands on time) and you’ll need about 3 hours on Day Three to shape and bake it. In between, you’ll rest the dough in the refrigerator for 2 days. This is the secret to the very best baguette flavor! Here’s an outline of what you’ll have to do:

Day 1Mix the dough, proof 1 hour, refrigerate (15 minutes active)
Day 2Refrigerate dough
Day 3Proof and shape dough (30 minutes active, 2 hours inactive)
Bake (40 minutes)
Cool (20 minutes)
How to make a baguette
French baguettes and no knead bread

Equipment list for making a baguette (nothing special needed!)

This baguette recipe requires no special equipment! Compared to other artisan bread recipes like our sourdough, artisan, or even no knead, it’s got the smallest list of required tools. There’s no Dutch oven and no proofing basket needed. Here’s what you need!

Required tools for this artisan bread recipe

  1. Parchment paper
  2. Baking sheet
  3. Sharp knife or lame for scoring the bread
  4. Kitchen scale for measuring (optional)

All you need is all-purpose flour

Another feature of this baguette recipe is that all you need is all-purpose flour! Our other bread recipes use flour blends like whole wheat and bread flour. Baguettes are surprisingly simple: requiring only all-puprose flour, salt and yeast.

This recipe makes 2 loaves: halve it if desired!

This baguette recipe makes 2 loaves of bread. If you don’t think you’ll eat two in a few days, here are some options:

  • Make half the recipe. It works just as well with half the quantities: you can follow the recipe to a T.
  • Freeze the second baguette. You can freeze the second baguette for several months, then reheat it from frozen. It comes out a little crustier but the flavor is just as good! See the “Storage” section below.
Easy baguette recipe

Think ahead! A 2 day rest is required.

We said it once, but we’ll say it again. This bread requires thinking ahead a few days. You’ll need to rest the bread dough for 2 days in the refrigerator. Why?

  • The 2 day rest makes a complex, tangy flavor. Resting the dough in the refrigerator is also called “fermenting”. As the dough ferments, it develops a naturally tangy and complex flavor. (We also suggest this with our best pizza dough.) You can truly taste the difference!
  • It doesn’t have to be exactly 48 hours. There is some wiggle room, so don’t worry if you do about 1.5 days instead of a full 2 days on the rest time.

How to shape a baguette (video!)

The part of making this baguette recipe that requires the most technique is folding and shaping the dough. It’s easiest to learn how to shape the dough by watching. So, we made you a video! Here’s Alex demonstrating how to shape a baguette. We highly recommend watching this video before you start!

How to score a baguette

See those beautiful lines on the top of the baguette? Those are called score lines. Scoring is slashing the top of the dough with a sharp knife to allow it to expand when baking. Here are some things to know about scoring the baguette (also watch the video above):

  • Use your sharpest knife, or a lame. You’ll want the knife to be ultra sharp. We purchased a lame for this, since we make lots of bread recipes. But a knife works just as well!
  • Make shallow, diagonal overlapping cuts. You want to cut just the surface — if it’s too deep it collapses, if it’s too shallow it bursts. Make the pattern look like the one in the video above, where the cuts overlap diagonally.
French baguette recipe

Storage & reheating info for this baguette recipe

This baguette recipe has no preservatives, so the storage is different from a bread you might buy from the store. Since this recipe makes two loaves, you can freeze the second one and eat it later! It comes out a little crustier than the day of baking, but it’s still fantastic and the flavor is perfectly preserved. Here’s what to do:

  • Room temperature storage (2 days): Once you’ve baked your French baguette, it is best eaten within 48 hours. Store it wrapped in a towel at room temperature.
  • Frozen (3 months): Let the baguette cool to room temperature, then wrap it in aluminum foil and place it in a plastic bag. Freeze for several months.
  • Reheating: Preheat the oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit. Unwrap the baguette and add directly to the oven grate (from frozen!) and bake about 15 to 20 minutes until warmed through.
Baguette on cheese board

Ways to serve this baguette

There are so many ways to serve a baguette! Likely you already have ideas. Here are some of our favorites, including some ways to use stale bread:

  • On a cheese board. See above! Add a variety of cheeses, olives, nuts, and jam and you’ve got one incredible cheese board for entertaining.
  • With salted French butter. One of the very best taste treats: this baguette with salted French butter. Look for French or European-style butter at your local grocery.
  • With dips. Try it with our Spinach Artichoke Dip: it’s delightful.
  • Crostini. When it’s starting to go stale, turn it into Easy Crostini and top with toppings, or make Goat Cheese Crostini.
  • Garlic toast. Another idea for Day 2, make it into this insanely garlicky Garlic Toast.
  • Breadcrumbs or croutons. If you get to the point where it’s pretty stale, make it into breadcrumbs or croutons! You can also use it for panzanella or bread soup.

This French baguette recipe is…

Vegetarian, vegan, plant-based, and dairy free.

Print
Baguette Recipe

Baguette Recipe (Easy with Video!)


1 Star2 Stars3 Stars4 Stars5 Stars (5 votes, average: 5.00 out of 5)

  • Author: Sonja Overhiser
  • Prep Time: 3 hour 30 minutes
  • Cook Time: 40 minutes
  • Total Time: 4 hours 10 minutes
  • Yield: 2 large baguettes (about 40 slices)
  • Diet: Vegan

Description

This crusty French baguette recipe is easier to make than you think! Here’s a video tutorial showing how to make this classic crusty bread.


Ingredients

  • 500 grams all-purpose flour (4 cups)*
  • 8 grams instant or active dry yeast (2 teaspoons)
  • 12 grams kosher salt (2 teaspoons)
  • 350 grams warm water (1 1/2 cups)

Instructions

Day 1: Make the dough (15 minutes active, 45 minutes inactive)

  1. Mix the dough: Combine the flour, salt, and yeast in a bowl or the bowl of your stand mixer. Stir to combine. Add the water and stir until a raggy dough forms. Turn the dough out onto a floured surface.
  2. Knead the dough: Knead the dough by pushing with the base of your palm, then reforming it into a ball. Continue kneading for 8 minutes until the dough feels pillowy and has a smooth, stretchy exterior. If the dough is very sticky, add a small amount of flour while kneading. Resist the urge to add lots of flour. Alternatively: attach the dough hook to a stand mixer and start the mixer on medium-low speed, then allow the mixer to knead for 8 minutes.
  3. Proof 45 to 60 minutes: After the kneading is finished, form the dough into a ball and return to the bowl. Proof until doubled in size, about 45-60 minutes. Divide dough into two equal pieces. Gently shape each half into a boule (ball shape) by folding the dough under itself. Place each dough into a separate covered container, with room for the dough to double in size.
  4. Refrigerate 2 days: Place containers in the refrigerator for 2 days to ferment (this is where all the flavor comes from!).

Day 3: Shape & Bake (30 minutes active, 2 hours inactive, 40 minutes bake, 20 minutes cool)

  1. Proof 1 hour: When ready to bake, remove the dough from the refrigerator. Place dough onto lightly floured counter and pull ends under dough to form a boule shape (watch video for this and all following steps). Repeat with second dough. Cover with towel and rest 1 hour.
  2. Fold the dough & rest 10 minutes: After an hour, flip the dough over and pull out the left and right ends. Fold the ends into the center of the dough and gently roll into a log. Pinch the seams on the sides. Be careful not to press too hard while rolling to avoid deflating the dough. Repeat with second dough. Cover with a towel and rest for 10 minutes.
  3. Pre-shape the dough & rest 5 minutes: Sprinkle the doughs with flour. Flip the dough and pat it gently into a rectangle. Fold in half and use the heel of your hand to pinch the seam and form a log shape. Flip and repeat the process. Repeat with second dough. Cover with towel and rest 5 minutes.
  4. Shape the dough & proof 45 minutes: Place a clean towel on a baking pan and dust it heavily with flour. Starting from the center of the dough, use your hands to roll the dough into a long baguette shape the almost the length of your pan. Make sure to roll your hands all the way past the ends of the dough to create the tapered point. Carefully transfer the dough to the floured towel and tuck it on both sides to provide support. Repeat with second dough. Cover with a towel and proof for 45 minutes.
  5. Preheat the oven: Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 475 degrees Fahrenheit. Place a cast iron pan or your thickest baking sheet on the rack just below and off to the other side of oven. You’ll pour water into it later to create steam.
  6. Score the bread: After proofing, carefully move each dough out of the towel and transfer it directly onto the pan. Ensure the dough is straightened and dust it lightly with flour. Use a sharp knife or lame to score each bread 4 times at a slight diagonal, just overlapping pattern.
  7. Bake at 475 degrees: Place the tray in the oven and add steam: cover your hand with a towel and very carefully pour 1 cup of water onto the cast-iron pan or baking sheet, then immediately close the door. Bake 16 minutes and then reduce the oven temperature to 400 degrees.
  8. Bake at 400 degrees: Open the oven door and fan it a few times to release moist air. Bake for 23 to 25 minutes until golden brown. Cool on a wire rack at least 20 minutes before serving.
  9. Storage instructions: Store at room temperature wrapped in a towel for up to 2 days. To preserve the second loaf, you can freeze it: wrap in foil and place in a plastic bag. Store for several months in the freezer. To reheat, bake from frozen for 15 to 20 minutes at 325 degrees Fahrenheit.

Notes

*If you’d like only 1 loaf, cut the quantities in half. The recipe works just as well!

  • Category: Bread
  • Method: Baked
  • Cuisine: French

Keywords: Baguette Recipe, French Baguette,

A Couple Cooks - Healthy, Whole Food, & Vegetarian Recipes