Baking Baguettes
- bridgetscooking
- 2 hours ago
- 3 min read
Wow, it's been December since my last post. The holidays and avoiding the cold weather really make time fly! So, even though it's a bit late, I want to wish you a Happy New Year and a Happy Valentine's Day! I've been eager to share a fantastic sourdough baguette recipe with you. This one uses more starter than most bread recipes I've tried, requiring a total of 481 grams! This recipe produces six regular-sized baguettes or three larger ones. You might want to start with a half batch instead. The recipe I use is from the King Arthur website. I've also included in the recipe section of my blog site.
Note: I suggest checking out the recipe on the King Arthur website and taking a moment to click on the "Perfect your technique" link within the recipe. It was instrumental in helping me grasp the method for achieving the best results.
This recipe produces fantastic baguettes that are perfect for charcuterie boards, as a side dish with pasta, or simply as a delicious snack! While they don't keep as long as a classic sourdough loaf, they freeze beautifully and are excellent for making homemade croutons. (You'll find the crouton recipe in my recipe section too.) I have several loaves in the freezer, ready to be thawed, warmed, and served when needed!
A great aspect of this recipe is that you can start it in the morning and enjoy fresh baguettes by dinner. The recipe doesn't require a cold rise, but it does need two room temperature rises: one in the mixing bowl and another after shaping the dough into loaves.
As shown in the images above, I use the Kitchenaid bread bowl with a baking lid to mix, knead, and let the dough rise initially—all in the same bowl. The marks on the bowl 😉 indicate that I've also baked in it several times using a sourdough recipe for a single loaf. The Kitchenaid website also offers simple no-knead recipes for you to try. If you're interested, you can visit the website at:
Of course you can use whatever bowl you have on hand, just wanted to share this with you.
After finishing the kneading and the initial rise, it's time to shape your loaves. Divide the dough into six portions (or three if you're using the half recipe). I weigh each piece to make sure they're approximately the same size.
That's how you do it! You will have nice crunchy loaves that are soft on the inside. It's important to let them cool if you can wait! If not, break into one and spread some butter on the slices and enjoy!
The picture below doesn't relate to baguettes, but I wanted to showcase the cinnamon rolls my "sourdough buddy" Linda made. She used my "Dad's Sourdough Rolls" recipe, which is available in the recipe section of my blog. Although it's not a traditional sourdough recipe, it's incredibly tasty, and you can make either regular rolls or these cinnamon versions, both of which come out wonderfully. They look so delicious that I just had to share. Linda and her family agree they're fantastic!
Side note: I was away for several weeks, and my starter seemed a bit neglected, but with a few consistent feedings, it revived nicely. The key is to feed it a few times before leaving and keep the starter tightly sealed in the refrigerator while you're away. Upon your return, discard the "yucky" top layer, stir the rest thoroughly, and start regular feedings. You'll be back on track in no time! Happy baking!
Bridget
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