5-minute Baguette

The 5 minute baguette - YouTube

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Timeline Summary

• For breakfast baguettes: Mix in the evening and bake in the morning.
• For dinner baguettes: Mix in the morning and bake in the evening.
• For flexibility: Mix the dough in the evening and bake at your convenience.

Recipe: Efficient Baguettes

Step 1: Prepare the Dough (2 minutes)

1. Combine flour, salt, and yeast in a large bowl until it is mixed evenly.
2. Add water, and mix until the ingredients form a cohesive ball (about 2 minutes).
3. Cover the bowl and let the dough rise for 8-10 hours in a cool, draft-free place (e.g., inside a cold oven).
   • Tip: If the ambient temperature is cold, warm the oven slightly (45°C/113°F), turn it off, and let the dough rise inside.
   • Ideal Temperature Range for Dough Rising:
     • Optimal: 24–27°C (75–81°F)
     • Acceptable but slower rise: 20–23°C (68–74°F)
     • Below 20°C (68°F), yeast activity slows significantly, and it may take much longer for the dough to rise.
     • Below 4°C (40°F), yeast becomes dormant. While the dough won't rise at this temperature, it can be stored for extended fermentation in the refrigerator (cold-proofing).
     • A slower, colder rise can lead to tastier bread^[1]

Step 1.5: Dough Rising (8-10 hours)

The dough rises.

... or it doesn't. If the dough doesn't rise, don't panic! Turn it into a Flatbread, some of the best you've ever had.

Step 2: Shape the Dough (3 minutes)

1. Lightly flour your work surface. Scrape the dough onto the surface, and dust the top with flour to prevent sticking.
2. Divide the dough into 4 equal portions (or as desired for 2, 3, or 5 baguettes).
3. Gently stretch each portion into a baguette shape. Avoid pressing too hard to retain air pockets.
4. Place the shaped dough on a baking tray or parchment-lined plate.

Optional:

1. Score proofed baguettes with a razor or sharp knife at a 45° angle.
2. After transferring the baguettes to a baking tray or sheet, spritz the baguettes with water (or brush lightly).

Step 3: Bake the Baguettes (25 minutes)

1. Preheat the oven to 250°C (480°F) with top/bottom heating (not hot air or forced air).
   • Optional: Use the steam function if available, or add a pan of water for steam.
2. Transfer the baguettes to the preheated oven.
3. Bake for about 25 minutes, or until the crust is golden to your liking.
4. Let cool before slicing, about an hour.
   1. Or you could eat one fresh and let the others cool... Just saying.

Notes

Flour:

• Use baker's or bread flour (high protein content).
• Adjust water if needed: Reduce if the dough is too runny. Experiment with different flours for optimal results.

Oven:

• Preheat with top/bottom heating, not forced air.
• Experiment with tray positions for even baking.

Experiments

I varied from the recipe a little here, specifically to get a little but of a crispier/shinier crust, and to try to control how the dough let off steam. I also let the dough rise for 12 hours instead of 8-10 because I got excited and started the process too early, but my house also gets down to 60-62 degrees at night, so that might have been fine.

NOTE: I also added a baking sheet of water to the oven to make the whole thing steamier.

From left to right/top to bottom, I have a Control Baguette (which was cut from the center of the dough blob in step 2.2), an edge baguette that was spritzed with water, a center baguette that was sliced along the length and spritzed with water, and an edge baguette that was just sliced. I sprayed the two test baguettes evenly on top before putting them into the oven.

I used a pumpkin carving knife to make the steam slices in the baguettes, and I think if I'd used a kitchen razor (or a "lame",^[2] which is French for "not cool"), I could have gotten deeper cuts without putting too much pressure on the bread. I also could have tried a small serated knife.

I would say that the texture difference was not significant in this test; it largely came down to appearance.