Look no further than this easy baguette recipe. Only 4 ingredients and it’s mostly down time! Crusty French Baguettes: I could not believe how french baguette these came out. And they were pretty easy to make!

I hope you had a fun and restful weekend. Here at my house, I’ve been knee deep in bread baking. In the last few weeks I’ve shared cornbread and soft whole wheat bread, and I’ve also got a fantastic soft pretzel recipe that you’ve gotta try. It would be perfect for Superbowl Sunday! But today’s recipe has always kinda haunted me. My family loves a good crusty French baguette.

We eat this kind of bread with so many things! It’s so chewy and yeasty and good. But I’ve always been afraid to try making it myself. Everything you hear says it’s complicated and fussy, and no one but a French boulanger could ever get it right. Here’s living proof that anyone can make a killer baguette. I am over the moon about that crunchy, splintery outer crust. And the interior- soft, pillowy and so airy.

If I can do this, so can you. Don’t let anybody tell you otherwise! When you picture a scene in France, do you envision a girl in a striped top, wearing a beret, and riding a bicycle with a basket full of long loaves of French bread? They are iconic, and France’s reputation for incredibly crusty and delicious baguettes is known far and wide. They say that nothing can come close the bread you can get in France.

I’ve never been, so I can’t say for sure, but I think you’d stand the best possible chance if you make it yourself. I mean, how could anything be better than a freshly baked loaf of bread? That crackly crust, the tender, airy crumb inside, steamy and yeasty and just begging to be torn into! It’ll only take 4 simple ingredients and a few easy steps. In fact, it’s mostly down time! HOW TO MAKE A CRUSTY FRENCH BAGUETTE This recipe has just 4 ingredients: water, yeast, flour, and salt.

And it’s all because of the technique! Start by dissolving the yeast in warm water. While that is doing its magic, combine the flour and salt. Create a little well in the center, and add in the yeast. Stir it around, taking flour from the outside edge and bringing it into the well, a little at a time. Next add in a bit of cool water.

Keep stirring, and adding water as needed, until a shaggy dough forms. Now just cover it loosely, and let it rest. For this type of bread, there’s not a lot of kneading involved. It only needs a few quick folds, to become smooth and build strength, without overworking the gluten and causing toughness. Place the dough into a greased bowl and cover it tightly. Nestle the loaves in to a floured kitchen towel, cover with oiled plastic wrap, and allow to rise a second time. While the baguettes are rising, fill a baking pan with water and place it in the bottom of your oven.

Preheat the oven and allow it to fill with steam from the water. This is the KEY to a crusty baguette. Once the loaves have finished their second rise, remove the plastic wrap and sprinkle them with a little flour. Then quickly slash them with a lame, razor blade, or sharp knife. This is decorative, but it also allows the crust to crack and the bread to expand in a more controlled way.

Place them in the oven and let them bake until deeply golden brown. They should feel light and dry on the outside, and when you tap them they should give a hollow sound. HOW TO USE A BAGUETTE This type of loaf is infinitely versatile! 2-inch rounds and it’s perfect as a base for bruschetta or crostini. Or it can be used as a dipper for your favorite party dip. And we love it toasted with garlic butter, for garlic bread. So good with a pasta dinner!