Description
This no-knead baguette bread recipe is perfect for home bakers who want to enjoy crispy, golden-brown baguettes without the hassle of kneading. With a long fermentation time, the dough develops rich flavor and bubbles, resulting in a wonderfully crusty exterior and soft, airy interior. Utilizing a simple mix-and-rest approach, this recipe produces about 4 baguettes, baked with steam for that professional crust.
Ingredients
Scale
For the No-Knead Baguette Dough
- 6 cups all-purpose flour (adjust as needed depending on the brand)
- 2 1/4 cups lukewarm water
- 2 teaspoons active dry yeast
- 2 teaspoons salt
Instructions
- Mix Dough: The night before baking, combine all the dry ingredients—flour, yeast, and salt—in a large bowl. Add the lukewarm water and stir until the dough just comes together. It will be wet and sticky. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let it sit at room temperature on the countertop for 12 to 20 hours to ferment and develop flavor.
- Flour Preparation: After the resting period, the dough should be bubbly and sticky. Generously flour your hands and the baking sheet to prevent sticking during shaping.
- Form Baguettes: Carefully transfer the dough onto the floured baking sheet. Using floured hands, shape the dough into baguette forms—this quantity makes about four baguettes. Sprinkle the loaves generously with flour and cover them with a clean towel. Allow them to rise in a warm place for about one hour, until slightly puffed. Just before baking, score the tops of the baguettes with a sharp knife to help shaping during oven spring.
- Preheat and Set Up Oven: Preheat your oven to 450°F (232°C) and arrange two racks—one in the middle and one near the bottom. Place a deep baking pan filled with about 2 cups of hot boiled water on the bottom rack to create steam, which helps develop a crispy crust.
- Bake the Baguettes: Place the baguettes on the middle rack and bake for 10 minutes with the water pan inside. After 10 minutes, carefully remove the water pan from the oven to stop steam production, then continue baking the bread for an additional 20 minutes or until the crust is golden brown and crisp.
Notes
- Adjust the flour quantity as needed based on the brand and humidity to achieve a sticky but not overly wet dough.
- For easier shaping, dust your hands and surface generously with flour.
- Use a sharp serrated knife or bread lame for scoring to ensure clean cuts.
- The steaming method (water pan in oven) is key to achieving the characteristic crispy crust of baguettes.
- This dough can also be refrigerated after mixing to extend fermentation for up to 24 hours for more complex flavor.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Bread
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: French
Keywords: no knead bread, baguette, homemade bread, easy bread recipe, overnight bread dough, crispy crust bread, French bread
