Mustard Free Classic French Baguettes
Few things in the kitchen feel as satisfying as pulling a batch of golden, crackling baguettes from the oven, and this recipe delivers that bakery-worthy result with nothing but flour, water, yeast, and salt. The ingredient list is about as clean as it gets, which is great news for anyone navigating condiment and spice allergies — there's zero risk of hidden mustard sneaking in here. The process starts with an overnight poolish, a simple pre-ferment that builds deep, complex flavor without any extra ingredients, giving the finished loaves that slightly tangy, yeasty aroma you'd expect from a proper French bakery. A series of stretch-and-fold techniques replaces traditional kneading, developing a strong, elastic dough that holds its shape beautifully through proofing and scoring. The real magic happens in the oven: a blast of steam in the first ten minutes creates that signature blistered, crackly crust, while the interior bakes into an open, chewy crumb. Scoring each loaf with confident diagonal slashes lets the dough bloom dramatically, so they look as impressive as they taste. Slice into one after a short rest and you'll understand why this four-ingredient formula has never needed anything else.
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Learn more →Ingredients
4 servings
For the poolish
- ¼ tsp active dry yeast
- ½ cup cool water (about 70°f / 21°c)
- ½ cup bread flour
For the dough
- 1 ½ tsp active dry yeast
- 1 cup warm water (about 95°f / 35°c)
- 3 cups bread flour, plus more for dusting
- 1 ½ tsp fine sea salt
Instructions
- 1
Make the poolish: In a large mixing bowl, stir together 1/4 tsp yeast, 1/2 cup cool water, and 1/2 cup bread flour until no dry flour remains. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and leave at room temperature for 8–12 hours (overnight), until the poolish is bubbly, domed, and smells pleasantly yeasty.
- 2
Make the dough: Add 1 1/2 tsp yeast and 1 cup warm water to the poolish and stir to combine. Add 3 cups bread flour and 1 1/2 tsp fine sea salt, then mix with a stiff spatula or your hand until a shaggy dough forms with no dry patches. Cover and rest for 20 minutes.
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