Capsaicin Free Crusty French Baguette
Few things in the kitchen feel as satisfying as pulling a genuinely crusty, golden baguette from your own oven. This recipe relies on just four ingredients — bread flour, sea salt, instant yeast, and cool water — so there is absolutely nothing hiding in the dough that could cause a reaction for anyone avoiding capsaicin or other irritants. The magic here comes from a long, cold ferment in the refrigerator, which builds deep, complex flavor without any spice or heat whatsoever. A series of simple stretch-and-fold techniques develops the gluten structure, giving you that open, chewy crumb and the signature crackly crust you'd expect from a proper boulangerie. Scoring the loaves with confident diagonal slashes before they go into a screaming-hot oven is the move that creates those beautiful ears and lets the bread bloom dramatically. The steam bath in the first ten minutes of baking is what locks in that shattering, paper-thin crust — no special equipment beyond a baking stone or a heavy sheet pan required. Let them cool on a wire rack before you slice in, and you'll be rewarded with bread that is genuinely worth the patience.
About FigFig is a food discovery app that helps you find foods and recipes that fit your dietary needs. Whether you have food allergies, intolerances, or follow a specific diet, Fig makes it easy to eat with confidence.
Learn more →Ingredients
8 servings
- 3 cups (360g) bread flour, plus more for dusting
- 1 ¼ tsp fine sea salt
- ½ tsp instant yeast
- 1 ¼ cups (295ml) cool water (about 65°f/18°c)
Instructions
- 1
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the bread flour, salt, and instant yeast. Pour in the cool water and stir with a wooden spoon or your hand until no dry flour remains and a shaggy dough forms. Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and let it rest at room temperature for 30 minutes.
- 2
With damp hands, perform a series of stretch-and-folds: grab one side of the dough, stretch it upward until it resists, then fold it over the center. Rotate the bowl 90 degrees and repeat three more times for a total of 4 folds. Cover and repeat this process two more times at 30-minute intervals (3 sets total). After the final fold, the dough should feel noticeably smoother and hold its shape briefly when released.
Want the full recipe?
Create a Fig account for step-by-step instructions, access to our full recipe library, and more!