Turmeric Free Crusty French Baguette
Few things in the kitchen feel as satisfying as pulling a deeply golden, crackling baguette from your own oven. This recipe relies on just four ingredients — bread flour, sea salt, instant yeast, and cool water — so there's nothing hidden, nothing to second-guess, and absolutely no spice blends that could sneak in unwanted additions. The long cold ferment in the refrigerator does the heavy lifting, building a complex, slightly tangy flavor that tastes like it came from a proper French bakery. A series of simple stretch-and-fold techniques develops the gluten without any complicated kneading, making the process approachable even if you've never shaped a baguette before. Steam in the oven during the first stage of baking is the secret to that signature shatteringly crisp crust, while the interior stays open and chewy. Scoring the dough at a shallow angle right before it goes in lets the loaves bloom dramatically and gives you those gorgeous, rustic slashes. Let them cool on a wire rack before slicing — the crumb is still setting, and the wait is absolutely worth it.
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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.
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