My Great French Baguette

The recipes on the net are, in my experience, dreadful attempts at the baguette. For that reason, I created this page to show the world how it is done (once I know myself). I also include the reasons for each step so that you may know what you will giving up should you decide to skip it.

Baking in Canada

I live in southern Ontario, Canada. This means the climate is cold and dry during the winter, and "room temperature" is 18 to 20 Celsius (64 to 68 Fahrenheit). My rise times may be longer than yours.

The bread flour here may have more protein than in your country, for some reason the hydration levels have to be high in order to have moist results. I am still experimenting this aspect.

Best So Far

Experiment #28:

Mix:
Rise: 60min, just enough to get the yeast active
Cool: In fridge, overnight (about 8 hours), this appears necessary to give the yeast more development time, and to have the dough still cool while in the oven
Shape:
Score:
Cook: Baking is done in a very humid oven. My oven is gas, so I have to cover the vent. In any case, place a large pan of water at bottom and be sure to have the water boiling before putting bread into oven.

Experiment Log

Attempt Hydration Flour Salt
(tsp) Water Yeast (tsp) Sugar Rise Time 1 Rise Time 2 Process Number Cook Time Temp Rack Crust Colour Shape Topology Bubble Distribution Rise Moisture Taste

13 90% 300 1 270 1 10 0 fold, cut, cook 2 37 375 mid No Crust white Flat No features Few, if any Failure

14 80% 300 1 240 1 10 0 fold, cut, cook 2 45 325 mid Thin Crust white round No features Perimeter only Small Fine Watery

15 80% 300 11/4 240 1 10 10 fold, cut, rise, cook 2 55 325 top Thin Crust gold round No features Few, if any Small Fine Salty

16 80% 300 1 240 1 10 60 fold, rise, cut, cook 2 45 375 top Crusty brown Flat No features Few, if any Commercial Fine Watery

17 80% 300 1 240 1 10 60 30 1/2, rise 1/2, fold, cut, rise 2 45 375 near top Crusty brown round Visible cuts Few, if any Medium Fine OK

18 90% 300 1 270 1 10 60 No cover during rise, use flour 2 45 ? mid Crusty dark brown round Visible cuts None Small Fine OK

19 80% 300 1 240 1 20 60 Extra sugar put into flour 2 45 ERROR mid black

20 80% 300 1 240 1 10 60 mix, oiled, rise, folded 2 40 350 mid Crusty brown round Visible fold Perimeter only Commercial Fine Oily

21 90% 300 1 270 1 20 60 Extra sugar put into flour 2 40 350 mid Thin Crust brown flat Put into long containers None Commercial Fine Watery

22 70% 300 1 210 1 20 60 mix, rise (in oiled bowl), and careful shaping 2 40 350 mid Crusty brown round Visible cuts None Medium Dry Doughy

23 80% 300 1 240 1 10 40 40 mix, rise, shape, score, rise, cook 2 40 350 mid Crusty brown flat No features Perimeter only Commercial Fine Watery

24 70% 300 1 210 1 10 40 60 mix, rise, shape, rise, cook 2 40 350 mid Crusty brown flat No features Perimeter only Commercial Fine OK

25 80% 300 1 240 1 10 60 60 mix, rise, shape, rise, cook 4 40 350 mid Crusty brown flat No features Perimeter only Medium Fine OK

26 80% 300 1 240 1 10 60 60 mix, rise, shape, score, rise, score, rise, cook 4 40 350 mid Thin Crust brown flat Cuts appear expanded Perimeter only Commercial Fine OK, Bland

27 80% 300 1 240 1 10 120 60 mix, rise, shape, rise in mold, cook 4 40 350 mid No Crust White of mold Ugly bugger None Medium Fine Poor

28 80% 300 1 240 1 10 60 mix, rise, cool, shape, score, cook 2 40 350 mid Too hard brown flat single cut down center, looks good Perimeter only Commercial Fine Good

29 80% 600 0 480 2 20 300 mix, rise, shape, cool, score, cook 4 35 350 mid Too hard brown flat no features good Giant Fine Lacks Salt

30 75% 800 3 600 3 10 60 mix, rise, shape, cool, score, cook 6 40 350 mid Too hard brown round No features None Commercial Fine Good

2 40 350 mid Too hard brown round No features None Commercial Fine Good

2

Attempt	Hydration	Flour	Salt (tsp)	Water	Yeast (tsp)	Sugar	Rise Time 1	Rise Time 2	Process	Number	Cook Time	Temp	Rack	Crust	Colour	Shape	Topology	Bubble Distribution	Rise	Moisture	Taste
13	90%	300	1	270	1	10	0		fold, cut, cook	2	37	375	mid	No Crust	white	Flat	No features	Few, if any	Failure
14	80%	300	1	240	1	10	0		fold, cut, cook	2	45	325	mid	Thin Crust	white	round	No features	Perimeter only	Small	Fine	Watery
15	80%	300	11/4	240	1	10	10		fold, cut, rise, cook	2	55	325	top	Thin Crust	gold	round	No features	Few, if any	Small	Fine	Salty
16	80%	300	1	240	1	10	60		fold, rise, cut, cook	2	45	375	top	Crusty	brown	Flat	No features	Few, if any	Commercial	Fine	Watery
17	80%	300	1	240	1	10	60	30	1/2, rise 1/2, fold, cut, rise	2	45	375	near top	Crusty	brown	round	Visible cuts	Few, if any	Medium	Fine	OK
18	90%	300	1	270	1	10	60		No cover during rise, use flour	2	45	?	mid	Crusty	dark brown	round	Visible cuts	None	Small	Fine	OK
19	80%	300	1	240	1	20	60		Extra sugar put into flour	2	45	ERROR	mid		black
20	80%	300	1	240	1	10	60		mix, oiled, rise, folded	2	40	350	mid	Crusty	brown	round	Visible fold	Perimeter only	Commercial	Fine	Oily
21	90%	300	1	270	1	20	60		Extra sugar put into flour	2	40	350	mid	Thin Crust	brown	flat	Put into long containers	None	Commercial	Fine	Watery
22	70%	300	1	210	1	20	60		mix, rise (in oiled bowl), and careful shaping	2	40	350	mid	Crusty	brown	round	Visible cuts	None	Medium	Dry	Doughy
23	80%	300	1	240	1	10	40	40	mix, rise, shape, score, rise, cook	2	40	350	mid	Crusty	brown	flat	No features	Perimeter only	Commercial	Fine	Watery
24	70%	300	1	210	1	10	40	60	mix, rise, shape, rise, cook	2	40	350	mid	Crusty	brown	flat	No features	Perimeter only	Commercial	Fine	OK
25	80%	300	1	240	1	10	60	60	mix, rise, shape, rise, cook	4	40	350	mid	Crusty	brown	flat	No features	Perimeter only	Medium	Fine	OK
26	80%	300	1	240	1	10	60	60	mix, rise, shape, score, rise, score, rise, cook	4	40	350	mid	Thin Crust	brown	flat	Cuts appear expanded	Perimeter only	Commercial	Fine	OK, Bland
27	80%	300	1	240	1	10	120	60	mix, rise, shape, rise in mold, cook	4	40	350	mid	No Crust	White	of mold	Ugly bugger	None	Medium	Fine	Poor
28	80%	300	1	240	1	10	60		mix, rise, cool, shape, score, cook	2	40	350	mid	Too hard	brown	flat	single cut down center, looks good	Perimeter only	Commercial	Fine	Good
29	80%	600	0	480	2	20	300		mix, rise, shape, cool, score, cook	4	35	350	mid	Too hard	brown	flat	no features	good	Giant	Fine	Lacks Salt
30	75%	800	3	600	3	10	60		mix, rise, shape, cool, score, cook	6	40	350	mid	Too hard	brown	round	No features	None	Commercial	Fine	Good
										2	40	350	mid	Too hard	brown	round	No features	None	Commercial	Fine	Good
										2

Kyle Lahnakoski

My Great French Baguette

Baking in Canada

Best So Far

Experiment Log