Easy Homemade Baguettes

Method

1. Mix and knead

   Stir 350 g lukewarm water and the yeast together, then add the flour and salt. Mix until no dry flour remains. Knead by hand for about 10 minutes, or use a dough hook on a low speed until smooth and elastic. The dough will be soft and slightly sticky. Avoid adding extra flour simply to make it easier to handle.

2. Leave for the first rise

   Put the dough in a lightly oiled bowl and cover. Leave at room temperature for about 1 hour, until risen and airy. A cool kitchen may take longer, so keep an eye on the dough.

3. Divide the dough

   Turn the dough onto a lightly floured worktop and cut into three equal pieces.

4. Shape the baguettes

   Gently spread each piece into a rough rectangle. Fold one long edge just beyond the middle and press the seam down with the heel of your palm. Fold the other long edge over in the same way and press the seam closed. Turn seam side down, then use the flats of your hands to roll gently towards the ends, lengthening the baguette to about 30 cm and tapering the tips.

5. Prove in a tea towel

   Lay a thick, smooth cotton or linen tea towel on a tray or worktop and rub plenty of flour into the weave. Avoid fluffy towelling. Place each baguette seam side down on the cloth, drawing up a generous pleat of tea towel between each one to support its shape and stop the loaves touching. Cover loosely with a second cloth and leave for around 30 minutes, until plumped up.

6. Heat Charlie

   Light Charlie with lumpwood charcoal and a natural firelighter, with the vents open and the door closed. Put the baking stones on a middle or upper rack, away from direct heat, and bring the oven to a steady 230°C (445°F). Allow at least 30 minutes for the stones to heat through. Start heating during the first rise so Charlie is ready when the baguettes are. Have a small ovenproof metal tray or jug ready for the water, to sit on a rack below the bread.

7. Transfer and score

   Carefully lift the baguettes from the tea towel onto a lightly floured pizza peel, supporting their length and keeping the seam underneath. A narrow transfer board can help roll them off the cloth. With a sharp blade held at a shallow angle, make three slightly overlapping cuts along each loaf, about 5 mm deep. The tea towel stays outside the oven.

8. Bake

   Use the pizza peel to slide the baguettes carefully onto the hot stones, leaving space between them. Give the tops a few light spritzes of water from a clean spray bottle. Place a small ovenproof metal tray or jug containing 100 g very hot water on a rack lower down in the oven. This water evaporates during the first part of the bake, creating steam that helps the bread expand before the crust sets. Keep the spray off the stones and oven surfaces, and keep your hands clear of the steam. Close the door and bake at 230°C (445°F). Check after 15 minutes and allow about 20 to 25 minutes in total, rotating if needed. Look for golden crusts and firm bases that sound hollow when tapped.
   

9. Cool before slicing

   Lift the bread onto a cooling rack and leave for at least 20 minutes before cutting. Tempting as warm bread is, the middle needs a little time to finish setting.
   

10. Serve

    Put the baguettes in the middle of the table with butter or olive oil. Serve with soup, mop up the juices from roast chicken, or fill with leftovers for tomorrow’s lunch.