Makes wonderful baguettes, large boules, mini baguettes or small boules or buns.
With a longer fermentation, it also makes a great pizza crust.
This week’s batch I made into small boules.
Too big to use as buns,
but the perfect size when sliced to make a sandwich for two or to toast.
The bread can be made and baked the same day, or the dough can
go into the fridge for a longer fermentation.
It can also be adapted to make a sourdough version.
I also adjust the hydration from 68% to 92% depending on the crumb I want.
Basic Baguette Dough
1000g white
720g water
4 to 5 g yeast
26g salt
I use the pinch and fold method to knead this dough by hand.
With a couple of rests (autolyze) between steps.
For a sourdough version, I make a sourdough biga
(500g with 100% hydration)
This bread was started early afternoon.
I had to go out for a few hours so the dough went into the fridge.
Taken out around 4:00 PM
and the bread came out of the oven at 9:30 PM.
It was still cooling when I went to bed, so I just left it on
a rack, covered with a tea towel.
Sliced for breakfast.
I love that I can get this kind of crumb with same day bread.
This bread also freezes well.
Just wrap in paper towels and then into freezer bags.
thibeaultstable.com 
Sigh! Drool! Darn! I have to go change shirts since I slobbered all over this one staring at those gorgeous bread pictures.
They are gorgeous.
I am sorry to gush, but you are the best bread baker. I am in awe at your skill. I love the small loaves for empty-nesters. MadonnaMakeMineLemon
Thanks Scottiedog.
Thanks Monique.
Thanks Madonna. I wish I had thought of making smaller loaves years ago. I love the small Boules and the mini baguette size. They freeze well I have a few friends that like to be on the receiving end of homemade bread and they love to receive a couple of the smaller loaves.
Wow love the crumb !
Such lovely breads!!! But what temp did you use to make the breads and was there a dutch oven involved?
Ariel, I bake almost all my breads on a stone in the oven at 500°F. Occasionally I will bake a large round in a Dutch Oven, but not oven.
Hello there, is there a full recipe to follow on how to make them ? Loving it !!
Hi Jolene, I’ve done a few follow up posts since the 2014 post. You can find the recipe here with a few variations. https://thibeaultstable.com/2019/06/12/artisan-bread-pictorial-repost/
This looks delicious! I’d love to try it, bit can’t find the full recipe, after looking at the post three times. Help please!
Fran, thank you. My blog is almost 16 years old so there are a number of bread variations. Back in 2014 I started to use the Autolyze, Stretch and Fold method and developed that into longer cold fermentations. I will often make a batch of dough and keep it in the fridge for a number of days before using it. I use the same recipe for baguettes, larger boules and the smaller crusty rolls as well. You can find the basic formula on this post. If you would like a link to a post that also shows how I shape, etc. please let me know…….https://thibeaultstable.com/2023/05/30/baguettes-2/
this has to be one of the best explained recipes for bread i have ever read. I’m gonna give it a try this weekend. Tyvm, it’s appreciated.
Paula in Nova Scotia Canada
Hi Paula, So nice to hear from a fellow Canadian.
That post is one of my older posts. It was in 2014 I got into using the Ken Forkish method of autolyze, stretch and folds.
I also got more into Sourdough. If that is something you are interested in, you can find a number of posts with instructions on how to grow your own sourdough starter using the method from Amy’s Bread,
a bakery that has been in business in NY City for over 30 years.
You might like this post. It is one I did recently and at the bottom of the post are links to shaping, and a hydration table.
Thanks
Ann