French Baguette Bread Recipe

Summary: Bread has been a staple food of humankind for literally thousands of years. Even before the yeast bacteria that make it rise were discovered, bread nourished people in almost every civilization. It is thought that the first bread dates back as far as the Neolithic era, perhaps stumbled upon through the accidental cooking of water and cereal grains. Yet a simple crust of bread has forever changed how man survives vicious, cold winters with no crops or a scarcity of animals to hunt. And bread is still one of the most widely consumed foods in the world today. As modern as we are, we are still largely dependent on bread and food products derived from bread for our daily sustenance.

In this free baking video series, learn how to make a traditional French baguette bread recipe. Our expert will walk you through the hand-crafted, artisanal process for creating this beloved loaf with a firm outer crust and spongy insides, including how to mix the ingredients by hand, how to knead the dough, by hand, how to prepare the yeast, how to get the bread to rise, how to bake a baguette, and finally, what your bread should look and taste like when it’s done. France has very strict food laws on what can actually be sold as bread, i.e. it only contains flour, salt, water, and yeast. This recipe adheres to these standards, and it’s also terribly delicious. Bon appetit.