Authentic French Bread (Crusty, Chewy, Perfect)
This authentic French bread recipe delivers a perfectly crusty exterior, a chewy interior, and that unmistakable artisan flavor. With simple ingredients and a few professional techniques, you'll bake bread that rivals your favorite bakery.
Equipment
- Digital kitchen scale
- Stand mixer with dough hook
- Dutch oven or oven-safe pot with lid
- Razor blade or lame
- Proofing basket or bowl
- Baking stone or baking sheet
- Spray bottle
Ingredients
- 500 g bread flour 12-13% protein content
- 375 ml filtered water at room temperature
- 10 g sea salt
- 4 g active dry yeast or 8g fresh yeast
- Rice flour for dusting optional
Instructions
- Autolyse & Initial Mix (30 minutes):
- In a large bowl, combine bread flour and water. Mix until no dry flour remains. Cover and let rest for 30 minutes.
- Add Yeast & Salt:
- Sprinkle yeast and salt over the dough. Mix on low speed for 3 minutes, then medium for 5 minutes. The dough should be slightly sticky but smooth and elastic.
- Bulk Fermentation (2-3 hours):
- Transfer dough to a lightly oiled bowl. Cover and let rise until tripled in size. Perform stretch and folds every 30 minutes for the first 2 hours.
- Shape & Final Proof (1-2 hours):
- Turn dough onto a floured surface. Shape into a boule or baguette. Place in proofing basket dusted with rice flour. Proof until increased by 50% in size.
- Bake (30-35 minutes):
- Preheat oven with Dutch oven to 475°F (245°C) for 1 hour. Turn dough onto parchment paper and score the top. Transfer to Dutch oven, cover, and bake for 20 minutes. Remove lid and bake for 10-15 minutes until deep golden brown. Cool completely on wire rack before slicing.