Banh Mi Baguette
This homemade banh mi baguette uses a bread flour and cake flour blend for a light airy crumb and a thin crackly crust achieved through steam baking. Includes baking instructions for both standard home ovens and convection ovens with multiple steam methods so everyone can get that signature crispy exterior at home. Perfect served with creamy garlic shrimp.
Ingredients
Baguette Dough
- 400 g bread flour
- 100 g cake flour
- 340 g ice water
- 7 g yeast
- 8 g salt
- 8 g sugar
For Baking
- 3/4 cup boiling water for steam method (Reference this section (BAKING — STANDARD HOME OVEN and BAKING — CONVECTION OVEN) for more info on baking and steam!)
- spray bottle with water alternative steam method
Instructions
- Mix: Combine bread flour, cake flour, ice water, yeast, salt, and sugar in a stand mixer with a dough hook. Knead on low until incorporated then medium until smooth and passing the windowpane test.
- Bulk ferment: Shape the dough into a smooth ball, place in a bowl, cover, and let rise until doubled.
- Divide: Degas and divide into 6 pieces of approximately 140g each. Roll into taut balls, cover, and bench rest 20 minutes.
- Shape: Flatten each ball into an oval with a rolling pin.
- Roll tightly from the top pressing down with fingertips each roll to build tension.
- Taper the ends with your hands to 7-8 inches long.
- Final proof: Place on a perforated baguette tray or parchment. Cover and rise until doubled.
- Score: Score one cut down the center with a sharp lame.
- Standard oven: Preheat to 450°F with cast iron or lava rocks on the bottom rack for 45-60 minutes. Load bread, pour ¾ cup boiling water into cast iron/rocks immediately. Bake 18-22 minutes. Open door briefly at 5 minutes to release steam.
- Convection oven: Preheat to 500°F with baking steel and stone for 1 hour. Load bread, add boiling water to rocks, turn oven off for 5 minutes. Open door briefly, turn oven back on to 400°F and bake 12 minutes until golden.
- Cool: Cool on a wire rack. Listen for the crackling — that's the sign of a perfect crust!
Alternatively — if you don't have a cast iron or lava rocks, spray each baguette generously with a spray bottle 5-10 times just before loading into the oven for a lighter steam effect.Reference this section (step 7+) for more info on baking and steam!
I have a commerical convection oven and this is the set up that works best for me. Every oven is different so you may want to play around with the steam to find what works best for you!Reference this section (BAKING - CONVECTION OVEN) for more info on baking and steam!