A Little Bit of Paris, at Home
I’ve never been to Paris myself, but one of my favorite Baking Steel stories starts there.
Years ago, Craig—one of our earliest team members came back from a trip to Paris he’ll never forget. He walked the city every day with his wife, soaking in the sights, but there was one constant: the smell of fresh baguettes from the local boulangerie.
Breakfast, lunch, before dinner, after dinner they were obsessed. The crust, the chew, the aroma… Craig said the bread was so good it actually made him emotional.
When he got home, he went straight into the test kitchen and started tinkering…
This recipe was born from that spirit. A tribute to the Parisian baguette, designed for the home baker. It’s simple: no starter, no poolish just great flour, time, and a little technique.
We tested dozens of variations: all bread flour, different hydration levels, spelt vs. no spelt. What worked best? A 50/50 blend of organic bread flour from Central Milling and organic all-purpose flour, plus a touch of spelt for extra character.
Baguette Magic at Home
And the real secret weapon? Your oven setup.
We love using two Baking Steels especially our Baking Steel PLUS, which gives longer baguettes the room they deserve (it’s 20 inches wide!). One Steel goes on the top rack for baking; a second on the lower rack to radiate heat from below.
Then, we load a pan with ice cubes to create steam. That steam gives your baguette that signature crackly crust the kind you hear before you even bite into it.
So the next time you’re heading to a friend’s house, bring them a little bit of Paris to enjoy (if you can resist eating it on the way there).
Oven Setup: Your Secret Weapon
Let’s talk oven setup, because this makes a huge difference.
When we were testing this 24-hour baguette recipe back home, we didn’t just focus on ingredients. We obsessed over how to recreate that perfect Parisian crust in a home oven.
The breakthrough? Baking Steels.
We place one on the top rack and one on the middle/lower rack. The top Steel radiates heat down; the lower Steel stabilizes and crisps from below. It’s the closest thing to a professional deck oven you can get at home. Don’t worry—one PLUS works great too.
Right before launch, toss a sauté pan or cake tin filled with ice cubes onto the bottom rack to create steam. Steam keeps the crust supple in the first minutes, giving you beautiful oven spring and a blistered, golden finish. For the long loaves, our Board for the PLUS makes transfers smooth and precise.
24-Hour Baguette Recipe
Crispy, chewy, Paris-inspired—baked right on your Baking Steel.
Makes: 3–4 baguettes
Fermentation: ~24 hours total (12h room temp + 12h fridge)
Recommended Setup: Baking Steel PLUS (15×20). Steam via ice in a preheated pan.
Ingredients
- 250g All-Purpose Flour
- 250g Bread Flour
- 50g Spelt Flour (optional—sub 50g AP if omitting)
- 360g Water (room temp)
- 18g Salt
- 1g Active Dry Yeast
Instructions
- Combine dry ingredients and whisk. Add water; mix until shaggy.
- Knead 2–3 minutes until well mixed. Cover; bulk ferment 12 hours at room temp.
- Refrigerate 12 hours (covered).
- Divide into 3–4 pieces. Do 3 envelope folds, 30 minutes apart.
- On the last fold, overlap edges tightly and seal to build surface tension.
- Shape into 14–16" baguettes. Proof seam-side up on a floured cloth 60–90 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 500°F with 1–2 Baking Steels. Place a cast-iron pan below.
- Right before baking, add 1–2 cups ice to the hot pan for steam.
- Flip loaves seam-side down, score, and launch onto the Steel.
- Bake 15 minutes; vent steam, then bake 5–7 more to deep golden.
- Cool on a rack. Try to resist tearing in immediately. 😉
Process Photos
Final Thoughts
There’s something magical about making baguettes at home. Maybe it’s the transformation a shaggy mix of flour and water becoming golden, airy loaves. Maybe it’s the smell that fills your kitchen, or the first crackle you hear when you break one open.
Whatever it is, baking these at home connects you to the process in a way no store-bought bread ever could. And when you do it on a Baking Steel, you’re giving your dough the best possible foundation: intense heat, consistent results, and that crisp, caramelized crust every baguette dreams of.
So whether you’re making these to impress, to share, or just for the simple joy of tearing one apart while it’s still warm... you’re part of something beautiful. And we’re honored to help you make it happen.
Now go make your kitchen smell like Paris.
Nutrition Facts (per baguette)
- Calories: ~240
- Carbohydrates: 48g
- Protein: 8g
- Fat: 1g
- Fiber: 2g
- Sodium: ~450mg
*Nutritional values are approximate, based on typical baguette yield from this recipe.
FAQ
Can I skip the spelt flour?
Yes—substitute with an extra 50g of all-purpose flour.
Do I need two Baking Steels?
No, but using two helps oven spring and even crisping.
Can I freeze the dough?
Absolutely. After the cold ferment, portion and freeze. Thaw in the fridge overnight.
Best flour for baguettes?
We love a blend of AP, bread, and spelt, but all bread flour works great too.
Do I need steam?
Yes! It helps form a crisp, glossy crust in the first few minutes. Drop some ice cubes in a hot pan right after you launch.
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