Baguette à l'ancienne

After returning from Paris, I got excited about learning how to make a good baguette. My first foray into bread was more than a year ago, when I tried to make bread from scratch using the original NYT's article on No Knead Bread. The bread came out fine but it wasn't what I was looking for...not like the ones I've eaten at my local boulangerie.

There are so many recipes online and I had a difficult time deciding on one, but Appie Pie Patis and Pate's baguettes à l'ancienne looks like the elusive recipe I've been searching for.

I gave it a try and it came out great! Crusty on the outside and chewy on the inside. Complex tasting. Next time I will underbake a little since my oven gets so hot so fast.

Baguettes à l'ancienne (makes four 12 inch baguettes)
The original recipe calls for all purpose flour, but I don't have that in France, so I substituted Type 45 flour. You'll find the ingredients below. See the link above for the complete instructions with pictures from Apple Pie's website.

You'll need some time and patience to make this recipe, but it's worth it. Altogether it takes about 14 hours, with an 8 hour overnight rest in the fridge and two 90 minute and one 2-3 hour rest time at room temperature. If someone can find another baguette recipe that is just as good and quicker, please let me know.

For French bakers
500g Flour, type 45
325g Water, ice cold
50g Water
9g Salt
5g Instant yeast (I used a yeast found at my local supermarket for making bread)
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For American bakers
4 cups Flour, all purpose
1 cup and 6 TBS Water, ice cold
3 TBS and 6 TSP Water
1.5 TSP Salt
1.5 TSP Instant yeast

Recettes en français

Baguettes Parisienne
Baguette

Other recipes I'd love to try:
Mark Bittman's update on No Knead Bread
Baguettes Monge
French baguette
Pain de Provence