Mastering the Classic French Baguette: Inspired by Richard Bertinet

There are few things in the baking world more satisfying than pulling a cracking, golden-brown baguette out of your own oven. While baguettes have a reputation for being notoriously difficult, adopting the techniques of master baker Richard Bertinet makes the process approachable and incredibly rewarding for home bakers.

Bertinet’s approach focuses on handling the dough with confidence, using a pre-ferment (poolish) for deep flavor, and famously—avoiding the temptation to drown your work surface in flour. Your best friend here is a simple plastic dough scraper!

The Recipe

This recipe uses a poolish, which gives the bread that authentic, slightly complex flavor and an open, airy crumb.

• The Poolish:
• 125g Strong white bread flour
• 125g Tepid water
• 5g Fresh yeast (or approx. 2g active dry yeast)

• The Main Dough:
• 800g Strong white bread flour
• 500g Cool water
• 5g Fresh yeast
• 15g Fine sea salt

Method

1. Prepare the Poolish: Mix the poolish ingredients into a rough paste. Cover the bowl and let it sit at room temperature for 3 to 5 hours until it is bubbly and active.

2. The Mix: In a large bowl, combine the poolish, the rest of the flour, the cool water, and the remaining yeast. Mix until a shaggy dough forms, then add the salt.

Stand Mixer Option: If you prefer to use a stand mixer, attach the dough hook. Add the poolish, flour, water, and yeast to the bowl. Mix on low speed for 3-4 minutes until combined. Add the salt, then increase the speed to medium and mix for an additional 4-5 minutes until the dough becomes smooth, glossy, and pulls cleanly away from the sides of the bowl.

3. The Bertinet Slap and Fold (By Hand): Turn the dough out onto a clean, un-floured surface. Use the “slap and fold” technique: pick the dough up, slap it down onto the counter, stretch it towards you, and fold it over itself. Use your dough scraper to gather it up. As you work it, it will transform into a smooth, elastic ball.

4. Fermentation: Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl, cover, and let it prove for about an hour (for even deeper flavor, let this bulk fermentation happen in the fridge overnight).

5. Shaping: Gently divide the dough into equal pieces. Pre-shape them into rough oblongs and let them rest for 15 minutes. Final shape them into classic baguettes by folding the dough over itself to create surface tension. Rest them on a heavily floured couche (baker’s linen) or a clean tea towel, forming pleats between each loaf so they hold their shape.

6. The Bake: Preheat your oven as hot as it will go (usually 250°C/480°F) with a baking stone inside and a roasting tray at the bottom. Carefully transfer the baguettes to a peel. Slash the tops diagonally with a sharp lame or razor. Slide them into the oven, and immediately pour a cup of water into the hot roasting tray to create a burst of steam. Lower the heat to 230°C/440°F and bake for about 20-25 minutes until deeply golden.