Rustic Italian Demi-Baguettes

Published on January 29, 2026 at 6:58 AM

Here is a twist on an italian bread and baguette recipe that uses a few simple ingredients and tastes amazing alongside soup, stew or on its own.  Traditional baguette uses only flour, water, yeast and salt.  I've added an egg and oil for extra texture and flavour, but formed it into a baguette shape for ease of serving.  I use my bread maker to process the dough up to the second rise stage.  You can use a stand mixer, or make the dough by hand, with the same ingredients; this is just way easier.  

Yield - 3 demi-baguettes

 

Ingredients:

1  cup warm water

1 large egg, beaten

1 tbsp honey, white or brown sugar 

1/8 cup olive oil

3 cups flour - bread flour or AP flour

1 packet or 2 tsp instant yeast

1 tsp salt

 

For dough egg wash:

1 egg, beaten 

 

Directions:

1. Place all ingredients into the pan of the bread maker in the order listed (up to, and including, the salt)

2. Set the bread maker to the dough setting

3. After about 5 minutes, check to ensure dough has come together - add 1 tbsp water at a time if too dry and 1 tbsp flour at a time if too moist

4. Once the dough is finished (about 1.5 hours) remove it to a lightly floured surface and punch it down

5. Divide the dough into 3, roughly equal, pieces

6. Roll reach piece into a rope about 1 inch thick

7. Prepare a large baking sheet with parchment paper and lay the dough rolls parallel to each other about 3 inches apart

8. Cover with another layer of parchment, add a clean tea towel on top of that

9. Place in the oven, with the door closed and the light on, for 1 hour (or on bread proof cycle)

10. After one hour, remove risen baguettes from the oven and set it to 375 degrees.  Keep dough covered while oven preheats

11. Remove coverings and score each baguette with a lame, or other very sharp blade, and brush liberally with beaten egg

12. Bake in preheated oven for 20-23 minutes or until golden and hollow sounding when tapped

13. Remove to a rack to cool

 

Notes:

I find it helps to premix the honey into the warm water, to ensure even distribution.

Don't worry if the loaves stick together after rising or baking; they pull apart easily when baked.

Store in an airtight container. 

 

Nutrition Facts:

Servings: 6

Calories 232

Total Fat 4.1g 5%  Saturated Fat 0.8g 4%  Cholesterol 62mg 21%  Sodium 417mg 18% Total Carbohydrate 40.3g 15% Dietary Fiber 1.6g 6%

Total Sugars 2.3g Protein 8.9g Vitamin D 6mcg 29% Calcium 34mg 3% Iron 3mg 16% Potassium 98mg 2%

The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calorie a day is used for general nutrition advice.

 

Process Photos

Scroll below to see the steps involved in making this bread.

Add comment

Comments

There are no comments yet.