Light and airy Vietnamese-style baguettes with a crisp crust – perfect for homemade banh mi. This recipe yields 8 rolls and uses manitoba flour, potato starch and steam baking for authentic texture.
Author: Thomas Tranegaard Nielsen
Course: Bread, Side Dish
Cuisine: Asian, Vietnamese
Keyword: baguettes, Banh Mi, Bread, Rolls
Prep Time: 25 minutesminutes
Cook Time: 15 minutesminutes
Resting time: 1 hourhour55 minutesminutes
Total Time: 2 hourshours35 minutesminutes
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Ingredients
500gmanitoba flour
50gpotato starch
7gdry yeast
10gbaking enzymeoptional, improves structure
12gsugar
10gsalt
20gneutral oil
375gcold water
Instructions
Dough
In a stand mixer bowl, combine the flour, potato starch, yeast, enzyme, sugar and salt.
Add the cold water and oil.
Knead: 5 min on low speed, 5 min on medium, then 2 min on high speed until the dough releases from the bowl.
Shape into a ball and return to the bowl.
Cover with plastic wrap and let rise for 1 hour or until doubled in size.
Shaping
Divide into 8 equal pieces (approx. 120 g / 4.25 oz each) and shape into balls.
Rest covered for 10 minutes.
Shape each ball into an oval, then roll into a short baguette with tapered ends.
Use a rolling motion: roll – press – roll – press – until evenly shaped.
Place seam side down on a baking tray lined with parchment paper.
Proofing and Baking
Let rise in a warm oven at 40°C (100°F) – not hotter.
Add 250 g (1 cup) boiling water to a tray at the bottom of the oven to generate steam.
After 45 minutes, remove the bread and steam tray.
Preheat oven to 230°C (450°F) top and bottom heat.
Score each loaf lengthwise (1 cm / 1/3 inch deep) with a sharp blade dipped in water.