Description
This recipe guides you through making traditional Vietnamese Banh Mi baguettes with the perfect balance of a crispy crust and a soft, airy interior. Using bread flour, yeast, and dough improver, the dough is carefully kneaded and proofed with steam for an authentic texture that complements any Banh Mi sandwich filling.
Ingredients
Scale
Dough Ingredients
- 248 ml water
- 7 g active dry yeast
- 8 g granulated sugar
- 495 g bread flour (at least 12% protein)
- 5 g dough improver
- 8 g salt
- 1 egg
- 30 g unsalted butter (melted)
Instructions
- Prepare the yeast mixture: Warm 248 ml of water to between 100°F and 110°F by microwaving for 35-40 seconds. Add 8 g of sugar and 7 g of active dry yeast to the water, stir gently, and let it sit for 5 minutes until the mixture becomes bubbly.
- Mix dry ingredients and egg: While the yeast is activating, combine 495 g bread flour, 5 g dough improver, 8 g salt, and 1 egg in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook.
- Add wet ingredients to dry mix: Pour the bubbly yeast mixture along with 30 g of melted unsalted butter into the stand mixer bowl containing the flour mixture.
- Knead the dough: Mix on low speed initially until ingredients combine, then increase to speed 4 and knead for 7-10 minutes. If mixing by hand, combine ingredients until a shaggy dough forms, then knead on a floured surface for 10 minutes.
- Perform the windowpane test: After 7 minutes of kneading, pinch off a piece of dough, stretch it into a thin rectangle, and hold it up to light. If it stretches without tearing and light passes through, the dough is ready. If not, knead longer.
- First rise: Transfer the dough to a lightly oiled bowl, cover it, and let it rise in a warm place until doubled in size, about 1 hour.
- Divide and shape the dough: Weigh the dough and divide it into 6 equal pieces. Flatten each piece into an approximately 5 x 10 inch oval, then roll tightly into a long oval shape, pinching the sides and removing air pockets.
- Prepare for proofing: Place shaped dough pieces onto a baguette pan. Adjust oven racks with one at the bottom and one just above it.
- Second rise with steam: Cover the dough and let it proof in a humid environment until doubled, 1-2 hours. To create steam, place a pan with 2-3 cups of hot water on the bottom rack and the dough on the rack above; close the oven but keep it off.
- Preheat oven and prepare for baking: Remove dough, empty the water from the pan, return the empty pan to the bottom rack, and preheat the oven to 475°F (246°C).
- Score and moisten dough: Using a sharp knife or bread lame, cut a long slash or 45-degree angled slashes along the length of each baguette. Lightly spray the tops with water.
- Bake with steam: Boil 1/2 cup water and pour it into the pan on the bottom rack to generate steam. Place the baguette pan with dough on the rack above and bake for 17-20 minutes until golden brown.
- Cool: Remove the baguettes and cool completely on a wire rack before slicing.
Notes
- Use bread flour with at least 12% protein for proper gluten development and structure.
- Dough improver helps give the baguette a lighter and better crumb texture.
- Maintaining steam in the oven during baking is critical for achieving a crisp crust.
- The windowpane test ensures the gluten is well-developed for a chewy texture.
- Be careful not to overproof the dough, as it can affect the rise and crumb texture.
- Use a sharp blade for clean scoring to control expansion of the dough while baking.
- Let the baguettes cool completely before slicing to prevent a gummy texture.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Bread
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Vietnamese
Keywords: Banh Mi, Vietnamese baguette, bread, crispy crust, soft crumb, homemade baguette, Vietnamese bread
