Vietnamese Baguette (Banh Mi Bread)

Soft, airy baguettes with a thin, lightly crisp crust in the Vietnamese bakery style.

Ingredients

• 235ml warm water (38–46°C)
• 3.5g instant yeast (1 tsp)
• 5g granulated sugar (1 tsp)
• 355g bread flour
• 4g salt (¾ tsp)
• 10g unsalted butter, melted

Method

1. Combine 235ml warm water, yeast, and sugar. Stir and let sit 3–5 minutes until foamy.
2. Combine bread flour and salt in a stand mixer bowl.
3. Add the yeast mixture and melted butter to the flour. Mix on low speed 1–2 minutes until a shaggy dough forms.
4. Cover and rest 10 minutes (autolyse).
5. Mix on low-medium speed 4–5 minutes until the dough is cohesive and stretchy.
6. Transfer to a lightly oiled bowl, cover, and prove at room temperature (24–29°C) for 1½ hours until puffy.
7. Turn dough out skin-side down and divide into 4 equal pieces (about 150g each).
8. Flatten each piece into a rough triangle, then roll tightly into a baguette shape, tapering the ends.
9. Place on a baguette pan or parchment-lined tray. Rest uncovered 35–40 minutes until puffy.
10. Preheat oven to 230°C with a heatproof tray on the lower rack.
11. Score each baguette at a 45° angle. Lightly mist the surface if it looks dry.
12. Add a cup of boiling water to the lower tray to create steam, then load the baguettes. Bake 16–18 minutes, removing the steam tray after 2–3 minutes.
13. Cool at least 10 minutes before slicing.

Nutrition (per roll, approximate)

Notes

• Measure by weight for consistent results.
• Dough should feel soft and slightly sticky — resist adding extra flour.
• Steam in the first few minutes of baking is key to a thin, crisp crust.
• Don’t skip scoring — it controls how the bread expands in the oven.
• Source: https://www.savorysweetspoon.com/vietnamese-baguette-banh-mi-bread/

Tags: #recipe #bread #vietnamese #baked