These French baguette rolls are the perfect texture for a sandwich roll. They are firm and hearty while still being plenty soft and flavorful. You won’t hear me complaining about the fact that they can be made (start to finish) in an hour. Plus they are dairy free.
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Hello, my friends!
Sometimes food problems plague my mind.
And one of those problems came to me recently, probably as I was eating a soggy sandwich, and here it is:
How can I create the perfect soft roll that doesn’t get soggy when smattered with juicy meat?
With that question in mind I started with these Easy French Baguettes because they are my family’s current favorite sandwich bread. And these rolls evolved from there.
Thus far these rolls have exceeded my expectations as sandwich rolls for even the juiciest meat (think saucy BBQ pulled pork). They’ve stood up in their heartiness refusing to get soggy. And I love them immensely for that.
Plus the fact that they can be made from start to finish in an hour (including rise time) just makes me want to do a happy dance. No need to stress hours and hours to create a delicious roll.
These rolls require a bit firmer dough than most roll recipes since they are freestanding. Meaning they don’t rely on other rolls next to them to help them rise.
Sometimes I double the recipe and fit 24 rolls on a single baking sheet, and they touch after rising. The edges are softer and they aren’t quite as gorgeous looking, but they are very good this way too.
Can I freeze them?
Yes, they freeze great if you freeze them the same day you make them. Just cool completely and pack into freezer bags. Perfect to make ahead.
With Thanksgiving coming up with this week I asked my family which of my homemade roll recipes I should make.
Well these cornmeal crescent rolls definitely claim their place among the favorites (and if you are looking for the softest, fluffiest roll those are it). In fact I will be making them for my son’s birthday dinner this week so you know they are a huge fav.
But it was these French baguette rolls that won the contest for Thanksgiving roll-of-choice this year. And I can’t help but feel like in part that has to do with all of us dreaming about the perfect (non-soggy) turkey sandwiches when the big meal is over. Because we all know that leftovers are the best part of Thanksgiving dinner, right?
Update (5/21/2020): If you are new to breadmaking (or just looking to up your breadmaking game), I wrote up a super detailed guide to baking with yeast. It will walk you through a lot of common breadmaking pitfalls and help you become a breadmaking expert.
French Baguette Rolls
These French baguette rolls are the perfect texture for a sandwich roll: firm and hearty while still being plenty soft and flavorful. You won't hear me complaining about the fact that they can be made (start to finish) in an hour. Plus they are dairy free.
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups very warm water about 110 degrees, see note + 1 cup more for baking
- 2 teaspoons granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 3 ⅔ cups (18.5 ounces) all-purpose flour divided, see note
- 1 ½ tablespoons instant yeast
Instructions
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Line a half baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
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In the bowl of a stand mixer with dough hook attachment add 1 ½ cups hot water, sugar, and salt. Measure out the full amount of flour in a small bowl and add half to the mixer. Finally add the instant yeast on top of the flour, being careful to not let it touch the hot water directly.
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Start mixer and let it mix for a few seconds until the ingredients are incorporated, then add the remaining measured flour gradually until the dough begins to pull away from the sides and center of the bowl (see note). Let the dough mix for 6 minutes with the mixer then remove and place on a floured surface.
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Cut the dough into twelve equal pieces (I use a bench scraper, about 2.6 ounces each) and roll into dough balls. Place on baking sheet, about 2-inches apart.
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Score each of the rolls with a very sharp knife or baker’s lame: a few shallow cuts at an angle. Cover with a light dishcloth and let rise for 30 minutes in a warm place until doubled. Rolls should not be touching after they have risen.
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Meanwhile, preheat oven to 450 degrees (or 425 convection bake). Adjust rack to bottom third of the oven and place a shallow pan underneath this rack on the bottom of the oven.
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When rolls are risen, place them in the preheated oven on the rack in the lower third of the oven. Then carefully add 1 cup of water to the shallow pan, closing the door quickly to create steam. Let bake for 15 minutes or until golden brown.
Recipe Notes
1. I’ve found that tap water is usually not hot enough so I microwave the water for a minute to a minute and a half until it’s very warm, but not scalding.
2. When adding the flour keep in mind that like all bread recipes, you may need more or less flour than the recipe suggests. When fully mixed, the dough should be tacky, but not so sticky that you can’t work with it. If it is over floured then it will be hard and stiff, which is also not what you are going for. It should be smooth and elastic and easy to roll out.
3. I like a little firmer dough for these rolls since they are freestanding (meaning they don’t rely on other rolls next to them to help them rise). They are the perfect texture for a sandwich-type roll – hearty and firm while still being soft on the inside.
4. I’ve also doubled the recipe and fit 24 rolls on a single baking sheet, where they touch after rising. The edges are a bit softer and they aren’t quite as gorgeous looking, but they are very good this way too.
Recipe Source: Heather @ The Cook’s Treat, adapted from these Easy French Baguettes
All images and text © The Cook’s Treat
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Can I use spelt flour?
Your recipe calls for 1 1/2 cups of water. Are you using 1 1/2 c. water when mixing with the flour. It would seem that you need more flour for 1 1/2 c. water. Or, is 1 cup of this water used at the end when you are putting the rolls in the oven??????
Hi Vicki! Sorry the recipe was a little confusing. I will change it so it’s more clear. Yes add the 1 1/2 cups of hot water when mixing with the flour. Then add an additional cup of water to the shallow pan for baking! 🙂 Thanks for your question.