Grain Baguette

This Grain Baguette recipe comes from All About Baguette book by Jean-Marie Lanio and Jérémy Ballester. A mix of roasted sesame, flax, millet, and pumpkin seeds adds a nutty depth and hearty texture to the classic French baguette. With autolyse, bassinage, and long cold fermentation, the method yields a crisp crust, soft open crumb, and a wholesome, flavorful bread that’s perfect for everyday baking.

Makes 7 baguettes, 290g each

Ingredients

Grain Pre-treatment

• 25g white sesame (2.5%)
• 25g black sesame (2.5%)
• 25g flaxseeds (2.5%)
• 25g millet (2.5%)
• 25g pumpkin seeds (2.5%)
• 125g water (12.5%)
• Levain
• 75g bread flour
• 75 g water
• 10g active sourdough starter

Final dough 

• 1000g French flour (Tradition T65) (100%)
• 650g water A –(65%)
• 21g baking salt ( 2.1%)
• 7g fresh yeast ( 0.7%) or 2.3g dry instant yeast
• 150g liquid levain (15%)
• 50g water B (5%)
• 250g pre-treated grains ( 25%)

Directions

The Night Before

• Pre-treated grains
• Mix all the grains together, then roast them in a convection oven at 175°C / 350°F for 20 minutes to enhance their nutty flavor. 
• Soak the roasted grains in water, cover, and refrigerate overnight at 3°C / 37°F.
• Starter
• Dissolve starter in the water, whisk together, add flour, mix well, cover and let it sit at room temp 74-78F until it increases in volume in 2 or more times.
• Learn how to make sourdough starter from scratch here).

Next Morning

• Combine the flour and water A in the mixer and mix for 3 minutes at medium speed (base temperature 62–66°C / 143–151°F). 
• Allow the dough to rest for 60 minutes at 23–24°C / 73–75°F. This autolyse step improves dough elasticity.

Final Dough

• Add the salt, yeast, and levain to the autolysed dough. 
• Mix for 5 minutes at medium speed , then 2 minutes at medium high speed. 
• Add water B using the bassinage technique and mix until fully absorbed. Incorporate the pre-treated grains and mix until well blended; the dough temperature should be around 24°C / 75°F. 
• Transfer the dough into a lightly oiled container and ferment for 45 minutes at 23–24°C / 73–75°F. 
• Perform one gentle fold (rabat), then cover and refrigerate for 15 hours at 3°C / 37°F.

Dividing & Pre-shaping

• Remove the dough from the refrigerator and let it come to room temperature for about 1 hour at 23–24°C / 73–75°F. 
• Transfer it onto a floured surface (Tradition T65), divide into 290g portions, pre-shape into ovals, and let rest for 30 minutes at 23–24°C / 73–75°F.
• Gently flatten the dough to release air. 
• Fold the top edge two-thirds of the way down, rotate, repeat the fold, and seal the seam with the heel of your hand. 
• Fold in half using your thumb to guide the seam, then seal it tightly. 
• Roll from the center outward until each piece is 35-40cm ( 18-20inches) long. 
• Place seam-side up on a floured couche.
• Proof the dough for about 60 minutes at 23–24°C / 73–75°F. The dough is ready when a light fingerprint remains visible.

Baking

• Preheat the oven to 250°C / 480°F (top and bottom heat). 
• Transfer the baguettes seam-side down onto a peel or flipping board, dust lightly with flour, and score one long slash at a 45° angle. 
• Bake with steam for 10 min and 10 min without steam.

Enjoy!

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