Baguettes

Let's Cook

1. Step 1.

   Mix the poolish ingredients: 250g white bread flour, 250g water, and 0.5g fresh yeast (barely the size of a chickpea). Stir until combined, cover, and leave at room temperature for 12–15 hours (typically overnight). The poolish is ready when it has doubled in size and the surface is covered with bubbles. In hot weather, use 1g yeast and ferment in the refrigerator.

2. Step 2.

   Add the dough ingredients to the poolish: 750g T55 flour, 400–450g water at 20–25°C, 16g salt, and 7g fresh yeast. Mix thoroughly until a shaggy dough forms, then knead well for about 10 minutes until smooth and elastic. Cover and leave to rise for about 3 hours. After about 1.5 hours, when the dough has swelled by a third and the surface is blistered with tiny bubbles, give it a single fold: gently stretch and fold the dough over itself, then continue rising.

3. Step 3.

   When the dough has doubled in size (after about 3 hours total), turn it out onto a lightly floured surface. Divide into 165–170g pieces for small loaves or 330–340g for large ones. Shape each piece into a ball by tucking the edges under, place on a floured surface, cover with a damp cloth or plastic wrap, and let rest for 20 minutes.

4. Step 4.

   Working with one piece at a time, gently stretch the dough into a rectangle about 20cm long. Starting from the top edge, roll the dough toward you as tightly as possible to form a cylinder. To build tension on the outer surface, use the heels of your hands to push the dough away from you while your fingers roll it toward you. Repeat with remaining pieces.

5. Step 5.

   Roll each cylinder back and forth on the work surface, moving both hands smoothly from the middle toward the ends, spreading your fingers as you go. Aim for a baton of even thickness (about 30cm long for small loaves) with round or pointed ends. The seam should be on the bottom.

6. Step 6.

   Place each shaped baguette seam-side down on a floured tray or in a rucked-up couche cloth (a linen cloth dusted with flour, with folds between loaves). Cover with a cloth and leave at room temperature for 45–60 minutes until the dough doesn't spring back when pressed gently. Meanwhile, heat the oven to 230°C (210°C fan)/450°F/gas 8, with a baking stone or inverted baking sheet on the middle rack. If using steam, place a metal pan in the bottom of the oven to preheat.

7. Step 7.

   Just before baking, slash the top of one piece of dough several times diagonally (about 4–5 slashes) using a sharp lame or knife, holding the blade at a shallow angle (about 30 degrees) to the surface. Slide the dough onto a well-floured peel, then carefully transfer it onto the hot baking stone. Repeat with as many pieces as the stone can hold (leave space between them). Quickly pour 1 cup of hot water into the preheated steam pan (if using) and close the oven door. Bake for about 35 minutes until golden brown and the loaves sound hollow when tapped on the bottom. Transfer to a wire rack to cool. Repeat with remaining dough for a second batch.