French Baguette

01Method

1. 1

   Start by making the poolish. Pour the lukewarm water into a bowl, add a pinch of instant yeast and the flour, then mix everything together until you have a smooth batter. Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and leave it at room temperature for 12–16 hours. The poolish should rise significantly and be bubbly, loose, and sticky.

2. 2

   Once the fermentation time is up, combine the flour, instant yeast, salt, lukewarm water, and the poolish in a large bowl. Knead with a stand mixer for about 5–10 minutes until you have a smooth, slightly tacky dough. Transfer the dough to a lightly oiled plastic container, cover with a lid or plastic wrap, and let it rest at room temperature for 45 minutes. Then, with damp hands, grab the dough, stretch it out, and fold it in from all four sides — left, right, bottom, and top.

3. 3

   Cover the dough again and let it rest for another 45 minutes, then repeat the stretch and fold. Cover once more and let it rise for a final 30 minutes. Turn the risen dough out onto a lightly floured surface and divide it into 3 equal pieces, shaping each one into a round ball. Cover with a kitchen towel and let them relax for 10 minutes.

4. 4

   Flatten each ball into a rectangle, then shape it into a baguette. In the final shaping step, use your fingers to roll the dough into its long, tapered form by rolling outward from the center toward both ends.

5. 5

   Place the shaped baguettes seam-side up on a lightly floured linen couche. Pleat the couche between each baguette to keep them separated. Cover with another kitchen towel and let them proof for 1½–2 hours.

6. 6

   Preheat your oven and baking stone for at least 45–60 minutes at 250 °C. Place a deep roasting pan on the oven floor. Once the oven is fully up to temperature, flip each baguette seam-side down onto a lightly floured peel or thin piece of cardboard. Score each one diagonally in several places with a razor blade or lame to a depth of about 5 mm.

7. 7

   Slide the baguettes onto the hot baking stone, immediately pour hot water into the pan on the oven floor, and quickly close the oven door. After 10 minutes, briefly open the oven to let the excess steam escape, then continue baking for approximately another 15 minutes until golden brown. Transfer the baked baguettes to a wire rack and let them cool.