Baguettes


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Baguettes
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Instructions
Sarah Kuhlman
These baguettes are delicious, with a nice
crust and a pillowy interior. Warm out of the
oven, they are heavenly, especially with some
cheese or butter. They can be somewhat
complicated and time-consuming to make,
but they are worth it.
Yields: 3, 14 in. baguettes
Ingredients
Poolish (Starter)
113 g (1/2 cup) Water, cool
1/16 tsp Yeast
1 cup Unbleached All-purpose Flour
Dough
1 1/2 tsp Yeast
255 g (1 cup + 2 tbsp) Water, lukewarm
418 g (3 1/2 cups) Bread Flour
2 tsp Salt
• Make poolish: Mix everything together to make a soft dough. Cover and let rest at room temperature for
about 14 hours; overnight works well. The starter should have expanded and become bubbly.
• To make the dough: Mix and knead everything together to make a soft, somewhat smooth dough; it should
be cohesive, but the surface may still be a bit rough. If you're using a stand mixer, knead for about 4 minutes
on medium-low speed (speed 2 on a KitchenAid); the nished dough should stick a bit at the bottom of the
bowl
• Place the dough in a lightly greased medium-sized bowl, cover the bowl, and let the dough rest and rise for
45 minutes. Gently de ate the dough and fold its edges into the center, then turn it over in the bowl before
letting it rise for an additional 45 minutes, until it's noticeably puffy.
• Turn the dough out onto a lightly greased work surface. Gently de ate it, and divide it into three equal
pieces.
• Round each piece of dough into a rough ball by pulling the edges into the center. Cover with greased
plastic wrap, and let rest for 15 minutes; or for up to 1 hour, if that works better with your schedule.
• Working with one piece at a time, atten the dough slightly then fold it nearly (but not quite) in half, sealing
the edges with the heel of your hand. Turn the dough around, and repeat: fold, then atten. Repeat this
whole process again; the dough should have started to elongate itself.
• With the seam side down, cup your ngers and gently roll the dough into a 16" log. Your goal is a 15"
baguette, so 16" allows for the slight shrinkage you'll see once you're done rolling. Taper each end of the
log slightly to create the baguette's typical "pointy" end.
• Place the logs seam-side down onto a lightly greased or parchment-lined sheet pan or pans; or into the
folds of a heavily oured cotton dish towel (or couche). Cover them with lightly greased plastic wrap, and
allow the loaves to rise until they're slightly puffy ("marshmallow-y" is the term we use in our baking school).
The loaves should certainly look lighter and less dense than when you rst shaped them, but won't be
anywhere near doubled in bulk. This should take about 45 minutes to an hour at room temperature (about
68°F).
• Towards the end of the rising time, preheat your oven to 450°F with a cast iron pan on the oor of the oven,
or on the lowest rack. If you're using a baking stone, place it on a middle rack. Start to heat 1 1/2 cups water
to boiling.
• If your baguettes have risen in a dish towel or couche, gently roll them (seam side down) onto a lightly
greased (or parchment-lined) baking sheet. If you plan on baking them on a baking stone, roll them onto a
piece of parchment, and lift the parchment onto a baker's peel.
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