When and where did you try your first baguette? For me it was Paris, because where else could it be? Baguette is just the most Parisian bread we can only imagine. It is the first bread, that you will find in a French bakery from the very early morning. Because of its form, it proofs very quick and that’s why it is so popular between the bakers. It’s hard to resist to a golden and crunchy crust. Especially when it is served with cheese and good wine. Have you tried the sourdough version of baguette? No? Here is a recipe by a Slovak baker.
- Prep time: 50 minutes + 14 hours for proffing
- Cooking time: 30 minutes
- Serves: 5 baguettes
- Difficulty: medium
- Course: baking
- Cookware: linen kitchen towels, dough scraper, baguettes pan or pizza stone, food processor KitchenAid
- Cuisine: French
Ingredients
- 300 g ripe stiff wheat sourdough starter
- 560 g strong bread flour
- 60 g whole wheat rye/wheat flour
- 450 g water
- 15 g salt
Cooking method
Step 1
Mix starter, flour and water in the bowl of a food processor. Knead the dough for about 7 minutes or by hand until non sticky and smooth texture. Cover the bowl with the towel and leave to rest for 45 minutes.
Step 2
Add salt and knead for another 10 minutes. Put the dough to a plastic container, greased with neutral oil. Cover the container and leave the dough to rise for 2-2.5 hours. Make “stretch and fold” for the 2 times during this time. At the end of this step the dough should be more puff and have some bubbles.
Step 3
Dust the table with flour. Slowly, trying not to tear the dough, take it from the container. With a scraper divide it into five parts. Give each part a form of a ball, cover with a towel and let it rest for 15 minutes.
Step 4
Cover baking tray with a linen kitchen towel, dusted with flour. Stretch the dough into a round and then roll in tightly to a desired length. Put a baguette on the towel, making a board between each baguette. Cover the tray with a cling wrap and let it retard in the fridge for 10-12 hours.
Step 5
Put pizza stone into the oven and heat it to 250 ° C. Cover a big cutting board with a parchment. Accurately transfer the baguettes to a board leaving enough space between each one. Score baguettes with a razor. Baguettes are baked with a steam so boil hot water in advance.
Transfer the baguettes to a pizza stone together with parchment. Pour a glass of hot water to a tray on the bottom of the oven. Bake the baguettes for 10 minutes, then lower the temperature to 210 ° C and bake for another 20 minutes until they have a golden crust. Make them cool on the rack.
My tips and tricks:
It’s much better to let your baguettes to retard in the fridge. Being done this way, the dough will be firm and easier to score. If you don’t wait for so long, let it cool down in the fridge for at least 2 hours before baking.
- 300 g ripe stiff wheat sourdough starter
- 560 g strong bread flour
- 60 g whole wheat rye/wheat flour
- 450 g water
- 15 g salt
- Mix starter, flour and water in the bowl of a food processor. Knead the dough for about 7 minutes or by hand until non sticky and smooth texture. Cover the bowl with the towel and leave to rest for 45 minutes.
- Add salt and knead for another 10 minutes. Put the dough to a plastic container, greased with neutral oil. Cover the container and leave the dough to rise for 2-2.5 hours. Make "stretch and fold" for the 2 times during this time. At the end of this step the dough should be more puff and have some bubbles.
- Dust the table with flour. Slowly, trying not to tear the dough, take it from the container. With a scraper divide it into five parts. Give each part a form of a ball, cover with a towel and let it rest for 15 minutes.
- Cover baking tray with a linen kitchen towel, dusted with flour. Stretch the dough into a round and then roll in tightly to a desired length. Put a baguette on the towel, making a board between each baguette. Cover the tray with a cling wrap and let it retard in the fridge for 10-12 hours.
- Put pizza stone into the oven and heat it to 250 ° C. Cover a big cutting board with a parchment. Accurately transfer the baguettes to a board leaving enough space between each one. Score baguettes with a razor. Baguettes are baked with a steam so boil hot water in advance.
- Transfer the baguettes to a pizza stone together with parchment. Pour a glass of hot water to a tray on the bottom of the oven. Bake the baguettes for 10 minutes, then lower the temperature to 210 ° C and bake for another 20 minutes until they have a golden crust. Make them cool on the rack.