Sourdough Baguettes
How to make Sourdough baguettes, easy step by step simple instructions from start to finish
Ingredients
Method
- The Poolish
- 200g / 7oz Water (bottled or filtered water is better as the Chlorine in tap water will slow down or even kill the sourdough yeast)
- 50g / 2oz of your sourdough starter
- 200g / 7oz Strong white bread flour
- The Main baguette recipe
- The made up poolish (see above)
- 520g / 18.3oz Strong white bread flour
- 320g / 11.3oz Cold water (bottled or filtered is better )
- 8g / 1tsp Salt
- Making the Poolish: Part 1
- To a bowl add the water from the poolish recipe.
- Add 50g / 2oz of your sourdough starter that you should have in your fridge.
- Finally add the flour and thoroughly mix together: it is important to get the quantities correct as this poolish is part of the main recipe later.
- Cover the bowl and leave at room temperature for at least 8 hours, I normally make my poolish the day before.
- The Main Baguette Recipe: Part 2
- Add the water from the main baguette recipe to a suitable size bowl; see video for example of the bowl I use.
- Next scrape in the poolish you made in part one using a spatula, make sure you get.
- Mix the water and the poolish together using a whisk.
- Add the flour followed by the salt and mix together until you have sticky dough. Tip: do not use a whisk to mix the final dough use the handle of a wooden spoon or a sturdy spatula if you can, see the video for details.
- Cover the bowl and set the timer for 45 minutes.
- After the 1rd 45 minutes take the dough out of the bowl slightly wet the worktop and with wet hands and knock the dough back by giving it 5 or 6 turns, return it back to bowl and set the timer for a further 45 minutes, do this a 3rd time so it has had a total 3 /45 minute rest and rise periods.
- After the last 45 minute rise, turn out the dough onto a well floured surface and divide the dough into 4 equal pieces and pre-shape them as shown in the video, cover them with a piece of oiled cling film / plastic wrap and let them relax for 15 minutes.
- After the 15 minutes cut the pre-shapes in half and form them into the baguette shape (see video) and place them onto the well floured bakers Couche cloth as shown in the video, set the timer for 30 minutes.
- When there is only 10 minutes left on the rise preheat your oven to 230°C / 445°F / Gas mark 8: and place a pan of hot water on the bottom shelf of the oven at the same time, you’ll also need a spray bottle of water handy too.
- When the time is up carefully transfer the baguettes to a lightly oiled baking tray and with a sharp knife of razor blade slash each baguette 3 times as shown in the video.
- Place the baguettes in the hot oven, spray inside the oven with water as shown, and bake for 16 to 20 minutes turning the tray or trays around after 10 minutes for even cooking.
- When the full time is up remove from the oven and place on a wire rack until cool.
- Enjoy.
How to make a Sourdough starter video
- Click on the red button to see how to make a Sourdough starter
- Once made you can have it for life.
Equipment used in my kitchen
