GOOD BREAD

I hope you have had the chance to make your unique Sourdough Starter! I’ve been asked to share how to master the art of Baguettes. I’m sharing my techniques that will provide a nice crusty loaf from your home oven. Once you master forming the dough, you may never repurchase a store-bought baguette! Your fresh baked Baguettes will go great with a couple of recipes in this addition. (Coq au Vin • Portuguese Baked Eggs)

3⁄4 cup filtered or dechlorinated water

2 cups feed sourdough starter

(see “Feed Your Starter! ”)

2 1⁄2 teaspoons instant dry yeast

1 tablespoon sugar

2 cups high-gluten or bread flour, 4 oz each cup

5 cups unbleached flour, 4 oz each cup

1 tablespoon sea salt

Helpful Tools:

Pastry Cutter or Metal Scrapper

Clean Spray Bottle

Baguette Baking Pan

Add the high-gluten flour and 4 cups of unbleached flour, sugar, salt, and yeast into a large bowl. Blend until well blended.

Mix water and sourdough starter in a measuring cup.

Make a well in the flour mixture. Pour half of the liquid into the well and stir. Add enough liquid until the dough starts leaving the side of the bowl.

Turn dough onto a lightly floured surface; knead in the remaining cup of flour ½ cup at a time until the dough stops sticking on your hands. Continue kneading until the dough becomes smooth and elastic, approximately 10 minutes.

1. Add all high-gluten flour, half of the unbleached flour, salt, sugar, and yeast into the work bowl of a stand mixer with the blending paddle inserted. Mix on low for 3 minutes. Scrape down the sides.

2. Put the water and feed sourdough starter into your mixer work bowl, and blend on medium for 3 minutes.

3. Remove the blending paddle and replace it with your stand mixer’s dough hook. Add the remaining flour to your work bowl. Knead on low for 3 to 5 minutes. The dough should have cleaned the sides of the work bowl. If the dough is sticky, it will still be on the sides of the work bowl. Add a little flour, ¼ cup at a time, until the dough leaves the side of the work bowl. If your dough is dry, it will climb up the dough hook. Scrape the dough off the hook and add a little water, ¼ cup at a time, until the dough softens and stays in the bowl.

4. Turn dough onto a lightly floured surface; knead a few times

5. Place in a large glass or stainless bowl dusted with some flou r and dust a little more on top. Cover; let rise in a warm place unti l double, about 1.5 hours.

6. After 1.5 hours, punch the dough down. Cover and let rise in a warm place until double, about 1 hour.

7. Oil baguette pan that will accommodate 4 baguettes

8. Punch down dough. Place on a lightly flowered surface and roll out into a rectangle, about 16x16 inches. Make 3 cuts into your rectangle using a pastry cutter.

9. Take one of the cut doughs, keep the longer side towards you, and start rolling into the center of the cut piece. (photo A) I start on one side and roll about 1.5inches into the center. Bring the unrolled side up onto your rolled side, then pinch it to attach it to the rolled portion. Pinch the end s into a point. (photos B & C) At this point, you can adjust the length of the loaf by stretching or squeezing it into the center until you get the length you need.

For my Easy Classic Sourdough Loaf recipe, tap HERE.

For Gluten-Free recipes: Scones, tap HERE • Corn Muffins, tap HERE •

Pineaple Upside Down Muffins, tap HERE French