French Baguette

Makes 4 x 9.6 oz (290g) baguettes - Make the poolish 12 hours prior.
Poolish is a relatively wet sponge (made with a one-part-flour-to-one-part-water ratio by weight). A poolish is one known technique to increase a dough’s extensibility and create airy crumb and a light taste of hazelnuts to the baguette.
In a 2 qt (2L) plastic container, whisk water with yeast and flour. If the container is too large the poolish won’t rise properly. Cover with plastic wrap and seal it with a rubber band, poke plastic with the tip of your knife and leave the poolish on the countertop at room temperature for 12 hours.

Ankarsrum Original mixer click here

Always pour the water into the fermented poolish; it will come off easily without deflating the poolish. Pour the poolish mixture in the mixer bowl, fit in hook attachment. Add yeast, remaining flour and salt. Mix for 5 minutes on low speed and 5 minutes more on medium speed or until dough is smooth and comes away from sides of bowl. Since the dough is highly hydrated (75%); do not add more flour if it looks soupy at the beginning of mixing. The dough will come together toward the end. After mixing , bread dough temperature should be at ≈ 77ºF/25ºC. Cover dough with a wet kitchen towel and let rise for 60 minutes.
Flour dough and transfer it onto a floured work surface (do not punch down). Divide dough into 4 x 9.6 oz (290g) portion. Deflate carefully and shape into balls; skin side up.
Cover to keep the bread dough from drying out and forming a skin. Let rest 20 minutes before shaping.

To find baker's couche click here

Deflate each round with care; you want to keep those lovely air bubbles. Fold down the top third of the dough and use the heel of your hand to seal the the edge. Repeat once. Use the palm of your hand to gently press and roll the loaf into a large baguette form, try not to go over the size of your baking tray. Lay baguettes seam side up over a floured linen cloth known as baker’s couche.
Cover and let proof for about 45 minutes.

When it comes to baking good, it is highly recommended to bake bread, pizza, pie, tart and flan on pizza stone. To find pizza stone click here

Position rack in the lower third of conventional oven or on baking setting only. Preheat oven to 500ºF (260ºC). For best results preheat oven for 20 minutes with an upside-down baking tray or a large pizza stone to create more thermal mass.
Carefully, flip and transfer baguette (seam side down) onto the hot pizza stone. Score the baguettes with a blade or a sharp knife – it allows bread to expand during baking. Spray water to create steam and shut the oven door immediately. Bake baguettes for about 20 minutes. Cool on wire rack. Enjoy!

Steam in oven (optional). To get the most volume from your bread, you need to slow down the formation of the crust. The slower the crust forms, the more time the dough has to expand by adding steam to the oven. Using a spray bottle, water quickly around the internal surface once bread is in.