Demi Baguettes
While baguettes, may seem intimidating, you can do it! A helpful video is here.
Traditional baguettes are hard to make in a home oven, they need steam. You can make these in your flat bottomed Challenger, or a similar cloche style baking vessel. You can also open bake these if you know how to create steam in your oven.
I have never successfully baked with steam in my gas oven. Feel free to experiment with yours and see if you can trap that steam!
Ingredients:
160g all purpose flour
160g bread flour
25g whole wheat flour
240g water (split into 200g and 40g)
70g starter
7g salt
Method:
Autolyse: Mix flours and water. I suggest you make this recipe in a mixer because it’s a stiffer dough and incorporating the extra water, starter and salt will be hard on your hands, but it’s totally possible! Once there are no dry lumps of flour, let the mix rest for 60 minutes.
Mix: Add the extra 40g water, the starter and the salt. Mix well. Initially the dough will look shaggy and stringy but continue mixing until it comes together. Let it rest for 30 minutes.
Folds: Give the dough one stretch and fold. Let the dough rest for another 30 minutes and then give the dough 3 coil folds, letting it rest between each fold.
Finish bulk fermentation: when you are done with the folds, let your dough ferment for another 2 hours at room temperature, totaling 3.5-4 hours at room temperature, then put it (covered) in the fridge overnight. If your room is below 68 degrees, give the dough another hour or two at room temp. If your room temp is warm, above 75, put the dough in the fridge after you are done with the folds.
Cutting, scale and preshape: The next day, turn your dough onto the counter and cut into roughly 165g pieces. Form into cylinders. Lightly dust it with flour and let it rest for one hour.
Shaping: After one hour, shape your baguettes by flouring your counter top and flipping them upside down. Fold the top third into the middle of the dough, flip and repeat on the other side. Using your thumb and the palm of your hand, push the dough in and seal the edge. Flour the dough, and from the middle to the ends, push out to elongate and form the classic long and thin baguette shape.
Final proof: Put the baguettes in a well floured couche or cotton towel and pull the cloth between each one to support the dough’s shape and keep them from sticking to each other. Keep the baguettes seam side up. Let them rest for one hour. (This is a good time to preheat your oven to 500)
Score: Prepare your baking surface and gently flip the baguettes right side up and arrange them on your baking surface. Using a very sharp razor blade, slightly angled, slash the baguettes 3-4 times, keeping the cut in the middle third of the baguette. You can also choose to score one line down the middle.
Bake: Load your baguettes and either cover them to create steam or inject steam. Bake at 500 for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes, release the steam and bake for another 8-10 minutes until they’re golden brown. Eat them ASAP!
