MAKES 2 BAGUETTES
If you don’t have a stand mixer, you can mix the dough by hand following the instructions. If you don’t have a baking stone, bake the bread on an overturned and preheated rimmed baking sheet set on the lower-middle oven rack. Don’t forget to reduce the oven temperature to 425 degrees immediately after putting the loaves in the oven. For slow-rise baguettes (made by letting the shaped loaf rise overnight) see the variation. See the sidebars that follow the recipe.
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SPONGE |
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½ |
cup (2¾ ounces) bread flour |
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½ |
cup warm water (110 degrees) |
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½ |
teaspoon instant or rapid-rise yeast |
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DOUGH |
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3–3½ |
cups (16½ to 19¼ ounces) bread flour |
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¾ |
teaspoon instant or rapid-rise yeast |
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1½ |
cups warm water (110 degrees) |
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1½ |
teaspoons salt |
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Vegetable oil spray |
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GLAZE |
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1 |
large egg beaten with 2 tablespoons water |
1. FOR THE SPONGE: Stir all ingredients together in medium bowl until combined. Cover with plastic wrap and let sit at room temperature until sponge has risen and fallen, at least 6 hours or up to 24 hours.
2. FOR THE DOUGH: Using stand mixer fitting with dough hook, combine 3 cups flour and yeast. With mixer on low speed, add water and mix until dough comes together, about 2 minutes. Stop mixer, cover bowl with plastic wrap (no need to remove bowl from mixer), and let sit at room temperature for 20 minutes.
3. Remove plastic, add sponge and salt, and knead dough on medium-low speed until it is smooth and elastic, about 8 minutes. If after 4 minutes more flour is needed, add remaining ½ cup flour, 2 tablespoons at a time, until dough clears sides of bowl, but sticks to bottom.
4. Turn dough out onto lightly floured counter and knead by hand to form smooth, round ball. Place dough in large, lightly oiled bowl and cover tightly with greased plastic. Let rise in warm place until doubled in size, about 1 hour.
5. Slide a plastic bench scraper or rubber spatula under side of dough; gently lift and fold one-third of dough toward center. Repeat with opposite side of dough. Finally fold dough in half, perpendicular to first folds, so dough is rough square. Cover, let rise for 30 minutes more, then repeat folding process. Cover and let rise until dough has doubled in size, about 30 minutes longer.
6. Top pizza peel with parchment paper. Turn dough out onto lightly floured counter and divide it into 2 equal pieces. Working with 1 piece of dough at a time, gently pat dough into rough 8 by 6-inch rectangle. Gently fold bottom third of dough up to center and press to seal. Gently fold bottom of dough up to top and press to seal. Make indentation along length of dough with side of your outstretched hand. Working along length of dough, press your thumb against dough while folding and rolling upper edge down with other hand. Repeat 5 times until upper edge meets lower edge. Using your fingertips, press seam to seal. Roll dough cylinder seam side down; gently and evenly roll and stretch dough until it measures 15 inches long by 2½ inches wide and lay it seam side down on the prepared peel, spaced about 5 inches apart. Mist baguettes with vegetable oil spray, cover loosely with plastic, and let rise in warm place until nearly doubled in size and dough barely springs back when poked with knuckle, 1 to 1½ hours.
7. One hour before baking, adjust oven rack to lower-middle position, place baking stone on rack, and heat oven to 500 degrees.
8. FOR THE GLAZE: Score top of breads with razor blade or sharp knife, cutting four ½-inch-deep slashes along width of each baguette. Brush breads with egg-water mixture, then spray lightly with water. Carefully slide loaves and parchment onto hot baking stone. Immediately reduce oven temperature to 425 degrees and bake until crust is deep golden brown and center of bread registers 210 degrees, about 25 minutes, rotating loaves halfway through baking.
9. Transfer loaves to wire rack, discard parchment, and let cool for about 30 minutes before slicing and serving.