DEMI BAGUETTE RECIPES

Steps:

• MIXING AND BULK FERMENTATION
• Mix all of the ingredients in a stand mixer with the dough hook attachment for 5-10 minutes, scraping down the sides if necessary. If you don't have a stand mixer, mix in a bowl by hand, and then transfer to a floured countertop and knead for 5-10 minutes.
• Transfer the dough to a lightly oiled bowl, cover and let it rest about 30 minutes.
• Lift the entire dough out of the bowl with both hands, stretch it until it is long (without tearing it) and roll it up. Then turn it 90' in your hands and repeat this stretching and rolling. Repeat until the dough is too tight to stretch and roll. Return the dough to the bowl, cover and let it rest again for about 30 minutes.
• Repeat the stretching and rolling followed by a 30 minute rest at least 1-3 more times. (I was only able to do 2 rounds for the bread photographed above, but I usually do 4 rounds total.)
• Let the dough continue to rise until it is puffy and aerated. (For this batch of baguettes, it was about 5 hours from the initial mixing in room temp of about 75F. A later batch was 7 hours at 69F.)
• PRESHAPE AND BENCH REST
• Scrape the dough out onto a lightly floured counter and divide it into four pieces about 280g each.
• Pre-shape into four rounds and cover with a large bowl or slightly damp towel.
• Let the dough rest for 20-30 minutes.
• SHAPING
• Prepare a linen couche or a couple of tea towels by rubbing flour into them and making four channels for the baguettes to lie in.
• Lightly flour your counter and flip a dough ball onto the flour. Shape your dough into four demi baguettes using the technique depicted in the video at the end of this recipe. (Stretch the dough into a small square. Fold down about an inch of the top of the square, pat the seam down, then fold the sides in about an inch. Repeat until you have a tube, then roll and pinch the two edges of the tube.)
• Transfer the demi baguettes to the channels in the couche and cover with a slightly damp tea towel.
• PROOFING AND OVEN PREP
• Let the dough proof at room temperature for 30-60 minutes, while you prep your oven.
• Baking Stone or Steel or Baking Sheet (not non-stick): Put the stone, steel or baking sheet in the oven middle shelf, and put an aluminum pan with a pinhole in it on the oven shelf under the stone or steel. This creates a drip system for steam. When making the pinhole, test over your sink that water drips through it about 1-2 drops a second.
• Challenger Bread Pan (baking vessel with a flat base, fits two demi-baguettes): Put the pan(s) in the oven. If you have two pans, you'll bake all four baguettes at once. If you have one pan, you'll do two bakes, back-to-back (more below). Steam is trapped inside the vessel and no drip pan (or spraying) is needed.
• Preheat your oven at 500F for 30 minutes.
• BAKING
• When proofing is complete, flip the baguettes onto parchment paper (two per parchment works well).
• Score the baguettes 2-3 times on the diagonal.
• Baking Stone or Steel or Baking Sheet (not non-stick):
• Using a peel or upside down baking sheet, slide the parchment sheets onto the stone and immediately pour a cup of boiling water onto the aluminum tray below. Quickly close the oven door to trap the steam.
• Bake at
• 500F for 15 minutes (rotate if needed)
• Turn off the oven, prop open the door with a wooden spoon, and leave the baguettes in the oven for an additional 10 minutes.
• Challenger Bread Pan:
• Remove the hot pan base(s) from the oven.
• Lay doubled over aluminum foil rectangles onto the bases of your pans.
• Using a peel or upside down baking sheet, slide the parchment onto the aluminum foil.
• Cover the pans and put them in the oven.
• Immediately lower the oven temperature to 450F.
• Bake at
• 450F for 12 minutes lids on.
• Remove the lids and bake an additional 6 minutes. If you have only one pan, make sure you leave the lid in the oven after you remove it so it doesn't cool down for your second batch.
• Add a baking sheet under the bases and bake an additional 6-10 minutes, depending on the crust color you prefer.