Baguette

Today I took my basic sour dough recipe from yesterday and decided to bake Baguettes.
The recipe I used was:

1 pound starter
14 ounces of water
1 pound 5 ounces all purpose flour
3 ounces whole wheat flour
2.5 teaspoons salt

Steps 1-3 below are a recap of yesterdays post.

Step 1

Add starter and water together and stir.
Add both flours and mix until flours are completely incorporated.

Cover and let rest for minimum of 30 minutes.

Step 2

Add salt and knead the dough smooth and slightly tacky. If you knead in a mixer look for the time when the dough pulls away from the sides of your bowl cleanly. Cover and let dough rise for at least an hour.

Step 3

Turn out the dough onto a lightly floured board and fold the dough into 3 thirds. Be gentle and try not to degas the dough. Turn the dough 90 degrees and fold into thirds again. return to bowl cover and let rise for an hour.

Now for the baguettes!

Step 4

A few additional tools are used. I take a sheet pan and cover with a well floured couche. Next I took a shingle and wrapped it with a dish towel and covered it with a woman's nylon. This comes in handy moving the dough around.

Turn out your dough and divide it. Today I decided to bake 3 large baguettes. This recipe can make 6 smaller baguettes very easily. Once you divide the dough form it into rounds and let it rest for 30 minutes.

Well floured couche and nylon covered board.

Dough divided into thirds for 3 large baguettes.

Formed into rounds and allowed to rest.

Step 5

My dough was nice and bubbly. Starting with one round pull the top over and fold 1/2 way down. Next take the bottom of the dough and fold up over the top fold and gently press it closed. Then using the palms of your hand cup them over the folded dough and roll the dough on the board allowing it to expand into the size baguette you want. Then transfer the dough onto the couche. Pull up the couche on each side of the dough building a wall. Continue the process with each additional round. Cover and let proof for 1.5 to 2 hours.

Fold top of dough over and 1/2 way down.

Fold the bottom up and over the top fold. Roll the dough on the board forming your baguette.

Transfer to couche cover and allow 2 hours to proof.

Step 6

Once your dough has risen, transfer it to a sheet of parchment paper, score it place into the oven to bake. I add water to a pan under my soapstone in the oven and add water to it to create steam. I bake these for 30 minutes at 425 degrees.