French Baguettes

French Bread/Baguettes

Starter:

• ¾ cup bread floor (90 grams)
• ¾ cup warm water (90 grams)
• 1 tsp yeast (3 grams)

Mix in a medium large bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and leave in a warm place for 12-14 hours. I mix it the night before I plan to make the bread.

Dough

Put starter in a large mixing bowl – a stand mixer if you have it.

Then add:

• One cup warm water (215 grams)
• three cups bread flour (380 grams)
• one and a half teaspoons of salt (10 grams)
• One and a half teaspoons of diastatic malt powder (10 grams)

 Mix in mixer on low-ish (I use the 2 setting) for five minutes.

Then put in a medium-sized greased bowl and let rise for one hour.

Beat down, let rise for another hour.

Beat down, rise for another hour.

Shape into round blobs, let rest for 20 minutes.

Divide in half, shape into long loaves, let rise 30 minutes.

Bake in a 450 degree oven for 30 minutes. If you want to add steam, toss some ice cubes in a pan and put them in about a minute before you put the bread in.