Baguette from Sourdough Starter

Mix the starter with the 1/2 cup of water water, then add the 1/2 cup of flour and mix together until flour is dissolved. Cover with plastic wrap, but leave a little bit open. I like to use a glass bowl for this. Set aside for at least 5 hours and up to 12 hours. This mixture will rise and be bubbly. You want the starter to be extremely active.

Add the 1.5 cups of water to the Levain mixture above. Add in the 1 tablespoon of sugar sugar and the 4.5 cups of flour. Using a spoon or thick spatula, mix lightly until there isn't anything dry left. Essentially just get it to the point where the flour is absorbed. Let this rest for at least 30 minutes, up to 90 minutes. Do not put the salt in at this stage as it will prevent the yeast from activating and you will get a more dense dough.

Add the autolyze dough to your stand mixer with a dough hook attachment. Start the mixter on the lowest setting and slowly add the salt while the dough is kneading. Knead the dough in the mixer for about 6-8 minutes. Check it around 2-4 minutes, slowly adding more bread flour if the dough isn't pulling away from the edges. Be sure to knead it for about 2-4 minutes after adding the last flour.

In a large glass bowl, coat the bowl with the 2 tbl of olive oil. Add the dough and flip it over to coat the dough evenly. Cover lightly with plastic wrap (making sure the plastic isn't going to stick to the sides preventing the dough from raising). Add at wet washcloth to the top. Place in an oven on proof, or with the oven light on. Leave for 3-4 hours, or until the dough has doubled and is light and airy.

Remove the dough from the oven, turn off the oven and punch down the dough. Add flour to your board and move the dough from the oven to the board. Fold and coat the dough with flour. I liked to stretch and fold once or twice to get it to come together. Divide evenly into 3 balls. Shape into baguettes and add to your baguette pan. I have one that holds three, hence 3 loafs.

Cover lightly with plastic wrap and let rest on the counter for 45 minutes. At around 40 minutes, preheat the oven to 425 degrees and boil water.

Once the oven is preheated and the water is boiling, add an oven safe metal bowl to the oven and add the boiling water. Remove the plastic and add the baguette pan to the oven. Bake for 30 minutes, or until lightly golden and the temperature reaches 205 degrees.

Remove from oven, remove from the pan to a cooling rack and let cool for about 10 minutes before slicing into (if you can).