Total Time: 18-24 hours (mostly hands-off fermenting) | Active Time: 30 minutes
Difficulty: Intermediate | Yields: 2 traditional baguettes
Few things rival the satisfaction of pulling a crackling, deeply bronzed sourdough baguette from your own oven. With an airy, open crumb, a chewy crust, and that distinct, complex tang, this recipe is a labor of love that rewards patience. Perfect for tearing, dipping, or crafting the ultimate sandwich.
Ingredients
For the Levain (Prepare 8-12 hours before mixing dough):
50g active, bubbly sourdough starter (100% hydration)
50g bread flour
50g whole wheat flour
100g lukewarm water
For the Final Dough:
300g bread flour
200g all-purpose flour
350g water (room temperature, ~70°F/21°C)
100g ripe levain (all of the above)
10g fine sea salt
Special Equipment:
Digital kitchen scale
Banneton proofing baskets or couche (heavy linen cloth)
Razor blade or lame for scoring
Baking stone or steel (highly recommended)
Rimmed baking sheet for steam
Instructions
Day 1: Evening – Create the Levain
Mix Levain (5 minutes): In a small jar or bowl, combine the 50g starter, 50g bread flour, 50g whole wheat flour, and 100g water. Stir until no dry flour remains.
Ferment: Cover loosely and let sit at room temperature (68-75°F/20-24°C) for 8-12 hours, or until it is very bubbly, has nearly doubled, and passes the “float test” (a small spoonful floats in water).
Day 2: Mix, Fold, and Shape
1. Autolyse (30 minutes hands-off, 9:00 AM):
In a large mixing bowl, combine the 300g bread flour, 200g all-purpose flour, and 350g water. Mix with a spatula or your hands until no dry bits remain. It will be a shaggy mass.
Cover and let rest for 30 minutes. This allows the flour to hydrate and gluten to begin developing naturally.
2. Mix the Dough (10 minutes, 9:30 AM):
Add the 100g of ripe levain and the 10g of salt to the autolysed dough.
Using wet hands, pinch and fold the dough for 3-5 minutes until the levain and salt are fully incorporated. The dough will be sticky and slack.
3. Bulk Fermentation & Stretch & Folds (4-5 hours total, mostly hands-off):
First 2 Hours: Perform a series of “stretch and folds” every 30 minutes (4 sets total). To do this, wet your hand, grab one side of the dough, stretch it upwards, and fold it over the center. Rotate the bowl a quarter turn and repeat until you’ve gone around the bowl 4-5 times. This builds strength without kneading.
Rest: After the final fold, cover the bowl tightly and let the dough rest undisturbed for the remaining 2-3 hours of bulk fermentation. The dough should look puffy, have risen about 30-50%, and be full of bubbles.
4. Pre-shape & Bench Rest (20 minutes, ~2:30 PM):
Gently turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Using a bench scraper, divide it into two equal pieces (~600g each).
Shape each piece into a loose round by tucking the edges under. Cover with a damp towel and let rest for 20 minutes. This relaxes the gluten for final shaping.
5. Final Shape (10 minutes, ~2:50 PM):
Lightly flour the top of one dough round. Gently flip it over so the floured side is down.
Fold the top third down to the center, then fold the bottom third up over that, like a letter.
Starting from the top, roll the dough down to seal into a tight cylinder. Gently rock and roll the cylinder back and forth, applying light pressure to taper the ends and create the classic baguette shape, about 14-15 inches long.
6. Proof (3-4 hours cold, plus 1 hour room temp):
Heavily flour a couche or two bannetons. Place each shaped baguette seam-side up into the floured folds of the couche or banneton.
Cover and let proof at room temperature for 1 hour.
Then, transfer to the refrigerator for a cold final proof of 3-4 hours (or up to 12-18 hours for more sour flavor).
Day 2 (or 3): Bake
1. Preheat (1 hour before baking):
Place a baking stone or steel on a middle rack. Place an empty rimmed baking sheet on the bottom rack. Preheat your oven to 500°F (260°C).
2. Score & Bake (25 minutes total):
Carefully turn one proofed baguette onto a piece of parchment paper. Using a razor blade held at a shallow angle, make 4-5 long, decisive slashes along the length.
Slide the parchment with the baguette onto the preheated baking stone. Immediately pour 1 cup of boiling water into the preheated rimmed baking sheet below to create steam. Close the oven door quickly.
Bake at 500°F (260°C) for 15 minutes.
Carefully remove the steam pan. Reduce oven temperature to 450°F (230°C) and continue baking for 10-12 minutes, or until the crust is a deep, burnished golden brown and the baguettes sound hollow when tapped on the bottom.
3. Cool (Mandatory! – 1 hour):
Transfer the baguettes to a wire cooling rack. Resist all temptation to cut into them! Let them cool completely for at least 1 hour. This allows the interior crumb to set and the flavors to fully develop.
Nutrition Facts (Per 1/6th of a Baguette)
Calories: ~160
Total Fat: 0.5g
Sodium: 325mg
Total Carbohydrates: 33g
Dietary Fiber: 1g
Sugars: 0g
Protein: 5g