Sourdough Demi-Baguettes

• 375 g bread flour
• 255 g water, room temperature
• 75 g active sourdough starter (fed, bubbly, at peak)
• 8 g fine sea salt

Starter

Feed your sourdough starter 4–8 hours before mixing, using a 1:1:1 ratio (starter : flour : water by weight). Use the starter at peak or just beginning to fall for best rise.

Dough

In a large mixing bowl, combine the room temperature water and active sourdough starter. Stir with a Danish whisk until frothy. Add bread flour and salt and mix until no dry spots remain and a rough, sticky dough forms. Cover and let rest for 1 hour.

With wet hands, stretch and fold the outer edges of the dough in toward the center until the dough tightens and is no longer loose. Allow dough to rest and repeat this stretch and fold motion. Allow dough to rest for another 30 minutes, then perform a coil fold by lifting the dough out of the bowl allowing the edges to droop down then set the dough down. Pivot the bowl 90 degrees and repeat until dough no longer droops. Allow dough to rest another 30 minutes, then perform a final coil fold. Turn the dough seam-side down, cover, and let rest for 2-4 hours, until visibly expanded and bubbly.

Gently turn the risen dough out onto a generously floured work surface. Keep your hands and bench scraper well-floured to manage the sticky dough.

Use the bench scraper to flip the dough so the floured side is facing up. With floured hands, gently press the dough into a rectangle, popping any large air bubbles. Divide the dough into three equal pieces using the bench scraper.

Separate the three pre-shaped pieces, lightly dust with flour, cover with a tea towel, and let rest for 20 minutes to allow gluten to relax.

Lay the tea towel flat next to your work surface and flour generously. To shape, press each piece into a rectangle. Fold the bottom third up to the center and press gently to seal. Fold the top edge all the way down toward you, pressing firmly along the seam and pinch closed.

With hands flat at the center of the dough, gently roll outward until the dough reaches the length of the demi baguette pan, tapering the ends slightly. Transfer to the floured tea towel. Repeat with remaining dough, creating towel “walls” between each piece so they don’t touch. Cover with the remaining tea towel and let rest for 45-60 minutes.

Bake

Position an oven rack in the upper third of the oven and preheat to 450°F. Carefully transfer each loaf into the channels of the Demi Baguette Pan. Using a lame or serrated knife, score each loaf with 4–5 long diagonal cuts evenly spaced along the length. Bake for 20–25 minutes, until deeply golden brown. Cool in the pan for at least 30 minutes before slicing.

Store at room temperature in a bag or airtight container for up to 3 days, or freeze for up to 8 weeks.

*Active Sourdough Starter: Starter is active and ready to bake with when it has doubled in size, looks bubbly and airy, smells mildly sweet and tangy, and a spoonful floats briefly in water (optional test). For more information on how to use and maintain your sourdough starter, click here.

*Optional overnight ferment: After shaping the dough and adding to a lightly dusted tea towel, refrigerate overnight (8–14 hours)