Add all ingredients to the stand mixer bowl with the paddle attachment. Mix on low until no dry spots remain. It will look like thick batter. That's fine.

Cover and walk away for 20-30 minutes. The flour is hydrating, the yeast is waking up, the gluten is starting to organize itself.

Start on slow speed, then work up to speed 8-9 on a KitchenAid. Let it run for about 15 minutes. You'll know it's done when the dough pulls away from the bowl completely and forms a ball around the paddle.

Use wet hands and a bowl scraper to separate the dough from the paddle. Dump it into a well-oiled bowl. Cover it.

Set a timer. Don't walk away and forget about it.

Wet your hands, grab under the dough, lift it up, let it fold over itself. Rotate the bowl, do it again. Four times total. Done.

Once you've completed all four folds, move directly to the next step. No additional rest needed. The fold organized your gluten. The dough is ready.

Dump the dough onto a heavily floured surface. And I mean heavily. Unlike other recipes, in this case it doesn't matter. The flour stays on the outside.

Pat it gently into a rectangle. Just even it out a little. Otherwise you'll get a bulge in the middle. Don't deflate it. Don't roll it. Just pat.

Use a bench-scraper to cut into sandwich-sized pieces. However big you want your rolls or loaves.

Use two bench scrapers, push in from both ends, squish the dough a little, place it down on your floured couche. Then pull your hands apart and the dough lays right where you want it. **Setting up your couche (or substitute):** Most home bakers don't have a linen couche. A heavy cotton tea towel or clean pillowcase works great. Lay it flat on a sheet pan, flour it liberally (this is the one time I'll tell you to go heavy), and create fabric ridges between each piece of dough so they proof without spreading into each other.

Let proof for 20-30 minutes until puffy. Don't let them over-proof - watch them closely.

Get your oven screaming hot at 475°F. Put a metal pan on the bottom rack for steam.

Right before the loaves go in, pour a cup of hot water onto that hot pan. The steam bursts out. Put a towel over your oven window so you don't splash water on the glass and crack it.

Slide the parchment with the loaves directly onto your preheated baking stone or sheet pan. Close the door quickly to trap the steam.

Set a timer for 30 minutes, but check them at 25. They should be deep golden, crispy, hollow-sounding when you tap the bottom.

Set them on a cooling rack. Listen for the clicking sounds as the crust hardens. That's the bread song. It means everything went right.