Baking Great Bread at Home
Perfection is not required
"Great bread isn't about perfect technique—it's about understanding the dough."— Henry Hunter Jr.
Authentic Bread Flavor
Master the art of French baguettes with this classic poolish recipe. 75% hydration dough creates thin, shattering crust and open, irregular crumb with mild sweetness.
Equipment Needed
Ingredients
Day 1: Build the Poolish
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Combine flour and water
Add yeast
Cover loosely
Ferment overnight
Step 1: Autolyse
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Mix fresh flour and water
Rest
Step 2: Add Poolish and Mix
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Check your poolish
Combine ingredients
Mix (stand mixer)
Mix (by hand)
Pro Tip
Target dough temperature: 75-78°F. The dough will be soft at 75% hydration—tacky but not sticky.
Step 3: Bulk Fermentation
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Transfer and cover
Fold every 30-45 minutes
Check for readiness
Pro Tip
The folds build strength. dough lacks structure on its own—folds compensate by aligning gluten without traditional kneading.
Step 4: Divide and Pre-Shape
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Turn out dough
Divide
Pre-shape
Shaping
Step 5: Final Shape
The classic baguette shape requires practice. Your first attempts may be uneven—the bread will still taste excellent.
Baguette
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Prepare
Shape the baguette
Roll and taper
Transfer to
The Final Step
Step 8: Score and Bake
Transfer baguettes
Score
Bake with steam
Vent and finish
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Troubleshooting
Baker's Notes
Common questions and solutions for perfect results
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