Sourdough Baguettes Recipes

Steps:

• Combine the sourdough with the water and allow to sit until the sourdough relaxes and begins to dissolve, about 20 minutes. Beat in the whole-wheat flour and one cup of the bread flour, cover tightly with plastic wrap and allow to rise until very bubbly and light, six to eight hours depending on the warmth of the room.
• Beat in the salt and another cup of flour, again cover and let rise until double in size, five to seven hours.
• Transfer the mixture to a kneading bowl or food processor fitted with a eel blade and knead in the remaining flour, a third of a cup at a time, until the dough is smooth, shiny and elastic. Cover and let rest for 10 minutes.
• Sprinkle a baking sheet with cornmeal. Divide the dough in half and roll each half into a thin snake about one-and-a-half inches in diameter. Place the snakes, well separated, on the baking sheet, cover lightly with a dampened tea towel or plastic wrap and allow to rise until double in size, about one to one-and-a-half hours.
• Heat the oven to 450 degrees. Make several shallow diagonal slashes across the loaves with a razor blade and put the sheet in the oven. Being careful not to get burned by the steam, throw about a quarter cup of water onto the oven floor and shut the oven at once.
• Bake the bread for 35 to 45 minutes, or until the baguettes are crusty and well browned. Cool on wire racks.

Steps:

• Feed sourdough starter and let sit at room temperature for 8 to 12 hours.
• Dissolve yeast in warm water in a large bowl. Add 4 cups all-purpose flour, sourdough starter, sugar, and salt. Cover and let rise until double in size, about 1 hour.
• Mix remaining 1 cup of flour with baking soda in another bowl. Stir mixture into dough slowly, adding just enough to make dough stiff. Knead dough, adding flour mixture as needed, until smooth and shiny. Shape into two baguettes and place on a baking sheet sprinkled with cornmeal. Let dough rise again until double in size, 1 to 1 1/2 hours.
• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
• Brush tops of baguettes with cold water and make several gentle slashes along the tops of the loaves.
• Place a small, oven-safe, pan of water on the bottom rack of the oven. Bake baguettes in the preheated oven until golden brown, about 25 minutes. Remove from the oven and brush each with melted butter. Continue baking until crisp, 3 to 5 minutes more.