Artisan Baguette

When you have a little time at home and need a little culinary challenge, home made baguette is a perfect antidote to a snowy and grey day. Crusty and beautifully coloured on the outside, buttery soft and chewy on the inside, with a tiny bit of butter – what is not to like !

INGREDIENTS
500 gr All purpose flour (about 3 1/2 cups, using ‘scoop and swipe’ method)
360 Gr. Warm water (1 1/2 cups + 1 Tbsp). 100°F to 110°F (37°C to 41°C)
10 Gr. Salt (2 Tsp)
3 Gr. Instant yeast (1 Tsp)
25 Gr. Honey (About 1 Tbsp)

Instructions

Mix all ingredients in a bowl, cover and let rest for 15 minutes.
Over a period of 1 1/2 hours, do 3 sets of stretch and folds, flipping the dough upside down after each set.
Cover the bowl and place in refrigerator overnight for about 12-14 hours.
Turn the dough on a lightly floured work surface. Divide into 3 equal parts and shape into rectangles. Cover and let rest for 45-60 minutes.
Stretch each dough rectangle slightly and fold into a cylinder, sealing the seams. Using your hands, roll the cylinders gently stretching them to desired length, about 14-15 inches.
Place on a well and generously floured tea towel, seam side up. Cover and proof at a room temperature for about 30-60 minutes, or until the dough has sufficiently proofed.
Starting preheating the oven to 500F (260°C) with a baking stone positioned in the upper half the oven and a bread pan filled with hot water on the bottom rack. In a small oven, you can throw a few ice cubes at the bottom of the pan and it also works quite well.
Transfer the baguettes to a piece of parchment paper (see note 3), seam side down, and dust off excess flour. Using a sharp knife, or a razor blade, make 3 scores on each baguette. When scoring, use a swift and firm motion to ensure nice and clean cuts.
Open the oven, taking caution not to get burned by steam, and slide the baguettes off onto the baking stone. Close the oven and reduce temperature to 475F (250°C) .
Bake for 15 minutes – until golden brown –