Session 234 — Baguette
← Block 43–44: Bread — Lean Doughs Overview
Skill: Pre-ferment (poolish); aggressive shaping; scoring for ear and bloom Read first: How to Make Baguettes at Home
What you're learning: The baguette is the hardest lean bread to make at home because it demands precise shaping, proper scoring, and real steam. A poolish (flour + water + tiny yeast, mixed 12–16 hours ahead) builds the deep flavor that a quick mix can't achieve. The shape — long, even, tapered — is entirely about hand technique. This is the session that separates baking from bread-making.
Full Meal: Baguette with French onion soup and croutons — or rotisserie chicken, green salad, and good butter
🎥 Compare Notes: How to Make Amazing French Baguettes at Home (Alex French Guy Cooking) — Watch his scoring technique and look for the "ear" — the raised flap of crust from a properly angled cut. Try to replicate his shaping motion.