Sponge Baguette

• Ready In: 50 mins
• Yields: 4 baguettes

Ingredients

• 1 1⁄2 cups bread flour
• 1 1⁄2 cups water
• 1  ounce fresh yeast
• 1  cup water
• 5  cups bread flour
• 3  teaspoons salt

Directions

1. Make a sponge with the first three ingredients; cover and ferment at least 15 minutes Add 1 c water, 5 c flour (gradually) while mixing.
2. Mix about 10 minutes, adding salt in last minute.
3. Round, cover, proof until dough doubles in size.
4. Punch, scale dough into 14 oz.
5. pieces.
6. Roll by hand into 1" dia.
7. tubes with tapered ends.
8. place on floured pan (preferrably baguette pan, otherwise cookie sheet) with seam down Lightly coat with pan spray and cover with plastic wrap, proof until doubled in thickness Remove plastic, slash 1/2" deep with five overlapping diagonal slashes Bake at 425* (convection) or 450* (conventional), spraying walls of oven every two minutes for first 10 minutes, until crust is a deep golden brown.