Baguette
Rolling a baguette seems like second nature now, but I can remember my first time like it was yesterday. I had a master bread-maker teaching me, and I was utterly hopeless, fumbling around – I’d compare it to the first time you try to drive a stick shift, and stall the car every time. It wasn’t until I completed a stage (that’s the culinary term for unpaid work experience) in a bakery, rolling hundreds of baguettes in a single night, that I was able to hone my skills. It felt so good!
POOLISH:
1. In a medium bowl, combine the water and yeast and let stand for 1 minute.
2. Add the flour and mix rigorously into a smooth batter with a wooden spoon for 2-3 minutes, ensuring the sides of the bowl are clean. Cover with a damp cloth or plastic wrap and put in a moderately warm place until the dough has doubled in volume.
3. Stir the dough for 30 seconds with the wooden spoon, cover and store in the fridge overnight.
DOUGH:
1. Remove the poolish from the fridge and let come to room temperature.
2. Measure 1 cup of the poolish and transfer to a large bowl. Add the water and yeast and break up the poolish using a wooden spoon. Add the flour and stir until it becomes difficult to stir.
3. Transfer to a clean work-top and knead the dough for approximately 15 minutes until it is smooth and silky (an electric kitchen mixer with a dough hook attachment can also be used for this step). The dough is ready when it springs back quickly when a small piece of the dough is pulled.
4. Shape the dough into a tight ball, place into a clean lightly oiled bowl and cover with a damp cloth or plastic wrap. Place in a warm place for approximately 2-3 hours. When the dough has doubled in volume and a slight indentation remains when the dough is poked with your finger it is ready.
5. Punch down the dough and transfer to a lightly floured clean work-top. Knead briefly and the cut into 4 equal pieces. Shape each piece into a tight ball and cover with damp cloth or cling wrap in a warm place for 25-30 minutes.
6. Flatten each piece of dough with your hand and shape into a long 12-14 inch loaf.
7. Place each baguette face side down into a well floured couche or piece of linen towel. Cover with damp towel or cling wrap in a warm place for 90 minutes. The dough is ready when a slight indentation remains when poked with your finger.
8. An hour before baking, turn the oven on and set at 450°F (230°C). Gently roll the baguettes over so the seam side is down. Using a lame or a very sharp knife score each of the baguettes very quickly with ½ inch deep cuts. Place a large baking tray in the middle of the oven for a few minutes to heat up. Carefully and quickly transfer each of the loaves onto the sheet pan. Bake for 20-25 minutes. The loaves are done when they are a brown caramel colour and the bottom sounds hollow when tapped. Cool on a baking rack – best eaten warm, of course.
Michael Clark
Michael is a banker with a love for bread. His desire was kindled by morning visits to a local bakery while holidaying in France. He was struck by the passion of the bakers and the simplicity of hand made bread— 4 ingredients; flour, salt, water and yeast. He soon found himself experimenting in his own kitchen, before recruiting a master baker to show him the ropes. Wanting a taste of the real thing, he traded his holidays for midnight shifts in one of Canada's leading artisan bread bakeries. To quote Michael, “there is nothing more satisfying then the solitude of waking up early, hand kneading the dough, smelling the aromas coming from the oven and then slathering a hot piece of bread with some delicious butter”. An avid traveler, he seeks out crusty loaves and the people who make them around world. When not working in The City, Michael can be found in his London kitchen or his local pub