80:20 Poolish-Sourdough Baguettes

sourdough, poolish, baguettes, fermentation, gluten development, dough, baking steel, steam, starter, hybrid leavening, crust

A hybrid-leavened master recipe combining the nutty sweetness of poolish with the structure of sourdough

Yield: 4 baguettes | Prep: 45 min | Inactive: 24+ hr | Cook: 25 min | Total: ~25 hr

Headnote

This recipe represents the pinnacle of flavor and texture, utilizing a hybrid leavening strategy. The poolish contributes extensibility and a creamy, nutty flavor, while the sourdough adds strength and acidity — keeping quality. This method utilizes a long, cold retard. Teaching Idea: Cold Retardation. Cooling the dough to 38°F/4°C slows yeast activity significantly while enzymes (protease and amylase) continue breaking down proteins and starches. Why: This results in a blistered crust and a complex, caramelized flavor profile that cannot be achieved at room temperature.

Ingredients

Preferments (Night Before)

• 150 g (1 ¼ cups) bread flour (Poolish)
• 150 ml (⅔ cup) water, room temperature (Poolish)
• 0.5 g (1 pinch) instant yeast (Poolish)
• 110 g (¼ cup) mature sourdough starter (100% hydration)

Main Dough

• 400 g (3 ¼ cups) bread flour
• 240 ml (1 cup) water, warm (90°F/32°C)
• 10 g (1 tbsp) diastatic malt powder
• 3 g (1 tsp) instant yeast
• 11 g (2 tsp) Diamond Crystal kosher salt

Mise en Place

• Feed the sourdough starter so it peaks simultaneously with the poolish.
• Mix the poolish 12–16 hours prior to the main dough mix.
• Clear a shelf in the refrigerator to accommodate a tray/couche for the overnight retard.
• Preheat oven to 465°F/240°C with a baking steel (middle rack) and steam pan (lower rack) 45 minutes before baking.

Method

Phase 1: Build The Preferments. The night before, mix the poolish ingredients until smooth. Cover and ferment at room temperature (70°F/21°C) for 12–16 hours until bubbly and slightly domed. Ensure your sourdough starter is fed to be ripe at the same time.

Phase 2: Autolyse (Optional but Recommended) In the mixer bowl, combine the Main Dough water (240 ml) and bread flour (400 g). Mix just until no dry bits remain. Cover and rest for 20–30 minutes. Why: This hydrates the starch and jumpstarts gluten development, reducing mixing time later.

Phase 3: Mix the Dough. Add the ripe poolish, ripe sourdough starter, instant yeast, salt, and diastatic malt to the autolysed dough. Mix: Low speed for 3 minutes until combined. Increase to medium-high for 5–6 minutes. Target: A smooth, elastic dough with medium gluten development (pulls from the sides but remains slightly tacky).

Phase 4: Bulk Fermentation Transfer to a lightly oiled tub. Ferment at room temperature (72–75°F/22–24°C) for 2 hours total. Fold Schedule: Perform strength-building folds at 30 minutes, 60 minutes, and 120 minutes (immediately before dividing). Technique: Lift the dough from the middle, stretch, and fold under itself (coil fold). Target: 50–75% volume increase; dough feels airy and “alive.”

Phase 5: Divide and Pre-Shape Turn dough onto a floured surface immediately after the third fold. Divide into 4 equal pieces (~230 g each). Shape: Pat into a rectangle, then roll into a loose cylinder. Rest: Cover and bench rest for 15–20 minutes until the dough no longer springs back when gently pressed — it should feel slack and extensible, ready to roll without resistance.

Phase 6: Final Shaping Lightly flour the bench. Degas the cylinders gently into rectangles. Form: Fold the top third down and seal. Fold the bottom third up and seal. Fold in half lengthwise and seal firmly. Roll: Roll from the center outward to lengthen, tapering the ends slightly. Place: Set seam-side up in a floured couche, creating pleats between loaves.

Phase 7: Proof and Retard Bench Proof: Cover and proof at room temperature for 30–45 minutes until slightly puffy. Poke Test: Press one finger ½ inch into the dough — it should spring back slowly but not fully (50–75% rebound). The surface should feel firm and slightly resistant, not pillow-soft or airy. Full spring-back means underproofed; a dent that stays means overproofed. This firmness confirms the dough has enough structure to hold its shape through the overnight retard. Cold Retard: Move the couche (on a tray) to the refrigerator (38–40°F/3–4°C) for 8–12 hours.

Phase 8: The Bake. Boil water for the steam pan. Remove baguettes from the fridge and rest uncovered at room temperature for 20–30 minutes. Why: A short counter rest relaxes surface tension so the lame glides cleanly without tearing, and allows oven spring to develop more evenly. The dough should feel cool but not cold to the touch before scoring. Gently transfer to a parchment-lined peel, seam-side down. Score: Use a lame to make 4–5 overlapping cuts at a 30–45° angle. Load: Slide onto the preheated steel (465°F/240°C). Add boiling water to the steam pan. Cover: Immediately cover loaves with an inverted roasting pan (optional, if your oven vents steam quickly). Bake: Bake with steam (or covered) for 12 minutes. Remove cover/vent steam. Bake exposed for 12–15 minutes until deep golden brown.

Chef’s Notes

• Fold Schedule Logic: The inclusion of the third fold at the 120-minute mark serves as a final tightening before the divide. This is smart for high-hydration doughs to ensure they hold the cylinder shape during the bench rest.
• Storage (The First 24 Hours): Never store fresh baguettes in plastic bags; the humidity will soften the crust and make it leathery. Store standing up in a paper bag (open top) or simply cut-side down on a wooden board.
• Long Term Storage (Freezing): Baguettes freeze exceptionally well. Wrap the cooled loaf tightly in plastic wrap, then a layer of foil. Freeze for up to 1 month.
• The Revival (Re-Warming): To refresh a day-old or frozen baguette, run the loaf quickly under tap water (yes, wet the crust) and place directly into a 350°F/175°C oven for 5–7 minutes (10–12 minutes if frozen). The water turns to steam, crisping the crust while the heat refreshes the interior starch structure.

Glossary

• Poolish: A pre-ferment of flour and water, inoculated with yeast, used to develop flavor and texture in bread dough.
• Diastatic Malt Powder: An enzymatic malt extract that aids in starch conversion during fermentation, contributing to dough extensibility and flavor.
• Autolyse: A resting period for dough ingredients, primarily flour and water, that promotes starch hydration and initial gluten development.
• Coil Fold: A folding technique in bread making where the dough is lifted and folded under itself in a spiral motion to build strength and develop gluten.
• Retard: A controlled chilling period for dough, typically in the refrigerator, to slow down fermentation and develop flavor complexity.
• Scoring: The precise cutting of dough surface with a lame or other sharp instrument to control expansion during baking.