Directions

1. Blend the remaining flour along with the salt into the preferment, just a gently coming together of the dough’ Leave it looking a little shaggy, cover and leave for 1 hour – this will assist in making the dough easier to work with.
2. The dough should now be a little tacky. Rather than using flour at this stage, lightly wet your bench with water, wet your hands and scrape the dough out. Bring it together-do the stretch and fold sequence, reshape into a ball, and place in lightly oiled bowl and leave for 30 minutes. Continue with 2 more of these folds thirty minutes apart.
3. After this stage is completed, dust your work surface with flour and scrape out the dough onto it. It should be slightly slack with a shiny appearance, flour your hands and bring the dough together, divide into four.
4. Dust a cotton tea towel with flour and bring it into an accordion shape, this will be for the dough to prove and to keep its shape.
5. Gently pre-shape each piece of dough into a rectangle and roll up, tucking in the edges. This does not have to be too precise at this stage, leave on the floured cloth and cover and leave to rest for 20 minutes.
6. Pre-heat oven to 230c/gas 8. Place a pan of water in the bottom of the oven as well. This helps in creating a crispy crust.
7. After 20 minutes reshape the dough pieces by flattening out into a rectangle, start to roll it towards yourself sealing as you go with the palm of your hand. Hopefully the extra photos will help with this process. Place back on the tea towel and prove for a further 20 minutes.
8. Place on lightly floured baking trays. Make 3 three even incisions on each baguette dough at an angle, spray with water – this will help in forming a shiny and crisp crust. Bake in the pre-heated oven for approximately 16-18 minutes until deep golden colour, and a hollow sound when tapped on the back.