GOOD

• Combine water, yeast, salt and flour. Stir to combine then switch to a soaking wet hand and squeeze to continue mixing until dough is no longer shaggy.
  
• Dust with flour and knead for 2 minutes to build strength. It's ready when you can tug a piece of the dough without it ripping.
  
• Cut into 2 equal pieces, flatten each into an oval then roll and shape and roll as shown @1:20. Place both shaped doughs onto the bottom of a parchment lined baking sheet, cover with a foil pan (approx 17"x12"x4" / 43cm x 32cm x10cm) and let rise at room temp for 40-60min.
  
• Spray baguettes with water, cover with foil pan again and bake for 25 minutes in a preheated 465F/240C oven, removing the lid after 14min.

BETTER:

• Combine 225g water & flour with a spoon then switch to a soaking wet hand to continue mixing until the dough is a solid clod. Sprinkle the salt on top of the dough while you mix your yeast. Cover & allow to sit at room temperature for 20 min.
• Stir together yeast with 30g water. Allow to sit at room temperature for 20 minutes then add this yeast mixture to the salted dough & squeeze with a wet hand to combine. Cover with lid. Let sit for 30 mins.
  
• Perform strength building fold as shown @5:40. Cover & ferment for 30 more mins. Perform a 2nd strength building fold. Cover once more & ferment at room temp for 1 hour.
  
• Transfer to floured work surface. Flatten with your hands & cut into 2 even pieces. Preshape each piece as shown in video @6:39. Cover the shaped dough balls & rest at room temp for 15 mins.
• Shape baguettes as shown @7:05.
• Place both shaped doughs onto the bottom of a parchment lined baking sheet (or any flat surface), cover with a foil pan (approx 16"x12"x3" / 406mmx 318mm x 82mm) and let rise at room temp for 45-70min.
  
• Transfer the baguettes (with parchment) onto a preheated pizza steel/stone. Spray with water, cover with the foil lid and bake for 25 minutes at 465F/240C, removing the lid halfway through.
  

BEST:

POOLISH:

• Stir together water, yeast, & flour. Cover and ferment at room temperature for 12-24 hours
  

DOUGH:

• Add poolish, water, yeast, flour, salt, and malt powder to a stand mixer with a bread hook and mix on low for 3 minutes. Once the dough is combined, increase speed to high (speed 4 on my kitchenaid) and mix for another 6 minutes.
• Transfer to a bowl, cover, and ferment at room temperature for 30 minutes. Perform a strength building fold. Cover, rest for 30 minutes. Do another strength building fold. Cover, rest for a final 60 minutes.
• Transfer dough to a floured surface & divide into 4 equal pieces (about 230g each). Preshape each piece as shown @11:15. Cover with a towel & rest for 15 minutes.
• Shape as shown @7:05 (process is the same as "better" baguette shaping).
  
• Proof in a floured couche, cover, & proof shaped loaves for 45-60 minutes. Score with a bread lame and bake in a preheated, semolina dusted challenger bread pan. Bake 465F/240C covered for 12 mins. Remove lid & bake for 12-15 more mins until crusty & golden brown.