🥖 Same-Day Artisan Sourdough Baguettes (No Whole Wheat)
- AI Kitchen
- 5 days ago
- 17 min read
Craving crusty, golden baguettes with a chewy, open crumb—all in one day? This beginner-friendly sourdough recipe uses only bread flour and a natural starter to deliver bakery-quality loaves without the overnight wait.
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Recipe
Yield: 4 medium baguettes
Calories per serving: ~820 kcal
Total time: 9 hours (including fermentation and baking)
🥖 Same-Day Artisan Sourdough Baguettes (No Whole Wheat)🧾 Ingredients
👩🍳 Instructions1. Mix the Dough (8:00 AM): In a large mixing bowl, combine bread flour, water, sourdough starter, honey, and salt. Mix thoroughly until no dry flour remains. Cover and let rest for 15 minutes. 2. Bulk Fermentation with Stretch and Folds (8:15 AM – 10:15 AM): Over the next 2 hours, perform 4 sets of stretch-and-folds every 30 minutes. After the last fold, cover and let the dough rest undisturbed until it increases by about 50% in volume (approximately until 12:15 PM). 3. Pre-shape (12:15 PM): Gently turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface. Divide into 4 equal portions and pre-shape each into a short log. Cover and let rest for 20–30 minutes. 4. Final Shaping (12:45 PM): Shape each log into a baguette by flattening slightly, folding the top third down and sealing, then folding the bottom third up and sealing again. Roll gently to elongate to about 35–40 cm (14–16 inches). Place seam-side up on a floured couche or tea towel. Cover loosely. 5. Final Proof (1:00 PM – 2:45 PM): Let the shaped baguettes proof at room temperature until puffy and visibly risen. 6. Preheat Oven (2:45 PM): Begin preheating your oven to 245°C (475°F) with a baking stone or steel on the middle rack and a metal tray or cast iron pan on the bottom rack for steam. 7. Score and Bake (3:30 PM): Gently flip the proofed baguettes onto parchment. Score with a razor or sharp blade. Load into the oven and immediately add 1 cup of boiling water to the steam tray. Close the oven quickly. 8. Baking Time: Bake for 10 minutes with steam, then remove the steam tray and continue baking for another 10–15 minutes, until golden brown and crisp. 9. Cool (4:00 PM): Remove from oven and cool on a wire rack for at least 30 minutes. 10. Ready to Serve (5:00 PM):The baguettes are fully cooled and ready to enjoy. 🧮 Nutritional Information (Per Baguette)
🧊 Storage Instructions
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Prompt
Here's how I prompted to create the 🥖 Same-Day Artisan Sourdough Baguettes (No Whole Wheat) recipe:
I saw a recipe online, so I asked ChatGPT if it was optimized (it was in some Facebook page, I no longer have the link for it):
Saw a recipe for Sourdough Baguette online. Is it perfect or can you make it better? 800 g. bread flour 200 g. whole wheat 200 g. Starter 650 g. water 30 g. Honey 20 g. salt Mix everything and follow with 4 sets of stretch and fold every 30 minutes (total 2 hours) Divided and straight to final shape into couche. Final proof 2 hours. Baked at 245 degrees Celsius for 20 minutes with steam steamIt gave me a suggestion with adjustments:
That’s a solid base recipe for a sourdough baguette, but there's definitely room for refinement depending on your goals (flavor, crust, crumb, ease of shaping, etc.). Here's a breakdown of what works and what could be improved: ✅ What’s good about this recipe:
⚠️ Areas to improve or refine:1. Bulk Fermentation is likely too short
2. Shaping immediately after bulk is risky for baguettes
3. Proofing time is short
4. Bake instructions could be more detailed
✍️ Revised Recipe Summary:Ingredients
Process
Optional: Cold retard shaped baguettes overnight for better flavor and crust. Would you like a structured printable version or blog-ready version of the improved recipe? |
I wanted to understand timing:
so how long does this recipe take start to finish?It gave me an idea:
Here’s a realistic timeline breakdown of the improved sourdough baguette recipe from start to finish (same-day bake, no cold retard): 🕒 Estimated Total Time: ~8.5 to 9.5 hours🔄 Step-by-Step Breakdown:1. Mix + Autolyse: 45 minutes
2. Mix in Starter + Salt: 15 minutes
3. Bulk Fermentation: 4 hours
4. Pre-shape + Bench Rest: 30 minutes
5. Final Shape + Proof: 2 to 2.5 hours
6. Bake: ~25 minutes
⏰ Timeline Example (for reference): |
Time | Activity |
8:00 | Mix flours + water + honey (autolyse) |
8:45 | Add starter and salt, mix |
9:00 | Start bulk fermentation (stretch & fold every 30 min) |
11:00 | Final stretch and fold |
13:00 | End of bulk fermentation |
13:05 | Pre-shape and rest |
13:35 | Final shape + couche |
14:00 | Final proof begins |
16:00 | Preheat oven |
16:30 | Bake |
16:55 | Done |
If you wanted a cold-retard version, let me know and I can adjust it for overnight fermentation (for even better flavor and crust). |
I requested an updated timeline:
if I plan to start at 10 AM and have it ready by 5, where can I adjust?It responded with the requested update:
Great goal! You want the sourdough baguettes started at 10:00 AM and out of the oven by 5:00 PM — that gives you 7 hours total, which is tight but doable with a few smart adjustments: ✅ Here's how you can compress the schedule: |
Time | Activity |
10:00 AM | Mix everything at once (skip autolyse), including starter, salt, honey |
10:15 AM | Start bulk fermentation with stretch & folds every 30 minutes |
12:15 PM | Finish last fold — continue bulk ferment until dough increases ~50% |
1:00 PM | Pre-shape into logs, rest 20 min |
1:20 PM | Final shape into baguettes, place on couche |
1:30 PM | Final proof |
3:30 PM | Start preheating oven to 245°C (475°F) with baking stone/steel and steam setup |
4:00 PM | Score and bake with steam (remove steam after 10 minutes) |
4:25 PM | Done baking! Cool for 30–45 min before serving |
5:00 PM | Ready to eat ✅ |
🔧 Adjustments Made:
Tips to help you stay on schedule:
Want me to write this as a “7-Hour Same-Day Sourdough Baguette” recipe version for your blog or personal notes? |
Since it asked me if I wanted the updated recipe, I said yes:
yes pleaseIt did:
Here is your 7-Hour Same-Day Sourdough Baguette recipe, optimized to start at 10:00 AM and be ready to eat by 5:00 PM — perfect for fitting into a busy day without compromising flavor or texture. 🥖 7-Hour Same-Day Sourdough Baguette RecipeStart time: 10:00 AMReady to eat: 5:00 PMYield: 4 medium baguettes (~330g dough each)Hydration: 65% 🧂 Ingredients
🕒 Schedule Overview |
Time | Step |
10:00 AM | Mix all ingredients |
10:15 AM | Start bulk fermentation |
10:45–12:15 PM | Stretch & fold every 30 min (4 sets) |
1:00 PM | Pre-shape + rest |
1:30 PM | Final shape + couche |
1:30–3:30 PM | Final proof |
3:30 PM | Preheat oven to 245°C (475°F) |
4:00 PM | Score and bake (steam for first 10 min) |
4:25 PM | Cool on rack |
5:00 PM | Ready to eat ✅ |
👩🍳 Instructions1. Mix the Dough (10:00–10:15 AM)In a large mixing bowl, combine:
Mix thoroughly by hand or with a dough hook until fully incorporated and no dry flour remains. Dough will be shaggy but cohesive. Let rest, covered, for 15 minutes. 2. Bulk Fermentation with Stretch & Folds (10:15 AM–1:00 PM)Let dough rest in a covered container at ~24–26°C.Perform 4 sets of stretch-and-folds every 30 minutes:
After final fold (~12:15 PM), let the dough continue fermenting until it's risen about 50% in volume. 3. Pre-shape and Bench Rest (1:00–1:30 PM)Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface.Divide into 4 equal pieces (~470g each).Gently pre-shape into short logs. Cover and let rest for 20–30 minutes. 4. Final Shape and Proof (1:30–3:30 PM)Shape each log into a baguette. Place seam-side up on a well-floured couche or tea towel.Cover loosely and let proof at room temp for about 2 hours, until puffy and holding shape. 5. Preheat Oven (3:30–4:00 PM)Preheat oven to 245°C (475°F) with:
6. Score and Bake (4:00–4:25 PM)Gently flip baguettes onto a peel or parchment.Score each one with a razor or sharp knife (1–3 diagonal cuts).Load into the oven. Immediately add 1 cup boiling water to the steam tray and close the oven quickly.
7. Cool and Serve (4:25–5:00 PM)Transfer to a wire rack and cool at least 30 minutes before slicing.Serve warm or at room temperature. 🥖 Serving Ideas
🧪 Nutrition (per 1/4 baguette recipe)Approximate per 1 baguette (raw dough ~470g):
🧊 Storage InstructionsBest eaten the same day.Store wrapped in a clean towel at room temperature for 1 day.Freeze extras tightly wrapped for up to 1 month. Reheat at 180°C (350°F) for 10–12 min. Would you like the blog post version with Schema.org structured data included for SEO? |
I wanted an updated timeline because I had more time:
Actually I'm starting now (8am) and I have until 5. Can you adjust times?It adjusted:
Perfect — starting at 8:00 AM and baking needs to be done by 5:00 PM gives you 9 hours, which is ideal for a better-flavored baguette with full bulk fermentation and a bench rest. Here’s your updated timeline and recipe flow: 🥖 9-Hour Same-Day Sourdough Baguette (Start at 8:00 AM, Ready by 5:00 PM)🔄 Overview Timeline |
Time | Step |
8:00 AM | Mix ingredients |
8:15 AM | Bulk fermentation begins |
8:45–10:15 AM | Stretch & folds (every 30 minutes, 4 total) |
10:15–12:15 PM | Continue bulk ferment (until ~50% volume increase) |
12:15 PM | Pre-shape + 20–30 min rest |
12:45 PM | Final shaping into |
The table format really messes my Wix blog format, so I asked for a recipe version without it:
Can you write the recipe without using table?It provided what I asked for:
Absolutely! Here's the 9-hour same-day sourdough baguette recipe written in a continuous, narrative format, starting at 8:00 AM and ready to eat by 5:00 PM. 9-Hour Same-Day Sourdough Baguette RecipeStart time: 8:00 AMReady to eat: 5:00 PMYield: 4 medium baguettesHydration: 65% Ingredients
InstructionsAt 8:00 AM, combine all the ingredients in a large mixing bowl: bread flour, whole wheat flour, water, sourdough starter, honey, and salt. Mix thoroughly by hand or with a dough hook until no dry flour remains. The dough will be sticky but cohesive. Cover and let it rest for 15 minutes. At 8:15 AM, begin the bulk fermentation. Over the next 2 hours, perform 4 sets of stretch-and-folds every 30 minutes. To do this, reach under one side of the dough, stretch it upward, and fold it over itself. Rotate the bowl and repeat on all four sides. After the last fold around 10:15 AM, cover the bowl and let the dough continue fermenting undisturbed. Allow bulk fermentation to continue until around 12:15 PM, or until the dough has increased by about 50% in volume and feels airy and elastic. At 12:15 PM, gently turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and divide it into 4 equal portions. Pre-shape each piece into a short log. Cover with a clean towel and let them rest for 20 to 30 minutes to allow the gluten to relax, which will make final shaping easier. At 12:45 PM, shape each log into a baguette by gently flattening the dough, folding the top third down and sealing, then folding the bottom third up and sealing again. Roll each one slightly to elongate it to baguette length. Place the shaped baguettes seam-side up in a floured couche or on a tea towel supported on a tray. Cover loosely with a cloth or plastic wrap. Let the shaped baguettes proof at room temperature until puffy and noticeably risen—this final proof should take about 2 hours, until 2:45 PM. At 2:45 PM, begin preheating your oven to 245°C (475°F). Place a baking stone or steel on the middle rack and a cast iron pan or metal tray on the lower rack to create steam. At 3:30 PM, gently flip the proofed baguettes onto a parchment-lined peel or baking sheet. Score each one with a razor or sharp knife using 1 to 3 diagonal slashes. Transfer the baguettes to the preheated oven. Immediately pour about 1 cup of boiling water into the steam pan and close the door quickly to trap the steam. Bake with steam for the first 10 minutes, then carefully remove the steam tray and continue baking for another 10 to 15 minutes. The total baking time should be 20 to 25 minutes, or until the crust is golden brown and crisp. At 3:55–4:00 PM, remove the baguettes from the oven and place them on a wire rack to cool. Let them cool for at least 30 minutes before slicing. By 5:00 PM, the baguettes will be fully cooled and ready to serve. Serving Ideas
Nutritional Info (Per Baguette)
StorageBest the day they’re baked. Wrap in a towel for same-day storage or freeze wrapped tightly for up to 1 month. Reheat at 180°C (350°F) for 10–12 minutes. Let me know if you'd like this formatted for your blog with SEO metadata and Schema.org structured data included! |
Whoops! I haven't noticed that it was using whole wheat. I asked for an updated version:
I don't want to use whole wheat. Only bread flourIt adjusted:
Got it! Here's the adjusted 9-hour same-day sourdough baguette recipe using only bread flour (no whole wheat). Everything else stays the same — same timing, same hydration, same great baguettes. 9-Hour Same-Day Sourdough Baguette (All Bread Flour)Start time: 8:00 AMReady to eat: 5:00 PMYield: 4 medium baguettesHydration: 65% Ingredients
Instructions8:00 AM — In a large mixing bowl, combine bread flour, water, sourdough starter, honey, and salt. Mix thoroughly by hand or with a dough hook until fully incorporated. The dough should be soft and slightly sticky. Cover and let rest for 15 minutes. 8:15 AM — Begin bulk fermentation. Over the next 2 hours, perform 4 sets of stretch-and-folds every 30 minutes. With each set, stretch one side of the dough up and fold it over, rotating the bowl until all four sides have been folded. Keep the dough covered between folds. 10:15 AM — After the last fold, let the dough rest undisturbed for another 2 hours, until about 12:15 PM, or until it has increased by around 50% in volume and feels lighter and airier. 12:15 PM — Gently turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface. Divide into 4 equal portions and pre-shape each piece into a short log. Cover and let rest for 20 to 30 minutes. 12:45 PM — Shape each log into a baguette: flatten slightly, fold the top third down, seal, then fold the bottom third up and seal again. Roll gently to elongate. Place seam-side up on a floured couche or tea towel. Cover loosely. 1:00 PM–2:45 PM — Let the baguettes proof at room temperature until puffy and visibly risen. 2:45 PM — Begin preheating your oven to 245°C (475°F) with a baking stone or steel on the middle rack and a metal tray or cast iron pan on the bottom rack for steam. 3:30 PM — Gently flip the proofed baguettes onto parchment. Score with a razor or sharp blade. Load into the oven and immediately add 1 cup of boiling water to the steam tray. Close the oven quickly. Bake for 10 minutes with steam, then remove the steam tray and continue baking for another 10 to 15 minutes. Total bake time is 20 to 25 minutes, until golden brown and crisp. 4:00 PM — Remove from oven and cool on a wire rack for at least 30 minutes. 5:00 PM — The baguettes are fully cooled and ready to enjoy. Serving Suggestions
Nutrition Estimate (Per Baguette)
Storage TipsBest fresh. Wrap in a towel if keeping same-day, or freeze tightly wrapped for up to 1 month. Reheat frozen baguettes at 180°C (350°F) for 10–12 minutes. Want me to turn this into a ready-to-post blog format with title, excerpt, metadata, and Schema markup? |
I was going to be away at some point and was a little concerned with over proofing. I asked:
Between logs and baguette shaping, can time be longer?It suggested update with some caveats:
Yes — you can extend the time between pre-shaping (logs) and final shaping (baguettes), but there are a few things to consider to keep your dough workable and your crumb open: Here's how to do it well:1. Resting longer is okay (up to 45–60 minutes)Letting the pre-shaped logs rest longer than 20–30 minutes is fine, even up to an hour if your kitchen is cool or you're busy. This rest, known as the bench rest, relaxes the gluten and makes final shaping easier. 2. Keep it covered to prevent dryingUse a damp towel or plastic wrap to prevent the surface from drying out and forming a skin, which can make shaping more difficult and affect oven spring. 3. Watch fermentation, not the clockIf your dough is getting too puffy during the bench rest (because your room is warm or the starter is very active), go ahead and shape it earlier. If it still feels tight and dense, waiting longer helps. In your current recipe:
Let me know how long you’d like to extend it, and I can update the schedule accordingly. |
Nevermind, I said:
Nah will keep 20 minsChatGPT said OK:
Perfect — a 20-minute bench rest is a sweet spot: long enough to relax the dough, short enough to keep fermentation on track. You're good to go with the original schedule. Let me know if you want a printable or blog-ready version later! |
I wasn't too sure about the length, and also I didn't really need 4 baguettes, so I asked:
How long should each baguette be? Also if I want to freeze two of them before baking, when should I put them in the freezer? I'm currently about to shape the baguettesIt explained:
Great timing — here’s what you need to know as you’re about to shape: Baguette LengthFor a standard baguette shape:
If needed, angle them slightly on the baking sheet to fit better. Freezing Shaped Baguettes Before BakingIf you want to freeze two of them: 1. Freeze them after shaping, but before final proof.Right after shaping, place the two you want to freeze on a parchment-lined tray. Lightly flour the tops. 2. Let them firm up in the freezer for about 1–2 hours uncovered, then wrap them tightly in plastic wrap and place them in a freezer bag or airtight container. Label with the date. To Bake Frozen Baguettes LaterOption A: Thaw + Proof (Recommended)
Option B: Bake From Frozen (Not Ideal for Baguettes)
Let me know if you want a quick label or freezer instructions card too! |
More freezing questions:
Can I freeze them before shaping them as baguettes? Just to save room in the freezerIt explained:
Yes, you can freeze the dough before shaping into baguettes, and it actually saves space — just follow this method to preserve quality: How to Freeze Baguette Dough Before Shaping
How to Use Later
This method works well and won’t compromise dough structure. It’s a great way to bake fresh baguettes later without taking up much freezer space. Let me know if you want a quick print label or reminder tag! |
I was a bit concerned about their rising, so I asked:
It's 3 and the baguettes are pretty flat and not puffy is that normalIt suggested I wait longer:
At 3 PM, if your baguettes still look flat and not puffy, it’s not ideal — but it’s not necessarily a failure. Here’s what could be happening and what to do: Possible Reasons They're Still Flat
What to Do NowDon’t bake yet. Give them more time.Let them keep proofing at room temperature until they look puffier and feel airy when gently pressed — likely another 30–60 minutes. You can also:
How to Know They’re Ready
Let me know how they look in 30 minutes and I can guide you from there. |
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