French baguette (yeasted, home oven)

Work out the water temperature: base value 65 minus room temperature minus flour temperature (65 - 21 - 20 = 24C).

Put the flour in the mixer bowl; dissolve the salt in the water with a spoon so it never touches the yeast.

Check the water is at 24C; pour it in and mix on speed 2 with the dough hook until no dry flour remains, scraping the sides as needed.

Autolyse: cover loosely with plastic and rest at room temperature 45 minutes.

Add the yeast and knead 8 minutes on speed 2.

For a small batch, run faster for up to a minute more.

Check the dough reads between 23 and 25C (here about 24.5C).

Put the dough in a lightly floured bowl, cover with plastic wrap and rest at room temperature 1 hour.

Turn out on a well-floured bench and fold the edges into the center to make a ball.

Cover and rise about 2 hours, then refrigerate overnight for a slow fermentation.

Pre-shape: flatten into a rectangle pressing out excess gas without overdoing it, fold the edges in and round it; rest on parchment 20 to 30 minutes.

Heat the oven to 255C on top and bottom heat, no fan, with a container for water and a baking sheet inside.

Shape: on plenty of flour, fold the dough over like a wave, tuck and press, then roll into a baguette with the seam joined.

Dust with flour and score cuts up to 2 cm deep just before baking.

Pour water into the container for steam; slide the baguette on its parchment onto the hot baking sheet; bake about 25 minutes, 20 may be enough.

Cool at least 5 to 10 minutes before cutting.