I have never managed to produce the baguette of my heart’s desire. I produce baguettes with tasty chewy crusts with the sort of holes that are representative of what sourdough gets up to in a hot oven.  What I want are baguettes with a brittle crust, that make me think I am in France. What’s the secret?

I made a few of these  earlier in the week with Mick’s Pain de Campagne dough. Sometimes I feel as if I go round in circles with this bread baking lark. In the meantime, apricot jam on fresh baguette is still pretty tasty!