The sourdough starter should be quite active. If it has been kept in the fridge, then when taken out, it should have been fed twice in the previous 24 hours

Put the sourdough starter in the mixing bowl and add the 50ml water. Use a dough whisk (or forks) to mix the starter into the water.

Add the flour and whisk again. Cover with a cloth and leave for 4 hours.

Add the 225ml lukewarm water to the leaven and mix the leaven with the dough whisk (or fork).

Add the flour and then mix with spatula until the flour and water are combined. Cover the bowl with a cloth and leave to rest for 1 hour.

Salt: Sprinkle the salt on the surface of the dough. Wet you handwith cold water. Squeeze your hand through the dough 4 or 5 times. Leave covered for 1 hour.

Stretch and fold: Again with wet hands, pull the dough from underneath, stretching and folding over the top. Turn the bowl 180º and repeat. Turn the bowl another quarter of a turn and repeat the stretching of the dough from underneath to top, and finally turn the bowl 180º and repeat. This tightens the dough and you will feel the dough become more difficult to stretch. You may choose to turn and stretch twice more depending on the feel of the dough. Leave covered for 1 hour.

Repeat this stretching and folding each hour, 2 more times.

In the morning take the bowl out of the fridge and leave to stand for an hour.

Flour the work surface. Tip the dough out on to the work surface and divide in half. Take one half of the dough, stretch it out and fold it, sealing the join. Turn over and do the same, and then do once more.

Shape into baguette shape with the final sealed join underneath. Lightly flour the surface.

Place your baguettes on your proofing/couche cloth with the cloth pulled up between the two dough baguettes. Leave to rise for 2 hours.

Proofing in couche cloth

You may want to use the halves of your dough differently, eg leaving the 2nd half as a standard baguette. If making 2 épi baguettes, then you would need to swap your baking trays between shelves part way through baking.

Cutting the epi

Place diagonally onto a parchment lined tray to get the maximum length available. Using a pair of scissors held at 60º make cuts that go most of the way through the dough without completely cutting it.

Starting at the top end, left and turn the piece of dough so it is twisted to one side. Lift the next piece and twist to the opposite. Continue the length of the baguette, alternating direction of the points of dough.

Using a small fine sieve, sprinkle the surface lightly with flour.

Place a casserole dish of water on bottom tray of the oven. This will create some steam during the baking which helps the formation of the crust.

Bake at 225’C (conventional oven) for 19 minutes or 225’C (fan oven) for 18 minutes. After making these a couple of times you will probably want to adjust these times to suit your own oven and how well baked you like your baguettes.

Place on a cooling rack to cool.

Eat warm if you can or as soon as possible.