Feed your starter 4-12 hours before starting this recipe. It should be very active and bubbly.

To your mixing bowl, add all of the ingredients. 

Knead in a stand mixer using the dough hook until stretchy and pulling away from the sides of the bowl. This should take about 5-10 minutes. It should pass the ‘windowpane’ test, which is when you take a small piece of the dough and try to stretch it into a square-like shape. If you can stretch it thin enough where you can “see through it”, then the gluten formation is adequate.

Place in a large, oiled bowl and cover with plastic wrap, beeswax wrap, or something that is airtight. This will keep the dough moist, preventing it from developing a hard skin.

Allow to ferment for 8 to 24 hours in a warm place. The next day, it should have at least doubled in size. 

Punch down the dough. Divide into two equal parts.

Shape it by rolling the dough into a flat rectangle (about 1/4 – 1/2 inch thickness) and roll up. Pinch the seam. 

Place French bread dough onto a parchment-lined baking sheet.

Cover with a towel and allow to rise until doubled again. This could take a few hours depending on how warm your kitchen is.

Slash with lame.

Preheat to 400. Bake for 25 minutes. (For a more golden crust, add ice cubes in the oven. This helps add moisture and steam to make that golden, crustier crust.)

Once it is done baking, pull it out of the oven and allow to cool completely before slicing.