Baguette calculator (poolish)
French baguettes with an overnight poolish, written as a total formula. Pick how many baguettes and how heavy, and the calculator splits flour, water and yeast between the poolish and the final dough.
Formula baker's % of total flour
Batch size
Preferment
Water temperature
Use water at 90°F
76 × 4 − (70 + 72 + 2 + 70) = 90
Your recipe
| Ingredient | Baker's % | Total formula | Mix |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-purpose flour | 100% | 609 g | 408 g |
| Water | 70% | 426 g | 225 g |
| Salt | 2% | 12 g | 12 g |
| Instant yeast | 0.4% | 2.4 g | 2.2 g |
| Poolish 100% hydration | 66% | — | 402 g |
| Total | 172.4% | 1,050 g | 1,050 g |
Make the poolish
The evening before (12–16 hours), mix 201 g all-purpose flour, 201 g water and 0.2 g instant yeast. Cover and leave at cool room temperature until bubbly and just starting to collapse.
Baguette formula at a glance
Yield 3 baguettes · 1,050 g dough · 70% hydration · about 18 hours start to finish.
| Ingredient | Baker's % |
|---|---|
| All-purpose flour | 100% |
| Water | 70% |
| Salt | 2% |
| Instant yeast | 0.4% |
| Poolish (prefermented flour) | 33% |
The poolish calculator has the poolish yeast for 3-, 8- and 12-hour schedules.
Why these percentages
A poolish is a liquid preferment — equal weights of flour and water with a tiny amount of yeast — fermented for 12 to 16 hours. It gives baguettes their creamy crumb, crackly crust and wheaty flavor without a sourdough tang. Here the poolish holds 33% of the total flour, a common choice in French bakeries.
The yeast percentage is for the whole formula. The calculator puts about 0.1% instant yeast (of the poolish flour) into the poolish and the rest into the final dough, so the total never changes when you scale. If you switch the yeast type to fresh, the amounts convert automatically (fresh yeast is three times instant by weight).
US all-purpose flour (11–12% protein) behaves much like French T65. Bread flour works too but makes a chewier crumb; if you use it, add 1–2% water.
Method
- Make the poolish. The evening before, mix the poolish flour, water and the pinch of yeast to a batter. Cover and leave 12–16 hours at about 70°F (21°C) until bubbly and just starting to sink.
- Mix the final dough. Add the remaining water and yeast to the poolish, then the flour and salt. Mix until smooth and medium-developed.
- Bulk ferment. Let the dough rise 1½–2 hours at 76°F (24°C), folding at 30 and 60 minutes.
- Divide and pre-shape. Divide into pieces, pre-shape into loose cylinders and rest 20–30 minutes covered.
- Shape and proof. Roll each piece to 14–15 inches (36–38 cm) with tapered ends. Proof seam-up on a floured couche for 45–60 minutes.
- Score and bake. Make 4–5 overlapping diagonal cuts and bake at 475°F (245°C) with steam for the first 10 minutes, 20–25 minutes in total, until deep golden.
Tips
- 350 g dough makes a 14–15 inch home-oven baguette
- Poolish is ready when bubbly with a slight dip
- Use steam for the first 10 minutes
- Keep the dough near 76°F
Want the reasoning behind the numbers? See baker's percentages explained and the bread hydration chart.
FAQ
What is a poolish?
A 100% hydration preferment of flour, water and a pinch of yeast (about 0.1% of its flour), fermented 12–16 hours before the final dough. It adds flavor and extensibility.
How much dough is one baguette?
About 250 g for a demi-baguette and 330–350 g for a 14–15 inch baguette that fits a home oven. Bakery baguettes are around 350 g baked at 24 inches.
Can I make baguettes with sourdough?
Yes — choose Convert to sourdough. The calculator replaces the poolish and yeast with a levain of equal leavening power; expect a longer bulk ferment.