Mix the dough

• Whisk the lukewarm water with the instant yeast in a bowl.
• Add the flour and salt and mix until combined, using a wet hand or a spatula, until a dough forms.

Fold the dough

• Fold the dough up into itself about 8 to 10 times with a spatula or dough scraper, turning the bowl in between, until it looks like a ball.

First rest

• Cover the bowl and let the dough rest.

Shape into a log and divide

• Flour your hand and gently decompress the dough.
• Turn it out onto a well floured surface and shape it into a rough log.
• Cut the dough into 8 roughly equal pieces.

Shape the mini baguettes

• With floured hands, flatten each piece, fold in one third, then fold the other third over it.
• Roll up half of it pressing it down, then fold the other half upwards and pinch the seam to seal.
• Roll each piece gently into a baguette shape, keeping your hands and the work surface floured.

Second rest

• Place the baguettes on a parchment-lined oven dish (rubbed with a little butter for flavour and crunch).
• Cover and rest while the oven heats up to 240 °C, with a dish of water in the bottom to create steam.

Score

• Use your sharpest knife to score each baguette down the middle.

Bake with steam

• Bake in the preheated oven at 240 °C with the water dish in place.

Finish baking

• Remove the water dish, lower the oven to 220 °C and bake until the baguettes sound hollow on the bottom.

Cool and store

• Let the baguettes cool completely.
• To freeze, wrap them in parchment paper and place in an airtight bag as soon as they are cool; they defrost in a few hours.