Go Back
–+ servings
Baton Bread with Sourdough

Baton Bread with Sourdough

1090kcal
No ratings yet
Share Print
Prep 20 minutes
Cook 30 minutes
Total 14 hours 50 minutes
Baton bread is a beloved childhood classic known for making the most delicious sandwiches. It is super soft, features a rich, creamy flavor, and boasts a beautifully shiny crust that makes it completely irresistible.
Servings 2 Loaves
Cuisine Eastern European

Ingredients

The Sourdough Sponge (Night Before)
  • 30 g Sourdough starter Active and at its peak
  • 225 g Water
  • 250 g Bread flour
The Creamy Main Dough
  • All of the prepared mature sourdough sponge From the stage above
  • 250 g Bread flour
  • 10 g Salt
  • 30 g Sugar
  • 25 g Unsalted butter Softened completely to room temperature
  • 30 to 40 g Water Reserved strictly for hydration adjustments during kneading
The High-Gloss Bakery Glaze
  • 1 tsp Corn starch
  • 2 tbsp Water Cold, for dissolving the starch
  • 1 tsp Sugar
  • 1/2 cup Hot boiling water

Equipment

  • Stand Mixer Fitted with a dough hook attachment
  • Cast Iron Pan A specialized Challenger bread pan fits two loaves perfectly, or use an oval Dutch oven
  • Pastry Brush
  • Sharp Bread Lame or razor blade
  • Kitchen Scale

Method

Night Before – Sponge Pre-Fermentation
  1. 10:00 PM: Fully dissolve your 30g of active sourdough starter into the 225g of water. Add the initial 250g of bread flour and mix well with a spoon until no dry pockets remain. Cover loosely and let ferment at room temperature 74–76°F (23–24°C) overnight until it at least doubles in size and looks highly active and bubbly.
Main Mixing & Warm Bulk Proof
  1. 2. 8:00 AM (Next Morning): Verify that your sponge has doubled. In your stand mixer bowl, combine all the mature sponge, the remaining 250g of bread flour, 30g of sugar, and 10g of salt.
  2. 3. Mix the dough on low speed for 5 minutes (or if using a KitchenAid mixer, run it on speed 3 for exactly 7 minutes) until fully incorporated.
  3. 4. Add the 25g of soft room-temperature butter. Increase the mixer speed to medium-high and knead continuously for 10 more minutes until the fat incorporates seamlessly.
  4. 5. The Stiffness Adjustment: If the dough feels too stiff or dry during the final minutes of kneading, add 20g of the reserved water. If it still struggles to smooth out, add another 10g to 20g of water. The finished dough must gather cleanly into a ball with a highly smooth surface.
  5. 6. Cover the bowl and let the dough proof for 3 to 4 hours at a warm 78–86°F (28–30°C) until it completely doubles in volume. Hack: In winter, proofing inside an oven with the interior light turned on gives a perfect 76–82°F chamber.
Tension Shaping, Steamed Baking, and Glazing
  1. 7. Divide the expanded dough cleanly into 2 equal pieces using a bench scraper.
  2. 8. Shape the Batards: Flatten a dough piece slightly, fold the two top edges inward to make a clean triangle top, then roll that top edge tightly into itself to create a firm, compact log. Repeat for the second piece.
  3. 9. Transfer the shaped loaves onto a baking tray. Cover loosely and let them proof a final time for 1 to 3 hours at 78–86°F (28–30°C) until they double in volume.
  4. 10. Preheat your oven to 450°F (230°C) with your cast iron pan or Dutch oven inside for at least 30 minutes.
  5. 11. Use a sharp razor blade or lame to score 4 or 5 diagonal slashes across the top of each loaf. Transfer them carefully into the hot pan, drop the lid on to trap the steam (or create steam manually if baking on open sheets), and bake at 450°F for exactly 10 minutes.
  6. 12. Remove the lid, lower the oven temperature to 400°F (205°C), and continue baking for 20 more minutes until the crust turns an even, deep golden brown.
  7. 13. The Shiny Glaze: While the bread finishes baking, whisk the 1 teaspoon of corn starch, 2 tablespoons of cold water, and 1 teaspoon of sugar together in a small bowl until smooth. Pour the 1/2 cup of hot boiling water directly over the mixture and stir vigorously until completely clear and lump-free.
  8. 14. Remove the loaves from the oven. Using a pastry brush, immediately spread your prepared warm starch glaze generously over the piping hot top crusts. Let the bread cool completely before slicing.

Nutrition

Calories1090kcalCarbohydrates202gProtein34gFat15gSaturated Fat7gPolyunsaturated Fat2gMonounsaturated Fat3gTrans Fat0.4gCholesterol34mgSodium368mgPotassium326mgFiber6gSugar18gVitamin A324IUVitamin C0.2mgCalcium55mgIron2mg

Notes

  • No Cast Iron? Bake in Loaf Pans: If you don't own a heavy Challenger bread pan or a standard Dutch oven, you can easily bake this recipe using two standard loaf pans instead. Just note that you will need to manually inject steam during the first 10 minutes of the bake—place a metal tray filled with boiling water on the rack directly underneath your loaves to help them rise properly.
  • Whole Wheat Flour Variations: If you want to add a rustic, whole-grain twist to this classic childhood sandwich loaf, you can safely substitute some of the bread flour. Replacing up to 30% of the flour weight with white whole wheat flour gives an incredibly deep flavor profile while keeping the texture wonderfully soft.
  • Managing Dough Stiffness: Depending on your specific brand of bread flour and your kitchen's ambient humidity, the flour may absorb water differently. Keep a close eye on your stand mixer during step 5. Don't hesitate to work in that extra 20g to 40g of water if the dough ball looks lumpy or feels too dense to stretch.
  • The Shiny Starch Coating Hack: Spreading the cornstarch wash across the surface while the loaves are piping hot from the oven is what creates that signature glossy, glass-like sheen. This glaze traps ambient moisture under the crust, which keeps the outer shell remarkably soft and prevents it from cracking or wrinkling as it cools.

Tried this recipe?

Let us know how it was!