Hey Reader!

It’s a big weekend over here, my daughter Juniper turns 8, and I’m honestly so excited.

I’ve been baking with her since she was tiny, and if you’ve been following along for a while, you’ll know just how special she is to me. Watching her grow up in the kitchen, getting her hands in the dough, asking questions, getting excited about the little things… It’s been one of my favourite parts of being a dad.

She’s the best!

We’ve got a fun few days planned, and I love her more than anything. It’s going to be a really great weekend.

I’ll try and sneak in a bit of baking where I can… but that’s definitely not the priority this time.

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Free Webinar: Micro-Bakery Workflow (with Simply Bread Co.) 🧑‍🍳

I’m hosting a free webinar with Simply Bread Co. on April 20th, and if you’ve ever thought about running a micro bakery or just getting more organized and efficient in your baking, you’ll get a lot out of this.

This is less about recipes and more about what actually makes a small-scale baking operation work day-to-day.

We’re going to cover things like:

• What a realistic micro bakery actually looks like (and how to structure one)
• When buying wholesale makes sense—and when it doesn’t
• How to plan your weekly bakes to save time and reduce stress
• Managing inventory without overcomplicating it
• Costing your products properly so you’re actually making money

It’s basically a behind-the-scenes look at how I think about production, time, and running a small baking operation without burning out.

If you’re just getting started or already selling and want to tighten things up, this will be super helpful.

👉 Register for the free webinar

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Baguette de Tradition (Hybrid Method) 🥖

I made a batch of baguette de tradition this week, and it’s one of those bakes I always come back to. There’s something about a really good baguette, thin crust, open crumb, that slight chew that never gets old.

For this version, I like using a hybrid method (levain + a touch of yeast). You get great flavour, but it’s way more forgiving and easier to manage at home.

If baguettes have ever frustrated you, this is a solid place to start.

Hybrid Baguette (Levain + Yeast)

Yield: 10 baguettes (350 g each)
​(Scale down as needed)

Levain

• 94 g all-purpose flour
• 94 g water
• 2 g mature starter

Mix until smooth and ferment overnight for about 10-12 hours at room temperature (20–21°C) until active.

*You can also prepare the levain any other way as long as its ripe when used.

Final Dough

• 1,899 g all-purpose flour
• 1,272 g water
• 95 g water (bassinage)
• 34 g salt
• 9 g yeast
• 190 g levain

Method

1. Autolyse - Mix flour and initial water (1,272 g) and rest for 30 minutes.
2. Mix - Add salt, yeast, and levain. Mix on low speed for about 6 minutes, then 1 minute on second speed. Add the remaining water (bassinage) gradually and mix until incorporated.
3. Bulk Fermentation - Ferment for 45 minutes at room temperature, then transfer to the fridge and ferment for 8–10 hours at ~3°C.
4. Divide + Shape - Divide into 350 g pieces, pre-shape lightly, rest 20–30 minutes, then shape into baguettes.
5. Final Proof - Proof for about 1 hour at room temp, then an additional 20–30 minutes chilled if needed for structure.
6. Bake - Bake at 250°C with steam for ~20 minutes until deep golden brown.

A Couple of Notes

• The cold bulk makes this much easier to manage and improves the flavour
• Don’t rush the proof. This is where most baguettes fall short
• Steam early, vent late for the best crust

If you want to go fully natural leaven:

​👉 Check out my sourdough baguette recipe on the blog​

And if you want to really dial this in—mixing, shaping, scoring, timing—I go much deeper inside the baguette course.

👉 Learn more about the baguette course

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Reader Question: Protecting Your Plumbing 🛠️

Shoutout to Nancy for this one:

Great question—and honestly, something more people should think about.

I’ll start with this:

I’m not a plumber… but I’ve been baking for over 20 years, and I’ve only clogged a drain once. And it was completely my fault.

I poured dry yeast down the drain (the small granules), thinking water would wash it through. Instead, it turned into this thick paste and completely clogged the pipe. It was also during a live class so yeah… don’t do that 😅

What I Actually Do

Here’s what’s worked for me over the years:

• Liquid levain / starter:​
  I always dilute it with plenty of water first, mix it up, then send it down the drain with hot water.
• Large amounts of discard:​
  If I’ve got a lot, it goes into compost—not the sink.
• Dough on hands:​
  I rub a bit of flour on my hands first, then brush everything off before washing.
• Bowls and containers:​
  I let them soak to loosen everything before rinsing.
• Mixer cleanup:​
  Any big chunks go into the compost—never down the drain.

One Tool I Use All the Time

I use a Keeki cloth constantly when I’m baking.

It’s basically a reusable, heavy-duty cloth that replaces paper towel and catches all the flour, dough, and starter before it ever hits your sink.

You wipe your hands, wipe your bench, clean out bowls everything goes into the cloth instead of down the drain.

It sounds simple, but it makes a huge difference. Less mess, less waste, and way less risk of anything building up in your pipes. Honestly, once you start using one, it’s hard to go back.

Bottom Line

You don’t need to stress too much—but a few small habits go a long way:

👉 Less dough in the sink
👉 More water when you rinse
👉 Big stuff → compost

Do that, and you’ll be in good shape.

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This week in the micro bakery 🕺 (Glazed Doughnuts) 🍩 Last week I shared the raisin version of these… this past weekend I ran them plain with the same glaze, and they absolutely flew out the door. We made about 80 of them, and they were gone fast. Same dough, just simplified. No inclusions, clean flavour, super soft, and honestly easier to execute at scale. The big change this time was the process. I mixed the dough, gave it about 15 minutes at room temperature, then put it into the fridge in a wide, shallow container so it chilled quickly. Next day → cut, proof, fry. Easy, consistent, and way less stress. Plain Glazed Dutchies (Doughnuts) Yield: 12 doughnuts (scale as needed) Ingredients 165 g bread flour 165 g all-purpose flour 198 g milk 53 g sugar 7 g instant yeast 43 g butter, soft 50 g egg (1 large) 5 g salt Method In a stand mixer, combine milk, sugar, yeast, egg, and salt. Mix until smooth. Add both flours and mix on medium-low speed for 6–8 minutes until a rough dough forms. Add butter in two additions and mix until smooth and elastic, about 5–8 minutes. You’re looking for a light windowpane. Let the dough rest for 15 minutes at room temperature, then transfer to a lightly oiled, shallow container and refrigerate overnight. The next day, turn the dough out onto the bench and gently press it to about ½" thickness. Cut into doughnut shapes or squares. Cover and proof for about 1 hour, until light and airy. Frying Heat oil to 180°C / 350°F. Fry 2 at a time, flipping halfway, for about 3–4 minutes total until golden brown. Transfer to a rack lined with a paper towel. Glaze 400 g icing sugar 100 g water Whisk until smooth, dip the doughnuts, let excess drip off, and place on a rack to set. Notes Don’t underproof—this is the difference between light and dense doughnuts. Keep oil steady at 180°C / 350°F. Cold ferment = better flavour + easier workflow. Let them cool a bit before glazing. Best eaten fresh, slightly warm.

Happy Baking,

MJD

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