Activate the yeast by mixing some warm water (about 110°F) and sugar with the yeast in a small bowl until dissolved. Keep it aside for 5-10 minutes or until you notice the mixture is foamy or bubbly on the top.

Add the measured quantity of flour into a mixing bowl.

Add the salt to the flour and whisk it well until combined.

Once the flour is well hydrated, cover the bowl and allow it to autolyze for 30 minutes. If you use an electric mixer, skip this step.

If you are comfortable kneading in the mixing bowl, you can do so. If not, sprinkle some flour on your flat working surface and remove the dough onto the dusted flour.

Knead the dough continuously until it becomes smooth and does not stick to the sides of the bowl or the working surface. Do not keep adding flour, or else your dough will become tough and alter the final texture of the bread.

The kneading method is stretching it forward and folding it back. Do that until the dough is smooth and supple. The process takes around 12-15 minutes.

Once your dough is smooth and supple and no more sticky, transfer it to a greased bowl with ample headroom for the dough to double in size.

Let the dough bulk rise for 2-3 hours or until it is double in volume. If you want to leave it overnight, leave it for about 45 minutes at room temperature and then transfer it to the fridge until the next day.

Remove the bulk risen dough from the bowl and place it onto a lightly dusted flour surface.

Divide your dough into 2 equal parts for medium-sized batard bread. You can weigh them for accuracy.

Seal the edges underneath each piece of dough. It should look like smooth rounds.

Place a damp kitchen cloth over the bread doughs and allow them to rest for 30-35 minutes before their final shaping.

The dough is now ready for final shaping. Roughly flatten the dough rounds by pressing them with your fingertips or palms. It doesn’t need to be perfect or thinned out.

Fold the top 2 edges like an envelope. Lift the top edges and fold them down to the middle. Gently seal it in. make another fold, and seal it again.

Then do the same thing (fold and seal) with the bottom part of the dough. Gently press the edges down when sealing to secure it.

Flip the dough around so the seam is facing down and the smooth side is facing upwards.

Cup the dough using your hands, pulling the dough towards you to build tension on the surface and elongate the shape. Repeat the process but now push the dough away from you until you are satisfied with the shape and size. It should look like an oblong shape or thin football.

Once you finish shaping your dough, gently lift the batard pieces and place them onto parchment paper. You can use a bread sling if you have one.

Cover both your bread doughs with a damp kitchen towel and let it proof for about 1 hour or more at room temperature.

Check the bread volume — it should look fuller and double in volume. The timeframe is less critical here.

Towards the last 10-15 minutes of proofing, preheat your oven to 480°F.

Score your bread however you prefer it. You can slash it once in the center, which is the most common way. A few horizontal slashes also work if you like the look that way.

Gently lift your batard bread doughs and place them onto your baking trays. Transfer it to the preheated oven after spraying the bread with cold water.

Place an oven-proof tray of water at the bottom of the oven to make steam for the first 5-8 minutes.

Bake your bread for 15 minutes at 480°F and then reduce the heat to 450°F and bake it for an additional 10 minutes. The bread should have a golden-brown crust.

Allow the bread to rest for 20-30 minutes at room temperature before slicing into it.

Enjoy as desired!