To the bowl of a stand mixer, add warm water then sprinkle yeast on top. Add the sugar and whisk by hand to combine. Add the egg to the bowl and whisk until well combined. Add the bread flour and stir using the dough hook until a shaggy dough forms

In a separate small bowl, combine the melted butter and salt and whisk. Add the melted butter and salt mixture to dough

Knead the dough on low just until the dough comes together. Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and let rest for 15 minutes

Remove the plastic wrap and knead the dough on medium speed for 5-6 minutes, until the dough is smooth and passes the windowpane test*. Shape the dough into a tight ball, place in a lightly oiled bowl, turning the dough to coat lightly in oil, cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm spot for 1 hour**

Once the dough has doubled in size, remove the plastic wrap and gather the edges of the dough into the center. This will gently press the air out

Lightly oil a clean work surface so the dough doesn’t stick and turn the dough out onto it. Divide into 6 equally sized pieces. You can use a scale to weigh each portion or you can eyeball it

Shape each piece into a round then cover with plastic wrap and let rest 10 minutes. This will make the dough easier to work with and allow you to stretch and shape it

Remove one piece of dough at a time, leaving the remaining balls of dough covered. Slap the dough against the counter 3-5 times. Using a rolling pin that’s lightly brushed with oil, roll the dough out into a long, thin triangle shape with the long edge facing you. Beginning at the far end (the point), roll the dough dough towards you, pressing it back against itself to create tension, keeping the center larger with tapered ends on both sides. Stretch the end of the dough up over the dough and pinch the seam closed. With your hands placed at the ends of the baguette, roll the baguette back and forth on the counter, focusing on tapering the ends and smoothing the seam

Place the baguette on a parchment lined baguette tray or parchment lined baking sheet. Repeat with remaining portions of dough. Cover the shaped baguettes with a towel and let rise in a warm spot for 1 hour

Towards the end of the rising time, preheat the oven to 475°F. Place a rectangular baking pan on the lowest rack of the oven

Once the baguettes have risen, uncover them and spray the baguettes with water. Slash each one deeply, holding the razor at a 45º angle, not straight up and down. Spray the baguettes again, making sure to cover the slashes lightly with water

Open the oven and working quickly, pour 1 cup water plus a few ice cubes into the empty pan on the lower rack. Place baguettes on the middle rack and close the oven door quickly. Bake for 10 minutes then carefully remove the pan of water, rotate the baguettes, spray with water and bake for another 10-12 minutes. If the tops are getting very browned, lower the temperature on the oven to 450ºF to ensure they do not burn

Remove from the oven when the baguettes are golden brown. Allow to cool 20 minutes before serving