a couche is not a couch.

[madbaker]

Some time back I picked up a baker's couche - a linen cloth that baguettes can proof in. My set came with some dowels so that it suspends, keeping the bread from flattening out.

I've used it a number of times to make batards (about twice as thick as baguettes) and while it worked, I wasn't horrendously impressed. Yesterday I tried sourdough baguettes by the expedient of halving the recipe.

... the couche works really well for them. I got wonderfully shaped loaves.