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Levain Build (Night Before) Ingredients
- 50g mature sourdough starter (100% hydration)
- 100g organic bread flour
- 100g filtered water at room temperature
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, combine mature starter, flour, and water until no dry flour remains. Need one? Digital kitchen scale (1 g resolution)
- Cover loosely and let ferment at room temperature (68-72°F/20-22°C) for 8-12 hours or until doubled with a domed surface.
Main Dough Ingredients
- 500g organic bread flour
- 350g filtered water at 80°F/27°C
- 250g active levain
- 10g fine sea salt
Instructions
- In a large bowl, mix flour and water until no dry flour remains. Cover and autolyse for 30 minutes.
- Add levain and salt, then mix using the pincer method until well incorporated.
- Perform 4 sets of stretch and folds at 30-minute intervals, keeping the dough at 75-78°F/24-26°C.
- Allow to bulk ferment for 4-6 hours or until dough has increased by 50% with visible fermentation bubbles.
- Divide dough in half and pre-shape into loose rounds. Rest for 20 minutes.
- Shape into batards and place in floured bannetons seam side up.
- Cover and cold proof in refrigerator for 8-16 hours.
Baking Ingredients
- Rice flour for dusting bannetons
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 500°F/260°C with Dutch oven inside for 1 hour. Need one? Enameled cast iron Dutch oven, 5.5 qt
- Turn dough onto parchment, score with a lame, and transfer to preheated Dutch oven.
- Bake covered for 20 minutes, then reduce temperature to 450°F/230°C.
- Remove lid and bake for an additional 20-25 minutes until deep golden brown.
- Cool on a wire rack for at least 2 hours before slicing.
This classic French sourdough bread embodies the perfect balance of flavor and texture, developed through a long fermentation process that creates a complex, slightly tangy taste profile. The recipe uses traditional techniques and simple ingredients to produce a rustic loaf with a crackling crust and light, airy interior.
Equipment
What each of these actually changes about the result. Links go to Amazon and earn this site a commission at no cost to you — more on that here.
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The lid traps the loaf's own steam for the first half of the bake, which is what lets the crust stay soft long enough to spring. Baking the same dough uncovered on a sheet pan sets the crust early and costs you most of the rise.
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A cup of flour can vary by 20% depending on how it was scooped, which is enough to move a dough from 72% to 62% hydration. Weighing is the single change that makes bread recipes repeatable.
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Lets you move and divide slack dough without deflating it, and cleans a floured counter in one pass. Cheap enough that there is no reason to improvise with a spatula.
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Rattan wicks moisture off the dough's surface during the cold proof, which is what makes the loaf scoreable and gives you the spiral flour pattern. A towel-lined bowl works but sticks far more often.
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A curved razor at a shallow angle opens a proper ear. A serrated knife drags through wet dough and closes the cut behind itself.
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Flat sheets let you load a scored loaf into a screaming-hot Dutch oven without burning a knuckle. Roll parchment curls and fights you at exactly the wrong moment.
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Airflow underneath stops the bottom crust from sitting in its own steam and going soft. Also the rack you set meat on for a low-temperature roast.
Notes
- For best results, maintain starter at 100% hydration and feed it 12 hours before building levain.
- Dough temperature is crucial - use a thermometer to monitor during bulk fermentation.
- Flour protein content should be between 11.5-13% for optimal results.
- Handle dough gently during shaping to preserve gas bubbles for an open crumb.
- Store bread in a paper bag at room temperature for up to 4 days, or slice and freeze for up to 3 months.