Country Bread

A lovely naturally leavened bread with a mix of bread flour, whole wheat and whole rye. Makes a great sandwich loaf. While this was inspired by Emmanuel Hadjiandreou's "Levain di Campagne" I have incorporated numerous changes of my own to produce a wholly different loaf.

Ingredients

250g bread flour

150g whole wheat flour

50g whole rye flour

300g water (plus extra to get that slightly tacky feel to the dough)

8-9g salt

100g durum wheat starter @ 60% hydration

Preparing your starter

Now I keep a 60% hydration durum wheat starter but I'll explain how to convert your 100% hydration starter with two builds. If you can get your hands on remilled semolina then that is recommended. If not, then the finest semolina you can find will do but you can also use a bread flour starter if you wish.

Build One: 25g starter + 50g flour + 25g water. Allow this to bubble up over 12 hours then onto the second build...

Build Two: 20g starter from build one + 50g flour + 30g starter. We want a really ripe mature starter so 12+ hours. You can take your time here. Durum flour starters work well when overly ripe. Will smell really good! If using bread flour then use when peaked.

When ready, onto the method...

Method

1. Autolyse the flour and water only: Mix the flours in a bowl, add 300g water and combine making sure there are no dry clumps. Do not knead yet. Cover the bowl and rest for 30 minutes.
2. Sprinkle the salt over the dough. Fold the dough inwards from the outer edges into the middle so the salt is covered and flatten the dough out. Now add the starter. Again fold the dough into the middle. Now run you hand under the cold tap then squeeze and fold the dough till the salt and starter are fully combined. At this stage you can add more water if the dough needs it. Should feel slightly tacky. I found 300g a bit too dry so went by feel at this stage.
3. Bulk Ferment for 5 hours giving the dough a stretch and fold every hour... run your hand under the cold tap so the dough doesn't stick, keeping the dough in the bowl pinch a portion of the dough from side, pull up and over (be careful not to tear the dough so don't go beyond its resistance) and press down in the middle. Go round the dough till you feel it resisting. Place the bowl in a plastic bag and rest for one hour, and so on... 4x in total then rest for the last hour.
4. Pre-shape the dough and bench rest for 30 minutes.
5. Shape again into prepared banneton, place in a plastic bag and final proof in the fridge for 10-12 hours (I did 11).
6. Score and bake straight from the fridge with your preferred method.

Added by: A BakEr

Related products

Bread Proving Basket - Small/Large Oval
Our bread proving baskets (bannetons) are made from sustainable birchwood cane or rattan.

Bread Proving Basket - Small/Large Round
Our bread proving baskets (bannetons) are made from sustainable birchwood cane or rattan.

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