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Dutch oven baked pain au levain
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Pain Au Levain

A crusty sourdough loaf that is worth the wait
Prep Time1 d
Cook Time1 hr
Course: Bread
Cuisine: French
Keyword: bread, pain au levain, sourdough, yeast
Servings: 16

Equipment

  • Large mixing bowl
  • Bench scraper
  • Dutch oven OR Baking stone
  • Scale

Ingredients

  • oil for greasing bowls

Levain

  • 150 g water room temperature
  • 75 g all purpose flour unbleached
  • 28 g sourdough starter fed

Dough

  • 482 g water ~80F / 27C
  • 631 g all purpose flour unbleached
  • 50 g rye flour
  • 1 Tbsp kosher salt

Instructions

Prepare the Levain

  • Mix the water, flour, and sourdough starter in a bowl until flour is incorporated
  • Turn out and knead for a few minutes until the levain is stiff and smooth
  • Place in a lightly oiled bowl and cover with plastic wrap overnight

Prepare the Dough

  • Place the water in a large mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer
  • Tear the levain into small pieces (it will be sticky!) and put into the water
  • Add flours and salt to the water and bring together until the flour is incorporated
  • Either use a dough scraper to knead by hand via the pull and fold method or knead in a mixer with hook attachment on low speed for two minutes
  • Cover with plastic wrap and allow to rest 30 minutes
  • Either use a dough scraper to knead by hand via the pull and fold method for 3 minutes or knead in a mixer on speed 2 for 1.5 minutes
  • Place the dough in a large greased bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Allow to rise for 1 hour (I left mine for 1.5 - 2 hours and it was fine...)
  • Fold the dough into itself to deflate slightly then cover and leave for another hour
  • Gently deflate the dough
  • Turn out onto a floured surface and cut the dough in half with a bench scraper
  • Shape each half into a round and pinch the seams
  • Flip seam side up and cover with plastic wrap
  • Rest the dough for 20 minutes
  • Shape the loaves into final form
  • Place in a shaping container, if desired. This can be in a floured brotform or bowl with a floured cloth seam side up, or in an oiled cloche or Dutch oven seam side down. You can also just set them on greased parchment paper and cover with greased plastic wrap.
  • Cover and let rise 2 hours
  • Preheat the oven to 450F / 230C with the baking stone (if using) and a cast iron or (sacrificial) broiler pan inside
  • Boil some water on the stove top while the oven heats if you're planning to bake on a stone
  • Slash the loaves with your preferred pattern just prior to baking then spray with a little water
  • Place the loaves on the preheated stone (or the Dutch oven or cloche into the oven) and put about a cup and a half of boiling water in the preheated pan then close the oven quickly
  • Remove the Dutch oven or cloche lid after 20 minutes
  • Bake for a total time of about 40 minutes until the bread is acorn brown and internal temperature reads 195F / 90C
  • Remove to a wire rack to let cool before slicing

Notes

Makes 2 loaves of approximately 1 pound each.