Pain au Levain
This is a KAF formula. All weights are in grams and this build nets a single 810 g. loaf:
| Hydration | 68% | |
| Flour (g) - AP White | 448.0 | |
| Flour (g) - Medium Rye | 23.6 | 5.3% |
| Total Flour | 471.6 | 100% |
| Water (g) | 320.7 | 68% |
| Salt (g) | 8.5 | 1.8% |
| Starter | 4.2 | 0.9% |
The process begins with a morning starter refresh:
| Flour (g) - AP White | 20.0 |
| Flour (g) - Medium Rye | 1.2 |
| Total Flour | 21.2 |
| Water (g) | 12.7 |
| Salt (g) | |
| Starter | 4.2 |
Then an afternoon levain build:
| Flour (g) - AP White | 40.3 |
| Flour (g) - Medium Rye | 2.1 |
| Total Flour | 42.4 |
| Water (g) | 25.5 |
| Salt (g) | 1.1 |
| Starter | |
| Refresher | 34.0 |
The next morning the final mix is done:
| Flour (g) - AP White | 387.6 |
| Flour (g) - Medium Rye | 20.3 |
| Total Flour | 407.9 |
| Water (g) | 282.5 |
| Salt (g) | 7.4 |
| Starter | |
| Refresher | |
| Levain | 103.0 |
I do not autolyse this one but you might choose differently. Water temperature is adjusted for a 74 F dough. In the final mix all the ingredients are combined at once and machine mixed for a minute on slow. Once everything is combined I then mix at a slightly higher speed for around 2 minutes to develop the gluten. Then the dough is placed in a bowl, covered, and set in a warm spot (74 - 76 F) for fermentation.
After an hour I perform a series of stretch and folds on the bench. Usually this series involves 5 or six folds total. Then it's back to a warm spot for another hour, followed by another series of stretch and folds. I'm lucky if I get 4 passes on this one because the gluten is forming nicely by now. It's back to the warm spot for another hour or two, depending on how the gases are forming up.
When things look good I remove the dough from the bowl and divide it into 810 g. rounds, if I am making more than one loaf. I use a bench knife in one hand and lightly flour the other hand, then scrape, skid and round the dough in an effort to generate skin tension. Trevor Wilson demonstrates this method well in his Breadwerx videos. The rounds are left to relax for about 20 minutes.
Finally I shape each loaf using techniques I learned from the web. KAF's Martin Philip demonstrates a method that works best for me. Once shaped I place the loaves seam-side up in 9 inch bannetons dusted with rice flour, cover them with a moist dish towel, and let them proof for 1 - 2 hours.
When it is time to bake I flip the loaves onto parchment paper and create a single, deep full-length score. They bake on a stone in the oven that has been preheated to 450 F. Bake time is around 40 minutes, with steam for the first 15 minutes.
The flavor is mildly sour and I have found that an overnight proof develops the sourness more.
Jim
Comments
I love that oven spring! It is truly amazing! Great crumb too! I probably would have baked it just a tad darker but thats my personal preference. Well done!
Looks good - congratulations!
Thank you for the positive comments.
Danni, I agree but I get push-back from the locals when I go much darker :-) As you know it can be difficult to please everyone.
My family used to say my bread was burnt until they got used to it.
Amazing loaf Jim !!! wow , what a crumb !!! , one of these days we are sure gonna bake bread together !!!