Sourdough French Country Bread

🧂 Ingredients

• 250 grams bread flour

  (2 cups)
• 148 grams water (lukewarm)

  (½ cup + 2 tablespoons)
• 67 grams active starter

  (¼ cup + 1 tablespoon)
• ¾-1 teaspoon salt

Instructions

• 1 In a large bowl mix together the water and starter, then add the flour and salt.
  Stir together with either your hands, a fork or a danish whisk until the dough
  comes together. Be sure to scrape down the sides of the bowl. Move the dough to
  a lightly floured flat surface and knead 10 times, let the dough rest 3 minutes,
  then knead 10 times rest 3 minutes, knead again 10 times and a final 3 minute
  rest.
• 2 Form the dough into a ball and place in a lightly oiled bowl turning the ball in
  the oil bowl. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let rest in a warm draft free
  area for 4 hours. Be sure to stretch and fold the dough 2-3 times every hour.
• 3 After the 4 hours shape the dough into desired form and place either in a
  proofing basket (seam side up), a regular bowl or a parchment paper lined cookie
  sheet, when not using a dutch oven, if you plan on baking the bread in a dutch
  oven, then place the formed dough seam side down in a bowl. Cover and let rest
  in a warm draft free area for 3-4 hours (check the dough after 2 hours) or until
  doubled in bulk.
• 4 Pre-heat oven to 410F (210C). If baking without a dutch oven, then place an
  empty pan in the bottom of the oven while the oven is pre-heating. If baking
  with a dutch oven heat it in the oven while it is pre-heating.
• 5 If baking without a dutch oven then add 1-2 cups of boiling water to the pan
  before adding the bread.
  
  1. Gently turn the dough from the proofing basket or regular bowl onto a
  parchment paper lined cookie sheet, score and bake for 45-50 minutes. If already
  on the cookie sheet then score and bake.
  
  2. If you decide to use a dutch oven, then carefully remove the very hot dutch
  oven from the oven, gently move the dough to a sheet of parchment paper, score
  it and place in the dutch oven, cover and place in the oven, bake with the lid
  for approximately 35-40 minutes, remove the lid and continue to bake for another
  15-20 minutes.
• 6 The bread is done when thumbed and you hear a hollow sound or when the internal
  temperature reaches 203F/95C. Move the baked bread to a wire rack to cool
  completely before serving. Enjoy!

Nutrition Info