Levain Boule

Ingredients

• 800 g strong white bread flour, 12-13% protein ⇄
• 100 g stoneground wholemeal flour
• 675 g water at 28C (82F)
• 18 g fine sea salt
• 20 g ripe sourdough starter
• 50 g strong white bread flour, for the levain ⇄
• 50 g water at 26C (79F), for the levain
• 20 g rice flour, for the banneton

Equipment

Skillet

The skills inside

Sourdough starter

Allergen screen

Found: gluten

Screened for: gluten, dairy, egg, nuts, peanuts, fish, shellfish, molluscs, soy, sesame, celery, mustard, lupin, alcohol. Not screened: sulphites.

Screened by keyword from the ingredient list, not reviewed by a person; check every label for what the list cannot show.

Method

1. Build the levain: whisk the starter into its 50 g water, stir in the 50 g flour, and hold at 24C (75F) for 5-6 hours until it is domed, webbed inside and a spoonful floats. 360 min
2. Mix the two flours with 640 g of the water and rest 45 minutes. At 76% this dough feels slack and tears easily; that is correct, the strength comes later. 45 min
3. Squeeze in the levain, then the salt with the last 35 g water. Bulk at 25C (77F) with four sets of stretch and fold at 30 minute intervals, and stop when the dough has risen by half, domes at the edges and shows bubbles against the wall of the tub, about 4-5 hours. 30 min
4. Preshape round, rest 25 minutes uncovered until the ball relaxes and spreads slightly, then shape with tension until the skin is drum tight and the seam grips itself. Into a rice floured banneton, seam up, and cold retard 12-16 hours at 4C (39F). 25 min
5. Bake in a cast iron pot preheated to 250C (480F): score deep, lid on for 20 minutes, then lid off at 230C (450F) for 20-25 minutes until the crust is dark chestnut and the centre reads 96C (205F). 20 min