Sourdough Boule

also called sourdough · pain au levain · country loaf

The table

1/2 cup(100 g)active sourdough starterwhisk smoothadd flour, rest 45 minwork in the salt, fold every 45 min for 4 hoursshape a boule, dust, chill overnight in a bannetonscore, bake in a Dutch oven 500°F 20 min covered + 450°F 25 min open
1 1/2 cups(350 g)warm water
3 1/4 cups(450 g)bread flour
1/2 cup(50 g)whole wheat flour
2 tsp(10 g)fine sea salt
2 Tbsrice flour
Tap anything to cross it off.

What to lay out

Everything the recipe asks for, sitting under the step that eats it. Tick each one as you measure it.8 things to get out.

Pans and tools

1whisk smooth

2add flour, rest 45 min

goes in with what step 1 made

3work in the salt, fold every 45 min for 4 hours

goes in with what step 2 made

4shape a boule, dust, chill overnight in a banneton

goes in with what step 3 made

Cooking it

Tap a step when it is done; the next one lights up.

The clock

Start to finish
at least 16 hr 15 mintwo waits that overlap count once
Needs you
45 minof the steps that give a time

One of the 5 steps never says how long it takes, so both numbers are floors. The recipe itself says 1 day.

  1. whisk smooth

    not timedfrom the start

  2. add flour, rest 45 min

    45 minwalk away(read off the step)from the start

  3. work in the salt, fold every 45 min for 4 hours

    45 minneeds you(read off the step)45 min in

  4. shape a boule, dust, chill overnight in a banneton

    14 hrwalk away(read off the step)1 hr 30 min in

  5. score, bake in a Dutch oven 500°F 20 min covered + 450°F 25 min open

    45 minwalk away(read off the step)15 hr 30 min in

Drawn to scale, so a long wait really does take up the room it takes. The shortest stretches keep a sliver so they stay visible; their times are printed beside them. The minutes are always the recipe’s own; a dashed edge means we worked out from the step whether you have to be there, and a dotted one means nothing was said, so we assumed you are standing over it.

You'll need Dutch oven · banneton

Goes with

See how it is written
>> title: Sourdough Boule
>> category: Breads
>> tags: bread, sourdough, starter, oven, overnight
>> counters: Bakery
>> aka: sourdough, pain au levain, country loaf
>> pairs-with: new-england-clam-chowder
>> servings: 12
>> time: 24 hr
>> step.1: whisk smooth
>> step.2: add flour, rest 45 min
>> step.3: work in the salt, fold every 45 min for 4 hours
>> step.4: shape a boule, dust, chill overnight in a banneton
>> step.5: score, bake in a Dutch oven 500°F 20 min covered + 450°F 25 min open

Whisk @active sourdough starter{1/2%cup}(100 g) into @warm water{1 1/2%cup}(350 g).

Add @bread flour{3 1/4%cup}(450 g) and @whole wheat flour{1/2%cup}(50 g) to @&(~1)slurry{}, then rest ~{45%min}.

Work @fine sea salt{2%tsp}(10 g) into @&(~1)dough{}, folding every ~{45%min}.

Shape @&(~1)dough{} into a boule, dust with @rice flour{2%Tbs}, and chill in a #banneton{} for ~{14%hours}.

Score @&(~1)loaf{} and bake in a #Dutch oven{} at 500°F for ~{20%min} covered, then at 450°F for ~{25%min} uncovered.