Pain de Campagne from: "Flour Water Salt Yeast" (Forkish)

This was my first opportunity to use the new sourdough starter I recently made.  I picked this particular bread to make because the overnight cold proofing best fit my schedule.

Pain de Campagne (Country Bread)

• 78% Hydration (this is a fairly wet dough, yet manageable)
• 10% Whole Wheat Flour
• Hybrid leavening (20% levain / .2% instant yeast)
• Overnight cold proof in bannetons after forming (15 hours)
• Baked in dutch ovens

At 9:30 am, I began building the levain:

• 100 grams of mature levain
• 400 grams of white flour
• 100 grams of whole wheat flour
• 400 grams of water @87.6°F

Finished levain temperature was 87.6°F.  Not much to look at after mixing.  It was covered and left to rest at room temperature (73.7°F) for 7 hours.

(click on pics to enlarge)

After 7 hours, it looked to have at least doubled in size and showed signs of activity: Great aroma and some bubbling (although not as much as I thought there'd be).

At this point, I began to mix the final dough:

• 740 grams of white flour
•  60 grams of whole wheat flour
• 620 grams of water (@93.8°F)

TDT (target dough temperature) 77° - 78°F.  Actual: 78.4°F.

The dough was autolysed for 30 minutes.  21 grams of salt and 2 grams of yeast were then added.  After it was fully mixed by hand, 360 grams of levain (made earlier) was added and incorporated into the dough.

Four stretch and folds were completed over the next 1.5 hours.  This is what it looked like after all were completed.

After 5 hours of bulk fermentation at room temperature, it more than doubled in size.

After bulk fermentation, the dough was divided, formed into two boules, and placed in bannetons dusted with a 50/50 blend of white flour and white rice flour.  The loaves were cold proofed (covered) overnight in the refrigerator (15 hours)

Before overnight proofing:

After 15 hours:

Two dutch ovens were preheated for 45 minutes at 475° F with the covers on.  The loaves were turned onto parchment paper to make it easier to transfer to the dutch ovens.  Both loaves looked to have some good structure and kept their shape.  Absolutely no sticking with the 50/50 flour and rice flour dusting.

The loaves were scored, placed in the preheated dutch ovens, and baked for 30 minutes with the lids on.

After 30 minutes, some nice oven spring and the beginnings of caramelization on the crust.

The loaves were returned to the oven and baked, without the covers, for approximately another 20 minutes.  (this is something you have to watch).

End result:

I was very happy with the color and texture of the crust; not overly chewy with a delicate crunch.  The crumb had the large irregular holes I was anticipating (some too big?).  The other loaf was actually better; more consistent.  

The flavor of this bread was pretty outstanding.  I'd say this was one of the better breads I've ever made.

Looking forward to my next bake :)