🛖 Rustic Country Bread (Autolyse Method)

🥘 Ingredients

• strong white bread flour 70 g
• wholemeal flour 30 g
• yeast
• water 100 g
• strong white bread flour 250 g
• wholemeal flour 50 g
• water 220 g
• salt 8 g
• sugar 10 g
• dry yeast 3 g

1. 1

   10-16 hours before baking, make the preferment: In a bowl, combine the strong white bread flour , wholemeal flour , a pinch of yeast , and water at around 21 C . Mix until combined, cover, and ferment until doubled (usually 10-16 hours ).
2. 2

   1 hour before mixing the dough, autolyse the flour: In another bowl, combine the strong white bread flour , wholemeal flour , and water at around 7 C . Sprinkle the salt and sugar over the top, and dimple them in with a wet hand. Cover and let hydrate for 1 hour .
3. 3

   After the autolyse, add the dry yeast to the preferment and mix well. Pour the preferment into the dough and combine until fully incorporated. Tip the dough onto a clean surface and knead using the stretch & fold method for 8 minutes (or 500 turns ). The desired dough temperature is 24-25 C . If your dough is cooler, it will ferment more slowly; if warmer, it will ferment more rapidly. Adjust proofing time accordingly.
4. 4

   Cover the dough and let it ferment for 45 minutes to 1 hour . After the first fermentation, perform a fold to strengthen the dough. Cover and ferment for another 45 minutes to 1 hour .
5. 5

   Shape the dough into a round loaf and place it on a piece of parchment paper. Cover and let it proof for 45 minutes to 1 hour or until almost doubled. During this time, preheat your oven and baking vessel (if using) to 230 C with no fan.
6. 6

   Score the dough with a sharp knife or razor blade. Bake for 35-40 minutes until golden brown and crusty. Let cool before slicing.