Country bread

This is what I would call a Christmas bread (at least from the photo :)) ). Very easy to make and very rewarding the result. It is a straight bread, so no preferment overnight. However, the taste is impressive for a straight bread. This recipe worth to be repeated many times and bookmarked. Here it is the recipe:


Ingredients:

• 900g bread flour
• 100g rye flour
• 680g water (at 20ºC)
• 200g sourdough (100% hydrated)
• 4g fresh yeast
• 20g salt

Directions:

1. Mix all ingredients in a standing robot, 4 minutes on a low speed and 15 minutes on a higher speed.
2. Bulk fermentation 2h at room temperature.
3. Preshape 2 round loaves and let the dough relax for 10 minutes.
4. Shape as boules.
5. Final fermentation in lightly floured bannetons 1h30 at 24ºC.
6. Bake for 45 minutes with steam in the first 15 minutes.

This recipe was inspired from Le Larousse du pain - Eric Kayser, page 84.