Country Bread

17h 30m

A light loaf that makes for a great sandwich bread! You can also increment the dough with herbs, raisins, seeds, or even roasted vegetables.

This recipe makes two loaves, and they’re baked inside a dutch oven. If you don’t have a dutch oven or a bread pan, you can bake it in a tray.

The country bread is a version of the loaf that we sell the most in our bakery, and which many restaurants use as a side to their dishes.

The first hydration is super important in developing the flavor here. If you're in a rush, let the flour and water rest for 30 minutes, but you'll get the best flavor and texture if you let them rest for 24 hours.

When your dough skills improve, feel free to add water, play with wholemeal ratios, or even use other grains such as rye, spelt, or buckwheat.

If you can’t find stone-ground wholemeal flour and stone-ground sifted bread flour, you can replace them with wholewheat flour and bread flour respectively.

Make sure to use well-greased parchment paper. If you can’t find one that won’t stick to your bread, just dust some all-purpose flour inside the pan before placing your loaf.

Don’t know how to make your own Sourdough Starter? Find it here on CREME!

Add 730 g of water and 1 kg of stone-ground sifted bread flour to the bowl of a stand mixer
Add 100 g of stone-ground wholemeal flour. Mix with the hook attachment on medium-low speed until fully combined
Cover with cling film and place in the refrigerator for 30m to 24h to hydrate. The longer it sits, the more flavor and lightness your bread will have
Add 20 g of salt and 200 g of sourdough starter
Knead the dough on low speed to incorporate the ingredients. Turn the speed to medium-high until it starts to form a ball and pulls away from the bowl
Transfer to a bowl and gently lift the dough up to fold one side underneath itself. Repeat on all sides to form a loose ball and cover with cling film. Let it proof for 45m at room temperature until it doubles in size
Fold the dough from the bottom across the top. Repeat all around until a tight ball is formed. Cover and set it aside for 45m at room temperature to proof
Repeat the process of folding the dough onto itself. Cover and set it aside for 45m at room temperature to proof
Repeat the process of folding the dough onto itself one more time. Cover and set it aside for 45m at room temperature to proof
Transfer the dough to a floured working surface and divide it in two pieces
Fold each piece onto itself until it forms a taut ball
Dust all-purpose flour inside 2 bannetons, and place 1 ball of dough inside each, smooth side down
Refrigerate it overnight to proof
Preheat the oven to 240 °C with the dutch ovens inside
Transfer the dough from the banneton to a sheet of parchment paper and score it with a bread lame
Place the loaf, along with the parchment paper, inside the preheated dutch oven and cover with the lid. Repeat with the other loaf
Place the loaves inside the preheated oven and lower the temperature to 210 °C. Bake for 20-25m until they start to rise
Remove the lids and finish baking at 210 °C for 20m until a deep, golden crust has formed
The country bread is ready! Enjoy!