makes
2
prep
10 minutes
cook
30 minutes
difficulty
Ace
makes
2
serves
preparation
10
minutes
cooking
30
minutes
difficulty
Ace
level
Ingredients
- 300 g (2½ cups) organic plain flour, plus extra for dusting
- 200 g (1½ cups) organic buckwheat flour
- 3 g (½ tsp) roasted malt (optional)
- 300 g (1¼ cups) water at 20°C
- 100 g (scant ½ cup) liquid sourdough starter (or 25 g organic dry sourdough starter)
- 1 g (⅓ tsp) fresh baker’s yeast, crumbled
- 10 g (2 tsp) salt
Rising time 2 hours
Proofing time 1 hour and 40 minutes
Instructions
Kneading in a stand mixer
Place all the ingredients in the bowl and knead with the dough hook for 4 minutes at low speed, then for 6 minutesat high speed.
Kneading by hand
Place the 2 flours and the roasted malt, if using, on a work surface or in a mixing bowl and make a large well in the center. Pour in half the water, then add the starter, fresh yeast, and salt. Mix well, then add the rest of the water and blend until all the flour has been incorporated. Knead the dough until it becomes smooth and elastic.
Shape into a ball and cover with a damp cloth. Leave to rise for 2 hours. Midway through the rise, deflate the dough by folding it in half. By the end of the rising time, the dough will have increased in volume.
Dust the work surface. Flatten the dough gently without knocking out too much air. Shape into a rectangle about 16 × 8 inches (40 x 20 cm). Use a dough cutter to divide it lengthwise into 2 equal pieces.
Place the pieces of dough on a baking sheet lined with parchment (baking) paper. Cover with a damp cloth and leave to proof for 1 hour 40 minutes.
Place another baking sheet on the bottom shelf of the oven and preheat to 230°C. Dust the loaves with flour and score in a crosshatch pattern (see page 39), making 3 cuts in each direction. Just before putting the loaves in the oven, pour 50 g (scant ¼ cup) of water onto the preheated baking sheet. Bake for 25–30 minutes.
Remove from the oven and leave to cool on a wire rack.
Recipe and images from The Larousse Book of Bread: Recipes to Make at Home by Éric Kayser (, $49.95, hbk).
Cook's Notes
Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.
