Sourdough Pain de Campagne

Steps

1. 1

   Mix flour and water

   • In a large bowl, combine the bread flour, whole wheat flour, rye flour, and cool water.
   • Using a dough whisk or your fingers, mix until all dry flour is fully hydrated and no dry bits remain.
   • The mixture will be shaggy and rough—this is correct and is called the autolyse.
   • Cover the bowl with a lid, damp cloth, or plastic wrap and let rest at room temperature for 30 minutes.
   • During this time, the flour fully hydrates and gluten begins developing passively without aggressive mixing.

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   Ready when: All dry flour is incorporated; mixture is shaggy and uniform

   Tip: Use water around 75°F (24°C); water temperature affects dough temperature and fermentation speed.

2. 2

   Add starter and salt

   • After the 30-minute rest, sprinkle the active sourdough starter over the dough surface.
   • Wet one hand and gently squeeze and fold the starter into the dough until mostly incorporated.
   • Once the starter is distributed, sprinkle salt over the surface.
   • Continue folding with your wet hand, rotating the bowl as you go, until salt is fully dissolved and distributed throughout.
   • The dough will become more cohesive and silky as you work.
   • This should take 3–5 minutes of gentle folding.
   • Cover and let rest for 5 minutes.

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   Ready when: Starter and salt are fully incorporated; dough feels cohesive and stronger

   Tip: Use sourdough starter at peak—bubbly, roughly doubled, and pleasantly sour. A weak starter will slow fermentation significantly.

3. 3

   Bulk ferment with stretches and folds

   • Leave the dough covered at room temperature.
   • Every 30 minutes for the next 2.5–3 hours, perform a stretch and fold: wet one hand, grab a portion of dough at the bowl's edge, pull it up and fold it over toward the center, then rotate the bowl and repeat from another edge.
   • Perform four folds from different sides, taking 1–2 minutes per set.
   • These folds build strength without aggressive kneading.
   • After 4–6 fold sets (roughly 2–2.5 hours), stop folding and let the dough rest undisturbed.
   • The dough is ready when it has visibly increased in volume by 25–50%, shows visible bubbles on the surface, and passes the poke test: gently poke with a wet finger; it should leave an indent that slowly springs back about halfway.
   • Bulk fermentation typically takes 3.5–4.5 hours total depending on room temperature.

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   Ready when: Volume increased 25–50%, visible surface bubbles, poke test indent holds slightly before slowly springing back

   Tip: Warmer kitchens (75–78°F / 24–26°C) ferment faster; cooler ones (68–70°F / 20–21°C) take longer. Aim for at least 3 hours minimum. Overfermentation (dough collapsing) is worse than underfermentation.

4. 4

   Pre-shape and bench rest

   • Lightly flour your work surface with bread flour.
   • Turn the dough out onto the floured surface; don't degass it completely, but let it settle naturally.
   • Using a bench scraper, divide the dough in half with quick, minimal motions.
   • Gently pre-shape each half into a round boule by folding the edges underneath toward the center, creating surface tension.
   • Use minimal pressure and work quickly to preserve bubbles.
   • Place each pre-shaped piece seam-side up on floured surface, a floured banneton, or a small bowl lined with a well-floured cloth.
   • Cover with plastic wrap or a damp cloth and rest at room temperature for 20–25 minutes.
   • This bench rest allows the gluten to relax and makes final shaping much easier.

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   Ready when: Dough appears slightly relaxed, holds its shape, and is slightly puffy

   Tip: Minimize handling to preserve gas bubbles developed during bulk fermentation; your final oven spring depends on it.

5. 5

   Shape loaves

   • Gently flip a pre-shaped piece seam-side down on an unfloured surface (friction helps with shaping).
   • Fold the top edge down about one-third of the way toward you and press gently to seal.
   • Fold the left and right edges toward the center, overlapping slightly, and press to seal.
   • Roll the dough tightly toward you in one smooth motion, creating tension in the dough skin.
   • The final seam should be on the bottom.
   • You should have a nicely shaped boule with good surface tension.
   • Repeat with the second piece.
   • Place each shaped loaf seam-side up in a floured banneton or cloth-lined bowl.
   • Cover loosely with plastic wrap.

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   Ready when: Each loaf is tightly shaped with visible surface tension; seams are on the bottom

   Tip: The tension you create in shaping is crucial—it helps the loaf rise upward (oven spring) in the oven rather than spreading outward.

6. 6

   Cold retard overnight

   • Cover the shaped loaves loosely with plastic wrap and place them in your refrigerator at 38–40°F (3–4°C).
   • Leave undisturbed for 8–16 hours (overnight is typical).
   • During extended cold fermentation, yeast activity slows dramatically but bacteria continue to produce acids slowly, developing complex flavor.
   • The cold dough is also much easier to score without deflating.
   • The loaves can go directly from the fridge to the oven in the next step.

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   Ready when: Dough is very cold to the touch; may show slight bubbling on surface

   Tip: This overnight step is the hallmark of traditional pain de campagne. For same-day baking, see the Make Ahead section.

7. 7

   Final proof

   • Remove the loaves from the refrigerator.
   • If baking directly from cold dough (recommended), let them sit on the counter for 10–15 minutes while the oven preheats.
   • If you prefer room-temperature final proof, remove the loaves 30–60 minutes before baking and let them proof at room temperature.
   • A loaf is properly proofed when puffy but not over-risen.
   • Perform the poke test: gently poke the dough with a wetted finger; it should spring back slowly and leave a slight indent.
   • If the dough is unresponsive and doesn't spring back (overproofed), the loaf may spread rather than rise in the oven.
   • Cold dough from the fridge will complete much of its rise in the hot oven itself.

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   Ready when: Dough is puffy; poke test leaves slow-springing indent

   Tip: Cold dough is more forgiving and harder to overproof; room-temperature final proof requires more attention. Baking from cold is recommended.

8. 8

   Preheat oven and scoreOven 475°F / 245°C

   • About 45 minutes before you want to bake, place two Dutch ovens (4–5 quart / 4–5 L capacity each) on the middle and upper-middle racks of your oven.
   • Preheat to 475°F (245°C).
   • Do not use convection; it can dry out the crust.
   • The ovens must preheat for a full 45 minutes to reach the temperature needed for proper oven spring and crust caramelization.
   • When ready to bake, carefully remove one hot Dutch oven using thick oven mitts.
   • Have a piece of parchment paper (about 8×8 inches / 20×20 cm) ready.
   • Quickly invert a proofed loaf from its banneton onto the parchment, or directly into the Dutch oven if confident.
   • Using a bread lame, sharp serrated knife, or clean razor blade, make one deep diagonal slash (about ½ inch / 1 cm deep) across the loaf, or make a cross pattern.
   • Work quickly to avoid cooling the Dutch oven.
   • Place the scored loaf (with parchment) into the Dutch oven, cover with the lid immediately, and return to the oven.

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   Ready when: Oven and Dutch ovens are at 475°F (245°C); loaf is scored and loaded

   Tip: Do not skip or shorten the preheat time. The sustained, even heat from preheated Dutch ovens is essential for crust development.

9. 9

   Bake covered, then uncoveredOven 475°F / 245°C

   • With the lid on, bake for 20 minutes.
   • The lid traps steam, which prevents the crust from setting too quickly and allows the loaf to expand (oven spring).
   • After 20 minutes, using thick mitts and a kitchen towel to protect against hot steam, carefully remove the lid.
   • Reduce the oven temperature to 450°F (232°C) and continue baking uncovered for 15–20 minutes until the crust is deep golden brown.
   • The internal temperature should reach 205–210°F (96–99°C) when measured with an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the loaf.
   • The loaf should sound hollow when tapped on the bottom.
   • Some darker-colored areas of the crust indicate proper caramelization.
   • If browning too fast during the uncovered phase, reduce the temperature to 425°F (218°C).

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   Ready when: Crust is deep golden brown (darker spots okay); loaf sounds hollow when tapped; internal temp 205–210°F (96–99°C)

   Tip: The steam trapped by the covered lid is essential for crust development. Carefully removing the lid to avoid steam burns is important for safety.

10. 10

    Cool completely

    • Using tongs, a thin spatula, or by grasping the parchment paper, carefully transfer the loaf from the Dutch oven to a wire cooling rack.
    • Allow the bread to cool at room temperature for at least 1 full hour before slicing.
    • During cooling, the crumb structure sets and stabilizes.
    • Cutting into warm bread results in a gummy, compressed crumb.
    • If baking a second loaf, repeat the preheat and baking steps with the remaining shaped loaf and the second Dutch oven, or place the first loaf back in the (now cooler) Dutch oven to keep it warm while the second bakes.
    • A fully cooled pain de campagne should be crispy on the outside and have an open, chewy crumb with visible irregular holes.

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    Ready when: Bread is cool enough to handle without steam; surface is crispy

    Tip: Resisting the urge to slice immediately is worth it. Cutting too early makes the interior appear wet or gummy even though it is properly baked.