Pain de Campagne

Pain de Campagne

A classic French country loaf with a tender crumb and crackling crust, built around a blend of bread flour and whole rye for that signature earthy flavor.

Prep

30 min

Cook

45 min

Total

75 min

Serves

1 loaf (about 900 g)

Difficulty

Medium

Recipe ingredients

• •350 g (12 oz) bread flour, high-protein, or all-purpose if needed
• •150 g (5 oz) whole rye flour
• •300 ml (1¼ cups) lukewarm water, around 28°C / 82°F
• •100 g (½ cup) active sourdough starter, fed and bubbly, or see note
• •10 g (2 tsp) fine sea salt
• •1 g (½ tsp) instant yeast, optional, for a faster rise
• •30 g (2 Tbsp) rice flour, for dusting the banneton; substitute potato starch

Steps

1. 1 In a large bowl, stir the bread flour, rye flour, and salt together. Add the lukewarm water, sourdough starter, and instant yeast (if using). Mix with a wooden spoon or your hands until no dry flour remains, then cover and rest for 30 minutes (autolyse).
2. 2 Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 8 to 10 minutes until smoother and elastic; it will still feel tacky from the rye. If using stretch-and-folds instead, do 4 sets at 30-minute intervals: lift one side, stretch it up, and fold it over, rotating the bowl a quarter turn each time.
3. 3 Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl, cover, and let it rise at warm room temperature for 3 to 4 hours, until roughly 50% larger and puffy. With commercial yeast only, 1½ to 2 hours may be enough.
4. 4 Tip the dough onto an unfloured surface and gently shape into a round (boule) by folding the edges into the center, then flipping seam-side down and tightening the skin with cupped hands. Rest seam-side up for 20 minutes, covered.
5. 5 Dust a proofing basket (banneton) generously with rice flour. Shape the loaf again the same way for a tighter surface, then place it seam-side up in the banneton.
6. 6 Cover and cold-retard in the refrigerator for 10 to 14 hours to develop flavor and make scoring easier.
7. 7 The next day, place a Dutch oven (lid on) on the middle rack of the oven and preheat to 240°C / 465°F for at least 30 minutes.
8. 8 Turn the dough out onto a piece of parchment, score the top with a sharp blade or lame in a single decisive cut (about 1 cm deep), and lower it into the hot Dutch oven using the parchment as a sling.
9. 9 Bake covered for 25 minutes, then remove the lid and reduce the oven to 220°C / 425°F. Bake another 18 to 22 minutes until the crust is a deep, even mahogany brown.
10. 10 Lift the loaf out and cool on a wire rack for at least 1 hour before slicing; the interior should read 95 to 98°C / 203 to 208°F when probed for full doneness.