Levain Starter Food

LEVAIN (STARTER)

Steps:

• Add the flour directly into the container with the full batch of room-temperature, batter-like ripe chef. Stir vigorously to add fresh oxygen to the mixture. This will form a stiff consistency more like a stiff dough than a batter. This firm texture is important for ripening levain, because a dense rather than loose levain creates delicious sour bread without an overpowering tangy bite. Scrape down the sides, cover tightly and let stand in a cool to moderate (about 70 degrees) draft-free place for 8 to 10 hours.
• The levain should have doubled in volume. The texture will be somewhat light, with many tiny bubbles throughout. Do not let the levain stand for longer than 10 hours, or the yeast will become exhausted and not raise the final dough. Learn more about the levain starter, including how to maintain and nourish the chef, in Dan Lieder's book "Bread Alone".

MAKING A SOURDOUGH STARTER (LEVAIN) FROM SCRATCH

Steps:

• In an immaculately clean bowl, combine a scant cup/4.2 ounces/120 grams organic rye flour and ½ cup/4.2 ounces/120 grams bottled water. With a clean hand or spoon, stir until the flour is moistened and a stiff dough is formed. If there are still loose flour particles after 2 minutes, add more water by the droplet. Scrape the starter into the 4-cup container. You will have about 1 cup/8.5 ounces/240 grams. Cover it tightly with plastic wrap (it's fine to use the ring that screws onto the canning jar to keep the plastic wrap in place) and place it in a cool area (65°F) for 48 hours. (If you don't have a cool area, let it sit for only 24 hours [until Day 2] and feed it the same way as described for Day 3.)
• There will be no visible change in the color or texture of the starter.
• The consistency of the starter will now resemble a thick pancake batter and there may be a few bubbles in the surface. With a clean spoon, remove and throw out about half of the starter (about ½ cup/4.5 ounces/120 grams).
• Stir in: a scant ½ cup/about 2 ounces/60 grams bread flour and ¼ liquid cup/about 2 ounces/60 grams bottled water.
• You will again have 8.5 ounces/240 grams of starter, but it will have expanded in volume from just under 8 fluid ounces to about 10 fluid ounces. Cover again tightly with plastic wrap and leave at room temperature (70° to 75°F) for 24 hours. (After 12 hours, the starter may have increased by one and a half, to 14 fluid ounces, and have lots of bubbles. Don't be concerned if it then deflates and falls.)
• The starter may give off a faint citrus aroma. With a clean spoon, again scoop and throw out about half of the starter (about ½ cup/4.25 ounces/120 grams).
• Stir in: a scant ½ cup/about 2 ounces/60 grams bread flour and ¼ liquid cup/about 2 ounces/60 grams bottled water.
• You will again have 8.5 ounces/240 grams of starter, about 10 fluid ounces in volume. Cover it with plastic wrap, but not tightly, as gases should now be forming that need to escape. Leave it at room temperature (70° to 75°F) for 24 hours.
• If the starter is active, it will have increased in volume to at least 3 cups, or even 4 cups. It will dome and then start to recede. (If it is not yet at this point, continue throwing out half the starter and feeding it with the scant ½ cup/about 2 ounces/60 grams bread flour and ¼ liquid cup/about 2 ounces/60 grams bottled water every 24 hours until it reaches this state of activity.)
• With a clean spoon, again remove and throw out about half of the starter (about ½ cup/4.25 ounces/120 grams).
• Stir in: a scant ½ cup/about 2 ounces/60 grams bread flour and ¼ liquid cup/about 2 ounces/60 grams bottled water.
• You will now have about 1 cup/8.5 ounces/240 grams of active starter. (You may feel the impulse to give it a name. Give in to it: I named mine Billo.) Cover it with plastic wrap and let it sit at warm room temperature (75 to 80°F) for about 4 hours or until it has almost doubled. You can now "expand" it (feed with flour and water) for baking bread or refrigerate it overnight and start expanding it the next day. If you don't plan to use it for several days, feed it again to double it, let it sit for 1 hour, and then refrigerate it.
• This starter will mature over the next couple of weeks, gaining in strength and flavor. For the first 2 weeks, store at least 1 cup (8.5/240 grams) of it and feed it at least three times a week. After two weeks of regular feeding (equal weights flour and water or, by volume, 1 ½ times flour to water, to at least double it; when the jar gets half-full, pour off half), at least three times a week, the culture is mature and bread made from it will be more mellow and complex. You can now switch to once-a-week feeding if you only make bread once a week.
• Once your starter is mature, all you need to store is enough for 1 or 2 loaves plus enough to start the next batch (about a full ¾ cup/7 ounces/200 grams). If you plan to bake in larger quantities, simply increase the amount you store by throwing out less of it before each feeding.

PAIN AU LEVAIN

Steps:

• Make the sourdough starter. Combine all of the ingredients in a mixing bowl. If using a mixer, mix on the lowest speed using the paddle attachment for 1 minute, then increase to medium speed for about 30 seconds. If mixing by hand, use a large spoon and stir for about 2 minutes, until well blended. The starter should feel dough-like and tacky or slightly sticky; if not, stir in additional flour (if too sticky) or water (if dry) as needed.
• Transfer the starter to a lightly floured work surface and knead for about 30 seconds. Place it in a clean, lightly oiled bowl, cover the bowl loosely, and leave at room temperature for 6 to 8 hours, until the starter increases to about 1 1/2 times its original size. If you plan to use the starter the same day, allow 1 more hour of fermentation so that it nearly doubles in size. Otherwise, put the starter in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
• Make the dough: cut the starter into 10 to 12 pieces and put them in a mixing bowl. Pour in the water, then add the yeast (if using) and mix with the paddle attachment on the lowest speed or by hand with a large spoon for about 1 minute to soften the starter. Add the flour and salt.
• Switch to the dough hook and mix on the lowest speed, or continue mixing by hand, for 3 minutes, to form a coarse ball of dough that's very tacky and slightly warm. Let the dough rest for 5 minutes. Resume mixing on medium-low speed for 3 minutes more or knead by hand for 3 minutes, adding more flour or water as needed to make a soft, supple and tacky by not sticky ball of dough.
• Knead the dough by hand for a few seconds, then form it into a ball. Let the dough sit uncovered for 10 minutes, then do a stretch and fold, either on the work surface or in the bowl. To do this, reach under the front end of the dough, stretching it toward you, then fold it back onto the top of the dough. Do this from the back end and then from each side, then flip the dough over and tuck it into a ball. Cover the dough and let it rest for 10 minutes. Repeat this entire process two more times, completing all repetitions within 30 minutes. Immediately form the dough into a ball, place it in a clean, lightly oiled bowl large enough to contain the dough when it doubles in size, and cover the bowl tightly.
• If using instant yeast, refrigerate the dough immediately. If not using the yeast, let the dough sit at room temperature for 2 hours before refrigerating; it won't rise very much, but it should show signs of growth and continue to rise in the refrigerator. With or without the instant yeast, both will be ready to use the next day and for up to 4 days. (If you plan to bake the dough in batches over different days, you can portion the dough and place it into two or more oiled bowls at this stage.)
• To bake the no-yeast version, remove the dough from the refrigerator about 4 hours before you plan to bake it; after 2 hours, shape it, then let it proof (i.e., rest covered with a cotton or linen dishtowel) for 2 hours before baking. For the yeast version, remove the dough from the refrigerator 2 hours prior to baking and shape it right away. Remove only the portion you wish to bake: 19 ounces for a 1-pound loaf; 28 ounces for a 1 1/2-pound loaf, and so on. You can also bake the entire amount of dough as a large, 3-pound miche (round country loaf) or as a large torpedo loaf. Gently transfer it from the bowl to a lightly floured work surface, being careful to degas it as little as possible. The shaped dough won't increase in size very much, but it will begin to swell and grow. If it grows to 1 1/2 times its original size in less than 2 hours, move on to scoring and baking it.
• If using a baking stone, about 45 minutes before baking, preheat the oven to 500 degrees. Otherwise, set the oven to 500 degrees about 20 minutes before baking and preheat a baking sheet covered with parchment paper. Place a small sheet pan or lasagna pan under the stone or oven rack to act as a steam pan.
• Just before baking, score the dough by using a blade or sharp knife to cut ½-inch deep lines into it. (A pound sign or cross are two suggested scoring patterns.) Transfer the dough to either the warmed baking sheet or stone. Pour 1 cup of hot water into the steam pan (a watering can or tall plastic pitcher is best for this), then lower the oven temperature to 450 degrees or to 425 if baking a large miche. (Note: If your oven has a glass window, cover it with a towel when adding the water to prevent cracking, then remove after a few minutes.)
• Bake for 12 minutes, then rotate the pan and continue baking for 15 to 25 minutes, or longer, depending on the size of the loaf; a large miche could take up to 75 minutes to bake. When fully baked, the crust should have a rich, caramelized color; the loaf should sound hollow when thumped on the bottom; and the internal temperature should be about 200 degrees in the center. Cool on a wire rack for at least 1 hour before slicing or serving.

PAIN AU LEVAIN

Steps:

• Do ahead
• To make the starter, combine all of the ingredients in a mixing bowl. If using a mixer, use the paddle attachment and mix on the lowest speed for 1 minute, then increase to medium speed for about 30 seconds. If mixing by hand, use a large spoon and stir for about 2 minutes, until well blended. The starter should feel doughlike and tacky or slightly sticky; if not, stir in additional flour or water as needed.
• Transfer the starter to a lightly floured work surface and knead for about 30 seconds. Place it in a clean, lightly oiled bowl, cover the bowl loosely, and leave at room temperature for 6 to 8 hours, until the starter increases to about 1 1/2 times its original size. If you plan to use the starter the same day, allow 1 more hour of fermentation so that it nearly doubles in size. Otherwise, put the starter in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
• To make the dough, cut the starter into 10 to 12 pieces and put them in a mixing bowl. Pour in the water, then add the yeast (unless you're making the "purist" version) and mix with the paddle attachment on the lowest speed or by hand with a large spoon for about 1 minute to soften the starter. Add the flour and salt.
• Switch to the dough hook and mix on the lowest speed, or continue mixing by hand, for 3 minutes, to form a coarse ball of dough that's very tacky and slightly warm. Let the dough rest for 5 minutes.
• Resume mixing on medium-low speed for 3 minutes more or knead by hand for 3 minutes, adding more flour or water as needed to make a soft, supple, and tacky but not sticky ball of dough.
• Knead the dough by hand for a few seconds, then form it into a ball. Let the dough sit uncovered for 10 minutes, then do a stretch and fold, either on the work surface or in the bowl, reaching under the front end of the dough, stretching it out, then folding it back onto the top of the dough. Do this from the back end and then from each side, then flip the dough over and tuck it into a ball. Cover the dough and let it rest for 10 minutes. Repeat this entire process two more times, completing all repetitions within 30 minutes. Immediately form the dough into a ball, place it in a clean, lightly oiled bowl large enough to contain the dough when it doubles in size, and cover the bowl tightly.
• If using the mixed method with instant yeast, refrigerate the dough immediately. If making the "purist" version, without instant yeast, let the dough sit at room temperature for 2 hours before refrigerating; it won't rise very much, but it should show signs of growth and continue to rise in the refrigerator. Either version will be ready to use the next day and for up to 4 days. (If you plan to bake the dough in batches over different days, you can portion the dough and place it into two or more oiled bowls at this stage.)
• On baking day
• For the "purist" version, remove the dough from the refrigerator about 4 hours before you plan to bake; after 2 hours, shape it (see instructions for lean bread, page 48), then let it proof for 2 hours before baking. For the mixed method, remove the dough from the refrigerator 2 hours prior to baking and shape it right away. Remove only the portion you wish to bake: 19 ounces (539 g) for a 1-pound (454 g) loaf; 28 ounces (794 g) for a 1 1/2-pound (680 g) loaf, and so on. You can also bake the entire amount of dough as a large, 3-pound (1.36 kg) miche (round country loaf) or as a large torpedo loaf. Gently transfer it from the bowl to a lightly floured work surface, being careful to degas it as little as possible. See chapter 1, starting on page 20, for shaping and proofing instructions. The shaped dough won't increase in size very much, but it will begin to swell and grow. If it grows to 1 1/2 times its original size in less than 2 hours, move on to the scoring and baking stage.
• If using a baking stone, about 45 minutes before baking preheat the oven to 500°F (260°C) and prepare the oven for hearth baking (see page 30). Otherwise, just preheat the oven to 500°F (260°C) about 20 minutes before baking.
• Just before baking, score the dough in whatever style of design you prefer, as shown on page 29. Transfer the dough to the oven, pour 1 cup of hot water into the steam pan, then lower the oven temperature to 450°F (232°C), or to 425°F (218°C) if baking a large miche.
• Bake for 12 minutes, then rotate the pan and continue baking for 15 to 25 minutes, or longer, depending on the size of the loaf; a large miche could take up to 75 minutes to bake. When fully baked, the crust should have a rich, caramelized color; the loaf should sound hollow when thumped on the bottom; and the internal temperature should be about 200°F (90°C) in the center.
• Cool on a wire rack for at least 1 hour before slicing or serving.