Country Bread

About This Recipe

I am going to be honest with you: I never make this bread the same way twice. This is one of those recipes that can take years to master, and I am still working on mastering this one. This particular recipe was originally published November of 2023 as a YouTube video, which I later transferred to my blog in February of 2024. To say that I have changed my technique a lot since publishing this recipe is an understatement. I have experimented with everything under the sun, and am still experimenting with more. At the time of this update (October 2024), I have gained so much insight, and I am excited to share some of it with you in this post. But, do I ever follow this recipe? No. In fact, when I finally do hone in on one particular technique, I bet it will look nothing like this one. So, for now, I present to you an abundance of bread knowledge and a recipe that works, but is still being refined.

What Is Country Bread?

Country bread is a French-inspired rustic loaf of sourdough bread. It can be shaped into a boule (round) or a batard (oval). This is the bread that most people simply call "sourdough" today. This bread was popularized in the early 2000's by Chad Robertson, whose book, Tartine Bread, is the root for which all modern sourdough is based today.

This type of bread is made from a fairly wet dough, which easier to develop by hand. The long fermentation time allows gluten to come together, as well as provides the dough with most of its strength. It is baked at a high temperature with steam (for a fuller expansion) to achieve a sort of "explosion" in the oven, which gives the loaf a beautiful oven spring and interior.

This type of bread can be made with a variety of flour types for different flavors and textures. For this recipe, we will stick with the simplest version, using just the most basic ingredients: flour, water, salt (and sourdough starter).

What I Love About This Recipe

This recipe makes a great loaf of bread, but without a wildly open crumb. It is perfect for sandwiches or toast. It does not require any advanced steps, such as autolyse; rather all ingredients are mixed at once. This way: you will not forget to add anything to the dough. Working the dough by hand means that no special equipment is necessary to get it together, as folds and a long fermentation time create the necessary structure. Visual cues help you learn to read your dough to know exactly when the next step needs to take place, or if something about the process is off. The Dutch-oven bake gives this recipe the perfect crust and oven spring, while the cold ferment helps set the classic sourdough flavor.

All The "Why's"

Bread Flour

Here's the thing about artisan bread: most of the gluten is developed through time during the slow fermentation process. You see, as dough rests, gluten comes together naturally and fermentation provides strength. Bread flour contains more gluten binding proteins, which naturally create a stronger network that traps air and helps the loaf ferment more efficiently. I use King Arthur Bread Flour in most recipes that calls for "bread flour" because of its higher protein content (12.7%) and excellent ability to form gluten.

Salt

Salt helps bring out flavor (without salt, bread would taste almost like nothing), but also has notable effects on the dough. Salt is a tightening agent, meaning it helps create a more elastic (strong) dough. It does slow fermentation, as well as gluten development, but these are things we must account for in the recipe because we cannot have a recipe without salt. It is important to use just the right amount, enough to bring out the flavor, but not so much that the loaf cannot ferment or come together. I use the standard - 2% salt - in all my recipes, unless otherwise noted.

Hydration

This recipe has an approximate hydration of 75%. This amount of water is just enough that the dough can be structured by hand through folds with ease. The higher the hydration (the more water present in the dough), the harder the dough is to handle. I find the amount in this recipe to be a perfect balance between easy handling and beautiful stretching/ease of dough development, which makes the balance of this recipe perfect for even a beginner. Read more about dough hydration here.

Dough and Gluten Development

Because this dough is unenriched (no fat, sugar, etc.) and because our sourdough starter works slowly, gluten develops naturally over time. This means we can let fermentation do most of the strengthening of our bread, aerating it and building structure, while we take time to fold the dough, which helps fermentation do its best work.

Folding the dough has many benefits, and time you fold it in relation to its stage in fermentation can also change the outcome of your loaf completely. More folds up front (sometimes, I also pair this with increased mixing time) creates a more elastic loaf, which just means the end result will be taller with a more defined shape. Less folds, or folds that are more spaced out, can mean a flatter loaf, but with a more "wild" and open crumb.

For this recipe, I aim for six folds. The key is to make sure the dough relaxes completely between each set. This way, the folds are more efficient at structuring the dough. You can do each set of folds a minimum of fifteen minutes apart, but thirty minutes is better. Even an hour apart can be okay, but then it may throw off your ability to judge fermentation, which is only a factor if you are new to making sourdough and do not quite know the right timing for your environment. Feel free to play around with everything I just mentioned and notice what intervals gives you the results you are looking for in your bread. You can do a minimum of four sets of folds, or a maximum of eight sets; though, I do not see a reason to go so high.

Bulk Fermentation

It is important to note that fermentation varies significantly depending on temperature and climate. My home generally rests around 68-72 F (20-22 C), so my fermentation times are very extended from someone whose home rests around 75 F (24 C), or even warmer. Always watch the dough and read your baked loaf as best as possible to be able to determine necessary adjustments for your next attempt. The goal is to ferment the dough as long as possible, but not to overproof. The longer the dough ferments, the lighter and airier your bread will be.

If you choose to cold proof your dough, as I do in this recipe, the temperature of your bulk fermentation is very important. A warm dough will continue to rise significantly in the fridge, while a cooler dough will not. I keep this dough around 70 F, and bulk ferment it until it reaches double in size after folds are complete. If you live in a climate like mine, or even cooler, this method will work fine. But, if your environment is warmer, you will need to consider decreasing the percentage of rise you give the dough before you shape it. I can give you some guidelines, but ultimately you will need to experiment and find your own way for your own environment.

Generally, loaves that ferment around 70 F (21 C; this is the temperature I ferment my dough) take about 12 hours to bulk ferment. Colder climates, say 65 F (18 C) take a very long time, a minimum of 16 hours, and sometimes longer. Increase the temperature to 73-75 F (23-24 C), and the bulk fermentation time is reduced to around 9 hours. Last, very warm temperatures, 78-80 F (25-27 C) generally take only 4 hours to complete fermentation. All in all, your dough is in your hands, and in your climate.

Shaping

Since we are only making one loaf of bread, it is not necessary to pre-shape the dough. Simply turn it out, and shape it using your preferred method for a boule or batard before adding to your banneton.

It is important to be very gentle with the dough during this step, if you want to keep air bubbles intact, that is. If not, simply pat the dough all over after turning out, which will degass the dough and result in a more closed and even crumb.

I actually do perform a pre-shape in the recipe video. Here is the reason for a pre-shape: to get your dough into a shape that will make it easier to achieve the final shape you are looking for. Pre-shaping is commonly used when the dough has to be divided, such as when making rolls, baguettes, or multiple loaves of bread. It might also be used if your dough came out of the container strangely, and would be difficult to evenly shape into its final form. Pre-shaping tightens gluten and builds elasticity, which is why the dough must rest afterward before the final shape: to allow it to loosen up again so that it stretches and shapes into its final form with ease. But, like I said before, since this recipe only makes one loaf, you do not have to worry about a pre-shape.

Cold Proof

A cold proof is always an option to extend the baking timeline, which creates flexibility. I do usually cold ferment this dough, that way I can prepare it the day before and bake it whenever I want fresh bread the next day. If you make this recipe as an overnight dough, you may not want to cold proof (and, that works as well!). Simply let it rest for one to three more hours before baking, depending on the climate and how the dough is looking.

Scoring

I am super simple when it comes to scoring. You only need one score, 1/4 to 1/2 inch deep, to help this loaf expand without cracking all over. I am not about decorative scoring, but if you are, then go for it!

In my video, I teach you how to score your dough at the right angle for the most prominent ear, as well as how to do a five-minute score to improve expansion in the oven. In reality, if your dough is well-strengthened, the loaf will expand just perfectly without scoring at the right angle or adding the extra score at five minutes.

Baking Method: Temperature

The best oven spring and crumb comes from baking the dough hot and fast. I chose a temperature of 500 F to give the dough the best “pop” in the oven.

Baking Method: Steam

Because I have a gas oven, it is hard to open bake. I open bake breads that are smaller in size, such as bialy or pan de cristal, but whole loaves do not do well. Therefore, I always use a Dutch oven for bakes like this (lid on for the first half of baking [steam], lid off second half [to firm up the crust]). Currently, that is my Challenger bread pan (which I absolutely love!).

In reality, you can open bake this bread, just make sure your oven has plenty of steam for the first twenty minutes of baking to help the dough expand properly. Open-baking works best with electric ovens that do not have vents. The main goal: make sure your bread has the ability to expand to its maximum potential before the crust begins to harden.

Suggested Timelines

Suggested Timeline

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📌 Quick Tip: Read the recipe in its entirety before you start cooking. This will help you understand the ingredients, steps, and timing involved, and allow you to prepare any necessary equipment or ingredients beforehand.