Pain au Levain

This is my favorite bread to make. The mother starter gives the bread its unique flavor. This recipe that takes advantage of delayed fermentation in the refrigerator. 

Sourdough Starter

Ingredients:

⅓ c (71g) mother starter cold or @ room temperature
1 c + 2 Tbsp (142g) unbleached bread flour
⅔ c (85g) whole wheat flour
⅔ c (151.5g) water @ room temperature

·      Mix all of the ingredients for the Sourdough Starter and knead for about 1 min. Place it in lightly oiled bowl, cover, and leave at room temperature for 6 to 8 hrs. Use or save in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Dough

Ingredients:

All of the sourdough starter (458 g)
1 c + 6 Tbsp (312g) lukewarm water
2¼ tsp (7 g) instant yeast
3½ c (454 g) unbleached bread flour

2⅜ tsp (17 g) salt

·    In a bowl cut the starter into small pieces, add the water, and the yeast. Mix with a large spoon for about 1 min. Add the flour and salt and mix for 3 min. then rest the dough for 5 min. Knead 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 for a few seconds, then form it into a ball. Let the dough sit uncovered for 10 min.

·      On a work surface, reach under the front end of the dough, stretch it out, 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 min. Repeat this entire process two more times, completing all repetitions within 30 min. Form the dough into a ball, place it in a large lightly oiled container, cover the container tightly, and refrigerate for 24 hrs. or for up to 4 days.

·      Remove the dough from the refrigerator 2 hrs prior to baking and shape it right away. Transfer it to a lightly floured work surface, try not to degas the dough.

·      About 45 min before baking preheat the oven to 500°F with a pizza stone and an empty pan. Just before baking, score the dough. Transfer the dough to pizza stone, pour 1 cup of hot water into the pan, then lower the oven temperature to 450°F for smaller loves or to 425°F for a large loaf. Bake for 12 min, then rotate the pan and continue baking for 15 to 25 min, or longer. Depending on the size of the loaf; a large loaf may take up to 75 min. to bake. The internal temperature should be about 200°F in the center and the loaf should have a deep brown color. Cool on a wire rack for at least 1 hour before slicing or serving.

 

  

Mother Starter

The mother starter, sourdough, or barm is a natural leaven using naturally occurring lactobacilli and yeasts. Bread made with starter has a greater complexity of flavor. Making a mother starter is pretty easy. Once it is ready it can live in your refrigerator for several weeks without needing to be refreshed. After a few weeks in the refrigerator, the protein and starches will break down, giving the starter a structure or consistency of potato soup. At this point it is best to feed or refresh the starter.  I use pineapple or grapes to get the process started.  This recipe is the one that has worked the best for me (from: Peter Reinhart's Artisan Breads Every Day).

Mother Starter

	Whole Wheat Flour	Pineapple Juice	Water	Mixture from the Previous Step
Stage 1 (1-2 days)	3½ Tbsp	¼ c	-	-
Stage 2 (1-2 days)	3½ Tbsp	2 Tbsp	-	All of the Stage 1 culture
Stage 3 (1-2 days)	7 Tbsp	-	2 Tbsp	All of the Stage 2 culture
Stage 4 (12-24 hours)	10½ Tbsp	-	2 Tbsp	½ cup Stage 3 culture
Finalized Starter	2¾ c	-	1 c + 2 Tbsp	¾ cup Stage 4 culture

Stage 1

In a small nonreactive bowl, stir the flour and juice together with a spoon to make a paste with the consistency of thin pancake batter. Make sure all of the flour is hydrated. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and leave it at room temperature for 48 hours. Two to three times each day, stir the culture for about 10 seconds with a wet spoon to aerate it. There will be few or no bubbles during the first 24 hours, but bubbles may begin to appear within 48 hours.

Stage 2

Add the new ingredients to the Stage 1 culture and stir with a spoon to distribute and fully hydrate the new flour. Again, cover with plastic wrap and leave at room temperature for 24 to 48 hours, stirring with a wet spoon to aerate two or three times each day. There should be signs of fermentation during this period. When the culture becomes very bubbly or foamy, continue to Stage 3. This phase could take anywhere from 1 to 4 days. As long as you aerate the culture regularly, it will not spoil or develop mold.

Stage 3

Add the new ingredients to the now bubbling Stage 2 culture and stir with a spoon as before, or knead by hand. Place it in a larger bowl or measuring cup, cover with plastic wrap, and leave at room temperature for 24 to 48 hours, aerating with a wet spoon at least twice each day. Within 48 hours the culture should be very bubbly and expanded. If not, wait another day or two, continuing to aerate at least twice a day, until it becomes active and doubles in size.

Stage 4

Measure out ½ cup of the Stage 3 culture. Add the new ingredients to the ½ cup Phase 3 culture and mix to form a soft dough. Again, cover with plastic wrap and leave at room temperature until the culture becomes active. It should swell and double in size. It can take anywhere from 4 to 24 hours for the culture to become fully active.

Finalized Mother Starter

Measure ¾ cup of stage 4 culture. Combine all of the ingredients in a bowl and use a large spoon to mix until the ingredients form a rough, slightly sticky ball. Transfer the starter to a lightly floured work surface and knead for 2 minutes, until the starter is fairly smooth and all of the ingredients are evenly distributed. Place the mother starter in a clean, lightly oiled nonreactive bowl, crock, or plastic container large enough to contain the starter after it doubles in size. Cover loosely with plastic wrap or a lid. Leave the starter out at room temperature for 4 to 8 hours, until it doubles in size; the timing will depend on the ambient temperature and the potency of your culture. When the starter is fermented, degas it by kneading it for a few seconds, then form it back into a ball, cover tightly, and refrigerate. After a few hours in the refrigerator, vent any carbon dioxide buildup by briefly opening the lid or plastic wrap. The mother starter is now ready to use and will be good for up to 5 days. To use it after 5 days, you must refresh all or part of the mother starter, as described below.

Refreshing the Mother Starter

	Whole Wheat Flour	Water	Mother Starter
Refreshing your Mother Starter	2¾ c	1 c + 2 Tbsp	¾ cup Stage 4 culture

Measure ¾ cup of mother starter. Combine all of the ingredients in a bowl and use a large spoon or your hands to mix until the ingredients form a rough, slightly sticky ball. Transfer the starter to a lightly floured work surface and knead for 2 minutes, until the starter is fairly smooth and all of the ingredients are evenly distributed. Place the mother starter in a clean, lightly oiled nonreactive bowl, crock, or plastic container large enough to contain the starter after it doubles in size. Cover loosely with plastic wrap or a lid. Leave the starter out at room temperature for 4 to 8 hours, until it doubles in size. When the starter is fermented, degas it by kneading it for a few seconds, then form it back into a ball, cover tightly, and refrigerate.