Okay, so I’ve been wanting to bake a real, honest-to-goodness loaf of sourdough bread for a while now. I mean, not the stuff you find in most grocery stores, but the authentic “pain au levain” as the French call it. You know, the kind with that amazing tangy flavor and chewy texture.
First, I needed a sourdough starter. Now, this thing is basically a little ecosystem of wild yeasts and bacteria. You gotta feed it and take care of it, but it’s what makes the bread rise and gives it that unique sourdough taste. It’s a combination of wild yeasts and suitable bacteria that can live indefinitely if properly maintained. I actually got mine from a friend, but you can totally make your own from scratch too. It took me almost one week to get my starter ready.
Once the starter was bubbly and active, I got down to business. I’m not gonna lie, there are a lot of steps involved, but it’s worth it. I started by making something called a “levain”. Basically, it’s like a mini starter that you build specifically for your loaf. You mix some of your main starter with flour and water and let it sit for a few hours until it’s all puffy and happy.
Then came the actual dough. I measured out my flour, water, and salt—just those three simple ingredients, plus the levain. This is where the magic starts to happen. I combined the levain and water in a big bowl, and used a wooden spoon to break it up until it’s all dissolved. Then, I added the flour and mixed everything with my hands until it became a shaggy dough. No fancy equipment needed, just some good old-fashioned elbow grease.
After that, I let the dough rest for a bit. I think this step is important for the dough to relax and hydrate the flour. And let the dough rise for several hours.
When the dough had doubled in size, I carefully turned it out onto a lightly floured surface. Then, I gently shaped it into a round loaf, which is a bit tricky, but you’ll get the hang of it. I placed the shaped loaf into a well-floured banneton basket and let it proof in the refrigerator overnight. This slow, cold fermentation develops even more flavor.
Finally, the baking day arrived! I preheated my oven like crazy with a Dutch oven inside. Once it was screaming hot, I carefully scored the top of the loaf with a lame (basically a fancy razor blade for bread) and popped it into the Dutch oven. The steam created inside the pot helps the bread get that beautiful, crispy crust.
After baking it covered for a while, I took the lid off to let the crust brown up even more. The smell filling my kitchen was absolutely heavenly. I carefully removed the bread from the Dutch oven. And when the bread was finally out of the oven, I had to resist the urge to slice into it right away. Letting it cool is crucial for the texture. After several hours, I cut the bread and spread some butter to enjoy it.
Honestly, this pain au levain bread was one of the most satisfying things I’ve ever baked. It took time and patience, but the result was a beautiful, delicious loaf that was so much better than anything store-bought. I’m so excited to bake sourdough bread again!
