🛖 Rustic Country Bread (Autolyse Method)

12-18 hours (including fermentation and proofing)

1. 10-16 hours before baking, make the preferment: In a bowl, combine the strong white bread flour(70 g), wholemeal flour(30 g), a pinch of yeast(some), and water(100 g) at around 21 C. Mix until combined, cover, and ferment until doubled (usually 10-16 hours).
2. 1 hour before mixing the dough, autolyse the flour: In another bowl, combine the strong white bread flour(250 g), wholemeal flour(50 g), and water(220 g) at around 7 C. Sprinkle the salt(8 g) and sugar(10 g) over the top, and dimple them in with a wet hand. Cover and let hydrate for 1 hour.
3. After the autolyse, add the dry yeast(3 g) to the preferment and mix well. Pour the preferment into the dough and combine until fully incorporated. Tip the dough onto a clean surface and knead using the stretch & fold method for 8 minutes (or 500 turns). The desired dough temperature is 24-25 C. If your dough is cooler, it will ferment more slowly; if warmer, it will ferment more rapidly. Adjust proofing time accordingly.
4. Cover the dough and let it ferment for 45 minutes to 1 hour. After the first fermentation, perform a fold to strengthen the dough. Cover and ferment for another 45 minutes to 1 hour.
5. Shape the dough into a round loaf and place it on a piece of parchment paper. Cover and let it proof for 45 minutes to 1 hour or until almost doubled. During this time, preheat your oven and baking vessel (if using) to 230 C with no fan.
6. Score the dough with a sharp knife or razor blade. Bake for 35-40 minutes until golden brown and crusty. Let cool before slicing.