Pain de Campagne - Country French Bread

Name: Pain de Campagne - Country French Bread
Prep time: 3 h
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 3 h 25 min
Yield: 8 servings
Cuisine: French
Ingredients: 2 tbsp Cornmeal; 0.5 tsp Instant Udon; 1 tbsp Salt; 6 cups Unbleached Bread Flour; 0.5 cup Water; 0.75 cup Whole Wheat Flour

Side Dish 🥗Snack 🍿 French 🇫🇷 Low-Sodium Heart-Healthy ❤️Vegetarian 🥦Vegan 🌱Plant-Based 🌻Halal 🕌Kosher ✡️Pescatarian 🐟

Pain de Campagne - Country French Bread features a crisp, bronzed crust with a chewy, open crumb and gentle tang from a slow-fermented poolish. The long rise builds nuanced, wheaty flavor that shines simply with butter, cheese, or soup. Ideal for weekend baking and serving warm at the table.

Prep3 hrs
Cook25 mins
Serves8
DifficultyMedium

1

For the poolish, whisk 1/2 teaspoon yeast into 1/2 cup warm water (110 degrees F/45 degrees C) in a bowl. Stir in whole wheat flour until it looks like a thick batter. Beat about 100 strokes to develop long gluten strands. Cover the bowl with a damp cloth and let it sit at room temperature for 2 to 8 hours (longer improves flavor).
2

You can also let it ripen in the refrigerator for 12 to 15 hours, then bring the poolish back to room temperature before continuing with the recipe.
3

The poolish is ready when it is bubbly and loose, with a yeasty, slightly sour smell.
4

Scrape the poolish into a bowl; stir in 2 1/2 cups warm water and the remaining 1/2 teaspoon yeast until combined.
5

Add bread flour, 1 cup at a time, mixing well after each addition, until the dough is too stiff to stir.
6

Turn the dough out onto a floured work surface and knead for 10 to 12 minutes, adding more flour only if the dough becomes too sticky to handle.
7

Sprinkle salt over the dough; keep kneading until it is smooth and springs back to the touch, 5 to 7 minutes more.
8

Shape the dough into a round; cover with a damp cloth for 5 to 10 minutes.
9

Place the dough in a large, lightly oiled bowl and turn it to coat.
10

Cover with a damp cloth and let rise at room temperature until doubled in size, 2 to 3 hours.
11

Punch down the dough to deflate; cut it into two pieces.
12

Shape into two rounds, cover with plastic wrap or a damp cloth, and let rest for 30 minutes at room temperature.
13

Shape the dough rounds into baguettes.
14

Place a heavily floured cloth on a baking sheet, making a fold down the center to separate the loaves.
15

Set the loaves, seam-sides up, on the floured cloth. Dust the tops with flour, cover with a damp cloth, and let rise until doubled in size, about 2 hours.
16

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
17

Sprinkle a separate baking sheet with cornmeal. Gently move the risen loaves to the prepared baking sheet, seam-sides down. Slash the loaves several times on the diagonal with a serrated knife or razor blade.
18

Immediately put the scored loaves into the preheated oven; bake until they are golden brown, about 25 to 30 minutes.
19

Cool the loaves on wire racks.