Homemade Boule
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Difficulty:
moderate
Difficulty
Preparation:
1 hr 5 min.
Preparation
ready in 15 h. 35 min.
Ready in
Ingredients
for
1
- For the starter dough
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour (if you prefer you can use light brown flour)
- 1 tsp dry fast acting instant yeast
- ⅞ cup tepid water
- For the main bread dough
- 3.333 cups white Bread flour (if you prefer you can use light brown flour)
- 2 tsps dry fast acting instant yeast
- 2 tsps salt
- olive oil (for greasing)
- 0.333 cup plain Yogurt
- ⅔ cup tepid water
Preparation steps
1.
For the starter dough: Traditional Country loaves require what is called a starter dough. Get your starter dough ingredients together the night before.
2.
Tip the flour and yeast into a bowl and pour in the 200ml of tepid/warm water. Mix the ingredients together well and then cover the bowl with a piece of oiled cling film.
3.
Leave to double in size in the fridge overnight.
4.
The next day a few hours before you need it, make up the full bread mixture. Tip the 500g of flour, yeast and salt into a bowl. Make a well in the middle.
5.
Into the starter mixture made the night before mix 150ml warm water and the yoghurt until well combined.
6.
Tip the starter mixture into the well and then combine all the ingredients together until a smooth dough is formed. Using a wooden spoon bring the mixture together in the centre of the bowl.
7.
Tip the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead the dough with the heel of your hand. Knead like this for approximately 10 minutes. The dough should feel slightly springy and have a smooth texture.
8.
Lightly oil a large bowl and place the dough in the centre, oil a piece of cling film and cover the bowl and leave it at room temperature until its trebled in size. This should take 1 hour to 1 ½ hours.
9.
Remove the cling film and punch down the dough with your hand to remove any large air bubbles.
10.
Tip out onto a floured surface and knead until smooth and all the air has been knocked out.
11.
Lightly oil a large baking sheet. Shape the dough into a round ball on the baking sheet, cover again with some oiled cling film and allow to double in size for another hour.
12.
Meanwhile preheat the oven to 220°C | 425F | gas 7.
13.
Place a roasting tin half filled with boiling water from the kettle into the bottom of the oven for 10 minutes to humidify then remove.
14.
Uncover the dough and neaten any untidy edges by tucking them under. Score the top in a crisscross pattern with a sharp knife and lightly dust with flour.
15.
Place the baking tray on the top shelf of the oven for 20 minutes and then turn the heat down to 200°C | 400F | and cook for a further 25 minutes.
16.
Remove the loaf from the oven, it should sound hollow when you tap the bottom and be nicely golden and crusty. If you need to cook a little longer until it sounds hollow.
17.
Allow to cool on a rack and serve with fresh jam, honey cheese or butter.
