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Sour Dough Starter And Bread, San Francisco (Pain Au Levain)

Sour Dough Starter And Bread, San Francisco (Pain Au Levain) is a breads recipe made with Unchlorinated Water, Bread Flour Dough Levain From Above, Pickling Salt, and Bread Flour. Serves 1. Keep it handy for the next time you cook it.

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup
• 1/2 cup
• 1 1/2 cup
• 3/4 cup
• 2 tsp
• 2 cup

Method (preview)

1. 1

   Cut with a knife in each hand with sort of a scissors motion.

2. 2

   Add flour and mix with a fork to form a stiff dough.

3. 3

   This is step one of levain making.

4. 4

   Leave levain in bowl, cover with some plastic wrap and let work in a warm place for 5-6 hours or until doubled. finish the levain: levain start from above 1/2 C warm unchlorinated water 1 1/2 C bread flour

5. 5

   Add water to the levain start, and use the two table knives to cut the levain starter into little pieces.

6. 6

   Add 1/2 C of the flour and stir until fairly smooth.

7. 7

   Add the remaining flour, knead the dough on a floured surface (or in the bowl) for several minutes until the lumps are gone, return to the bowl, cover with the plastic wrap and let rise 3-5 hours or until doubled.

8. 8

   Chop the levain into pieces with the pair of dinner knives and mix with the water, stirring to start it dissolving.

9. 9

   Add salt and 1 1/2 C of the flour, and mix.

10. 10

    Knead the bread on a floured surface, working in the rest of the flour.

11. 11

    The dough should be smooth and satiny when you are finished.

12. 12

    Don't skimp on the kneading at this stage.

13. 13

    I usually knead for at least 15 minutes.

14. 14

    Return to bowl, cover with towel and let rise for 8-10 hours.

15. 15

    Let cool on wire rack when done.