The Perfect Loaf x Hayden Flour Mills Custom Bread Flour Blend (with Recipe!)

Step 1

(9:00 a.m.)In a small bowl mix the Levain ingredients. Cover the jar and keep it at a warm temperature for 5 hours.

Step 2

(1:00 p.m)In a mixing bowl, add the Autolyse ingredients until no dry bits remain. Cover the bowl and let rest for 1-hour.

Step 3

(2:00 p.m.)Add the salt and levain to the top of the dough in autolyse and use a splash of the remaining water to moisten. With wet hands, mix thoroughly. Add the remaining water if the dough feels like it can handle it. Knead the dough for a few minutes using either the slap and fold technique or folds in the bowl until the dough smooths and becomes elastic. Transfer the dough back into the bowl. Transfer the dough to a bulk fermentation container and cover.

Step 4

(2:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.)This dough will require 2 sets of stretches and folds during bulk fermentation at 30-minute intervals. After the second set, let the dough rest, covered, for the remainder of bulk fermentation.

Step 5

(5:30 p.m.)Scrape the dough out to a clean work surface. Use water and a wet hand, and your bench knife, divide the dough in half. Lightly shape each half into a round shape and let rest for 30 minutes, uncovered.

Step 6

(6:00 p.m.)Flour the top of the preshaped round and your work surface. Using your bench knife, flip one of the rounds over onto the floured area. Using floured hands, shape the dough into a bâtard. Gently transfer the dough to a 14-inch long proofing basket, seam-side up. Repeat with the remaining round.

Step 7

(6:30 p.m. to 9:00 a.m. the next day)Cover proofing baskets with reusable plastic, seal, and place into the refrigerator overnight.

Step 8

(The next day, 9:00 a.m.)Place an oven rack in the bottom-third of the oven. Due to their oval shape, I baked these loaves in my long Challenger bread pan. Using my oven-steaming technique, you could also bake them directly on a baking surface. Preheat the oven to 450°F (230°C) for 30 minutes. Take one of the proofing baskets out of the fridge, uncover it, and put a piece of parchment paper over the basket. Place a pizza peel or inverted baking sheet on top of the parchment and, using both hands, flip everything over. Gently remove the basket and score the dough. Slide the dough into the oven. Steam the oven: either cover the Challenger bread pan or pour ice into the preheated pan at the bottom of the oven. Bake for 20 minutes. Vent the steam oven: uncover the Challenger bread pan and remove the lid or remove the steaming pans.  Continue to bake for 30 minutes more. When done, the loaf should have an internal temperature of around 204°F (95°C), and the crust should be deeply colored. Let the loaves cool on a wire rack for at least 1 hour before slicing.