New leavened bread

New leavened bread [final photo]

This new recipe for leavened bread, is very different from the traditional one, inspired by the baguettes recipe with a dough containing more water, and a lot of working, making it possible to obtain a lighter crumb.

Nota: If you wish to make more or less loaves than in this recipe, you can use this small automatic convertor.

If you'd like more more information about making your own bread, look at this dedicated page.

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For1 bread 2 breads 4 breads 6 breads

MeasuresMetric

Metric weight Metric volumes Read more...

For 2 breads , you will need:

800 g plain white flour (French Type 65)
200 g brown or wheatmeal flour (French Type 80)
700 ml water
25 g coarse salt
250 g leaven
2 g yeast (optional)

Nutritional information:

Whole recipe

Calories

3947

197%

Proteins

111g

18%

Carbohydrates

841g

76%

Fats

15g

Per 100 g

Calories

200

10%

Proteins

Carbohydrates

43g

Fats

<1%

% are calculated relative to a Recommended Dietary Intake or RDI of 2000 k-calories by day for a woman (change to a man).

Times:

Preparation : 35 min.
Resting : 3 hours 10 min.
Cooking : 40 min.
Start to finish : 4 hours 25 min.

How much?

For 2 breads : 2.12 €
By bread : 1.06 €

Change currency:

Note : These prices are only approximate. Read more...

Step by step recipe:

In the bowl of the mixer, pour the 250 g leaven, then 700 ml water and 25 g coarse salt. Mix well. Add 800 g plain white flour (French Type 65), 200 g brown or wheatmeal flour (French Type 80) and 2 g yeast.
Knead 5 minutes at minimum speed, then 5 further minutes on speed 1.
At the end of this time, tip the dough into a basin or square bowl (more practical). This dough is sticky and quite runny, which is normal.
Cover with a damp tea-towel and leave to stand at room temperature for 10 minutes.
At the end of this time, begin working the dough: Give a "rabat": Work the dough by stretching and folding, i.e.: With a dough-knife or a spatula (it's much easier with a dough-knife), lift the dough from underneath to stretch it ...
.. and fold it back on itself. Give ¼ turn to the bowl and repeat the operation. Continue until until the bowl has made at least a full turn. You have given a "rabat". Cover the bowl with a damp cloth, and leave to rest in a warm place for 20 minutes. The sequence of working + 20 minutes rest should be done 3 times. Foot-note : This action is rather difficult to describe, so you can watch this a short demonstration video on the right.
Cover the bowl with of a damp cloth, and leave to rise in a warm place for 1 hour 30.
At the end of this time, continue working the dough: give a turn: With a spatula or a dough-knife (it's easier) tip the dough onto the work surface sprinkled with flour.
Stretch one side of the paste...
...then fold 1/3 over on itself.
On the opposite side...
...stretch in the same way...
And fold over completely on top.
This diagram represents the 3 stages which you should follow to make a half-turn correctly: the dough is flat Fold over 1/3 Fold over the remaining third on the first 2
Continue giving another half-turn: give ¼ turn to the dough, and continue as before. You will obtain a "pillow" of rather light delicate dough, which is what you are aiming for. You "gave a turn". Foot-note: As the gesture of the turn is rather difficult to describe, you can watch this short demonstration video on the right.
Put the dough back in the floured basin. Cover with a damp cloth, and leave to rest in a warm place for 20 minutes. This sequence of turn + 20 minutes rest should be done 3 times.
After the final 20 minutes resting, you now need to shape your loaves: tip the "pillow" onto the floured work surface.
Sweep away any excess flour with a short-handled brush.
Then cut the dough into two equal parts.
Give the last turn to each lump, and put in a floured banneton [translator's note: this is a traditional french cloth-lined bread rising basket], with the seam on top. Leave to rest 20 to 30 minutes. Foot-note : As the action of of setting in the banneton is rather difficult to describe, you can watch this short demonstration video on the right.
Preheat the oven to 240°C or 464°F. Sprinkle the loaf with flour, then turn it over onto the peel (bread oven "shovel") and slash it across the top.
Put in the oven with plenty of steam for approximately 40 minutes (check near the end of cooking time).
Enjoy your light bread and your hard work.
To give you inspiration with this recipe, you can watch this small film "De la farine à la tartine" (something like "from flour to flavour"), this is not a film of the recipe, but it is based on it. Note: it's a non-audio film, except for strategic moments.

Remarks:

If you'd like more information on making your own bread, you can consult this special page.

If you're a newcomer to breadmaking, I suggest you start with the traditional recipe instead of this one, which is easier for a beginner, but of course it's not an obligation.

Yeast in leaven-raised bread?

Many of you are puzzled by the presence of yeast in a leaven-raised bread. Here is a little clarification of the matter:
The yeast is there to make things easier; for a beginner leaven-raised bread is not easy to get right, especially first time. This is why these few added grams of yeast help. The dough rises more easily, even if your leaven is not at its best, and it makes a lighter crust.

There’s nothing shocking in this. You should be aware that even some commercially produced breads advertised as “leavened”, also contain a little (more) yeast, for similar reasons, and it’s perfectly legal.

In any case, there’s no reason to be worried about yeast; it’s not a chemical product. It too is a living organism, and it’s not added to work against the leaven, rather something you can use alongside if you wish. Being able to proclaim proudly, “I don’t use any yeast!” is, in my humble opinion, rather overrated.

That said, adding a little yeast does have one slight drawback, in that it dulls the flavour of the bread somewhat. If you want to make leavened bread for its characteristic flavour, you’ll lose a little, even with a small quantity of yeast.

In conclusion, I advise the following approach: if you are just starting out, add a little yeast. Then, once you have mastered the basics and can produce good bread, leave it out. You can then compare both methods and choose.

Source:

Home made.

Last modified on: May 11^th 2010

Your 2 comments or questions on this recipe:

- - -

I would like to make a natural leavened whole wheat bread without any regular yeast. Can you help?

Comment #1 posted on april 18^th 2010 at 05:58 by Madhusudan.

Yes, use this recipe and forget yeast. Using only leaven will make a bread with crust a bit stronger, but more tasty. You will probably need to increase first rest time from 1.5 hour to 2 or 3 hours.
Have a good bread!

Comment #2 posted on april 18^th 2010 at 10:41 by jh.