Country-style bread recipe by Maison Kayser

Éric Kayser shows you how simple it is to make this classic of French bakery at home.
Our recipe stays true to the traditions of our house: it includes sourdough starter and a touch of rye.
Today, follow step by step the recipe for the famous country bread.

The Recipe
Start by adding the water to the mixer.
Be sure to calculate its temperature, as ideally, when kneading is finished, the dough should be at 23-24°C. This is the temperature at which fermentation works best. To achieve this, the water temperature must be optimal. You calculate it by adding the room temperature to the flour temperature, then subtracting the result from 70°C.

Next, add the two flours (white and rye).
Mix on the first speed in your mixer.

Add the sourdough starter
And the yeast (which should never be added at the same time as the salt).
Continue mixing for 30 seconds.

Then gently add the salt and mix for 2-3 minutes.
Increase the mixer speed to medium and knead for 5 to 6 minutes. The dough should detach from the sides of the bowl.

During kneading, stop the mixer briefly and scrape the bottom of the bowl to incorporate any flour that remains.
Resume kneading until the dough detaches completely.

Set the mixer to the lowest speed, sprinkle a little flour on the bottom of the bowl to help remove the dough more easily. Let it run for 10 seconds, then stop the mixer.

Shape the dough into a ball, flour your mixing bowl lightly, and place the dough into the bowl using a dough scraper.
Cover the bowl with a cloth.

Let the dough rest for 1 hour.

Gently spread the dough out. Be careful not to handle it too much, as it may lose its gases.
Fold the dough: bring the top down to the center and do the same with the bottom.
Cover the dough with a cloth and let it rest again for 1 hour.

Place your dough carefully onto a floured work surface.
Flatten it with the palm of your hand. Fold it twice.
Seal the edges with the palm of your hand (use your fingers to reinforce the seams if needed).
Elongate the dough slightly to taper the ends.
Place it upside down on a rack, with the seam facing down.
Finally, let it proof for 1 hour and 30 minutes under a damp cloth.

To check if your dough has proofed properly, press it with your finger. If it springs back slowly, it’s ready for the oven. If it springs back too quickly, it hasn’t proofed enough. If it doesn’t spring back, it has over-proofed.

Moisten the top of your dough with a brush and a little water to prevent the crust from forming too quickly, allowing the bread to expand further in the oven.

Score your bread with a baker’s blade.

Preheat your oven to 230°C.
Bake this 1-kilo loaf for at least 30 minutes.

See you soon for the next episode.

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