Classic Sourdough Bread (Pain au Levain)

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Appears in Cook's Illustrated September/October 2016

Desserts or Baked Goods
Breads
    

For a classic sourdough bread recipe, we used a mixture of bread flour and whole-wheat flour for complex flavor.

SERVESMakes 1 large round loaf

TIME2 hours, plus 22½ hours resting and 2 hours cooling

Classic Sourdough Bread (Pain au Levain)

WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS

For a classic sourdough bread recipe, we used a mixture of all-purpose flour and whole-wheat flour for complex flavor. Sifting the whole-wheat flour removed excess bran, ensuring a light and airy loaf. For convenience and deep sourdough fla...

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