Recipe · Country Loaf · Same-Day
75% Hydration Same-Day Country Loaf
The pain de campagne approach: not pure white, not aggressively whole-grain, but a balanced mix that bakes into something with depth. Slightly tangier than a plain loaf, slightly sweeter than pure sourdough, and a workhorse for the kitchen.
Total time
5 hours
Active
60 minutes
Hydration
75%
Difficulty
⌬⌬⌬
At 75%, you get real artisan crumb without fighting the dough. It's wet enough for visible holes in the cut loaf, dry enough that you can shape it on a lightly floured counter without the dough sticking to everything.
Same-day means start to finish in roughly four to six hours. The recipe leans on commercial yeast at a higher percentage and a warm bulk fermentation. You won't get cold-ferment depth, but the loaf is on the table the day you decide to bake.
Ingredients
1000g total dough. Yields 1 country loaf, ~900g baked.
| Ingredient | Grams | Baker's % |
|---|---|---|
| Bread flour | 381 g | 75% |
| Whole wheat flour | 127 g | 25% |
| Water | 381 g | 75% |
| Salt | 10.2 g | 2% |
| Active sourdough starter (100% hydration) | 101.6 g | 20% |
Schedule
- Hour 0Mix flour, water, yeast. Autolyse 20 minutes.
- Hour 0:20Add salt, mix until smooth.
- Hour 0:30First fold.
- Hour 1:00Second fold.
- Hour 1:30Third fold.
- Hour 2:00Bulk ferment until visibly puffy.
- Hour 3:30Final shape into a boule, proof in a floured banneton 45-60 minutes.
- Hour 5:00Score the loaf. Bake at 475°F covered for 25 minutes, then uncovered for 20 more minutes.
Method tips for this style
Hydrate the whole-grain portion separately for 30 minutes before adding the white flour. The whole grains absorb water more slowly, and pre-soaking them gives a more even final hydration in the dough.
What to expect
A balanced open crumb with visible holes and a chewy texture. The crust is thin but sturdy, and the flavor is a clean read on the flour and ferment.
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