Page 205 – My Personal Favorite Pan Au Levan
Before I begin this section, I can’t recommend the book enough. “Bread Alone” Daniel Leader and Judith Blahnik ISBN – 0-688-09261-6
If you really like this section of posts and videos, then you should purchase the book.
I met Dan at the French Culinary Institute when he was giving a demonstration in the grand theater.
You can visit one of Dan’s bakeries on the Catskills
Always wanted to uncover the secret to Sourdough as I had attempted it many times with different recipes. Dan’s book explains step by step how to produce great bread at home.
You need to make the starter before you begin this - https://www.romeosjulienne.com/post/bread-starter
8 to 10 hours before you want to start your bread project make the Levan – Page 185
Add 6 oz of our flour mixture to the chef.
Stir it well to make sure that all of the flour is incorporated.
Cover and let it sit no more than 10 hours or the levan will have become exhausted.
After 8 to 10 hours you will see a notable rise in the mixture and you are now ready to make bread.
Equipment:
Pizza Stone in the oven
Razor blade
Bench scrapers
Peel
Spray bottle with water
Recipe:
18 oz Levan Starter
18 oz Spring Water – try to warm the water to 80° - this will help)
28 oz Bread Flour (book says 20-24, but I needed more)
1 tablespoon fine sea salt
Olive oil as needed
Break up the levan in the spring water in a large bowl. Dissolve it as best you can, it is ok if there are some small chunks.
Add about a cup of flour and stir it up well.
Add the sea salt and stir it well.
Continue adding flour until it becomes too difficult to stir, then put the dough mass onto a clean work surface where you will continue to add flour and eventually knead the dough
The final dough should be firm and smooth and not too sticky but not dried out. You can see this in the video as I rant about it.
Shape the dough into a ball and put it in an oiled bowl. Cover it with plastic and a towel and let it rest for two hours in a moderately warm place about 74°-80°F
I achieve the temperature by turning the oven on and then off when it begins to get warm. I let the dough rise in the oven.
After two hours, the dough should have risen by ¼ to ½
Punch the dough down. Transfer it to a lightly floured surface and knead it briefly. Roll it into a ball and let it rest for 30 minutes. Cover it with a damp towel.
Shape the loaf into an oblong loaf.
Place the loaf, seam side up, on a well-floured couch. You can see my makeshift couch in the video.
Let it rest and rise for about 4 hours.
1 hour before baking, preheat the oven to 450° and place the pizza stone in the center rack
Gently roll the dough onto a peel. Score it with the razor. And gently slide it onto the stone.
Quickly spray the side of the oven with the water to create steam. Avoid any lights in the oven.
Bake 3 minutes and quickly spray again and close the ove quickly to trap any steam.
After 20 minutes, reduce the temperature to 400° and continue baking until the loaf is a golden color and the crust is firm.
To test for doneness, hold the loaf on its side and strike the bottom. It should sound hollow.
Cool completely on a wire rack.
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