The French BakerAuthentic Recipes for Traditional Breads, Desserts, and Dinners
Illustrated by Olaf Hajek, Photographs by Carl Kleiner
A loving tribute to the techniques and traditions of France’s distinguished cuisine, The French Baker is must-have book for anyone in love with the eats, treats, and culture of this beautiful country. Bon appétit!
Head to the kitchen and get ready for a delicious voyage into French traditions and cuisine! Follow second generation–baker Sébastien Boudet from Paris to rural France, as he teaches the art of baking artisan breads, the craft of creating the perfect main course, and how to whip up desserts to die for. Containing luscious photographs of family, food, and the French countryside, and rich with delightful drawings, paintings, and illustrations, The French Baker tells the story (and the culinary secrets!) of a family devoted to the art of preparing beautiful food.
You’ll love these tasty recipes from the heart of France. Learn to make the perfect quiche lorraine, sourdough breads, bouillabaisse, duck confit, brioche, death by chocolate dessert, and so many more sweet and savory delights guaranteed to make anyone’s mouth water! Plus, a special section on baking non-GMO breads shows the advantages and better taste of breads baked with only natural ingredients.
LE PAIN AU LEVAIN
Le pain au levain—the original legend! A bread with a rich, ancient history that is something of a rarity, since the knowledge behind this marvelous bread has disappeared and today’s flour has become more and more sterile. Levain bread demands flour of high quality—organic and stone-ground flour offer the best results. Real levain does not have any yeast in it—that’s the whole point of the bread.
1 LOAF
4 cups (500 g) wheat flour
1 1/4 cups (125 g) rye flour
1 1/4 cups (125 g) durum wheat
2 cups (500 g or 1⁄2 liter) tepid water
3 tsp (20 g) unrefined coarse sea salt
11⁄2 cups (300 g) levain dough
DAY 1
1. Mix wheat, rye, and durum flour on a baking table and make a dent in the middle.
Add water and salt to the dent and work the flour into the liquid—a little at a time— until you have dough that is soft and quite sticky. Let the dough rest under a baking towel for 1 hour.
2. Knead the dough for 10 minutes by hand or for 7 minutes in a dough mixer at the lowest speed. Add the levain dough and knead for another 5 minutes by hand or for 3 minutes in the mixer.
3. Let the dough rest for 2 hours covered by a moist baking towel.
4. Shape the dough into a round loaf. Sprinkle flour on top and let it rest for 20 minutes at room temperature.
5. Shape it and sprinkle with flour one more time. Place the dough upside down in a leavening basket that has also been sprinkled with flour. Place the basket in a plastic container with a lid. Place the container in the fridge and let the bread leaven for 12 to 24 hours.
DAY 2
1. Preheat the oven to 500°F (260°C).
2. Pour the dough onto a baking peel or directly onto parchment paper by turning the basket upside down. Sprinkle the loaf with plenty of flour and score it with a razor or scoring knife.
3. Reduce the heat to 450°F (240°C) and throw some boiling hot water onto the bottom of the oven to create steam. Bake the bread for 50 minutes in the oven.
4. Remove the bread from the oven and let it cool on a rack for at least 45 minutes.
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