At a Glance
Pain de Campagne is a rustic French country loaf that combines bread flour with whole wheat and a touch of rye. A stiff levain, extended autolyse and gentle handling produce a flavorful crumb and crisp crust with minimal hands-on work.[1][2] The mix of flours balances gluten strength and enzymatic activity for complex flavor.[7]
Not suitable if:
- • You prefer pure white sandwich bread → try a white sourdough
- • You don't have an established starter → create a starter first
🛒 Recommended Products
We recommend the following tools for this recipe:
Digital Kitchen Scale
Essential for accurate flour and water measurements
Dutch Oven
Creates steam for superior oven spring and crust
Banneton Proofing Basket
Shapes the loaf and creates a taut surface for scoring
Dough Scraper
Useful for gentle folds and handling high-hydration dough
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Ingredients
Weigh all ingredients on a kitchen scale. Use room-temperature water unless otherwise noted. Percentages are baker's percentages of total flour.[1][2][7]
| Ingredient | Amount | % | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bread flour (strong white) | 375g | 62.5% | Provides structure and oven spring |
| Whole wheat flour | 150g | 25% | Adds flavor and crumb color |
| Rye flour | 75g | 12.5% | Enhances aroma and fermentation activity |
| Water | 420g | 70% | 70% hydration; adjust ±2–4% for your flour |
| Active stiff levain | 150g | 25% | Build to peak 4–6 hours after feeding (stiff preferment improves acidity balance)[1][2] |
| Salt | 12g | 2% | Weigh salt accurately — under-salting weakens dough structure[3][4] |
Schedule
Traditional (no retard)
Straightforward day bake using room-temperature bulk ferment
Weekday (retard overnight)
Mix evening, shape and retard in fridge for baking next day
💡 Tips
- If dough rises faster than expected, chill to slow fermentation — fridge retardation improves flavor and scheduling control[6].
- Autolyse helps gluten development when adding whole grain flours; extend to 60 minutes for better extensibility[2].
Step by Step
Autolyse — mix flour and water
Combine bread, whole wheat and rye flours with most of the water in a large mixing bowl. Mix until hydrated; rest 40–60 minutes. Autolyse lets enzymes and phytic acid interactions begin, improving extensibility and flavor extraction from whole grains.[2][7]
⏱ 40–60 minutes
Add levain and salt; mix
Dissolve levain in remaining water if needed and add to dough. Sprinkle salt and fold in using a dough scraper or wet-hand folds until cohesive. Avoid aggressive kneading; gentle folds preserve gas and structure.[1][4]
⏱ 5–10 minutes
Bulk fermentation with folds
Cover and bulk ferment at 21–24°C (70–75°F). Perform 3–4 sets of stretch-and-folds in the first 2–3 hours, spacing 30–45 minutes apart. Whole wheat and rye benefit from gentle folding and time for enzymatic activity to develop flavor.[2][7]
⏱ 4–6 hours (variable)
Pre-shape and bench rest
Turn dough onto lightly floured surface. Pre-shape into a loose round, rest 15–30 minutes to relax gluten before final shaping. Use a dough scraper to lift and turn the dough.
⏱ 20–30 minutes
Final shape and proof
Shape into boule or bâtard and place seam-side up in a floured banneton. Proof at room temp 1–2 hours or retard in fridge 10–16 hours. Use the poke test: dough should spring back slowly — not instantly — when ready.[2][6]
⏱ 1–16 hours depending on proof method
Preheat and bake
Preheat oven to 475°F/245°C with a Dutch oven inside for 30–45 minutes. Turn loaf onto parchment paper, score with a bread lame and place in the hot Dutch oven. Bake with lid on 20–25 minutes, then remove lid and reduce to 430°F/220°C for 20–30 minutes until well-browned.[1][3]
⏱ 40–55 minutes total
Cool before slicing
Remove loaf to a rack and cool completely (at least 90–120 minutes). Cutting too early yields a gummy crumb; cooling allows starches to set and flavors to finish developing.[2][4]
⏱ 90–120 minutes
Tips & Variations
Variations
Higher hydration (open crumb)
Increase water to 75–78%
→ Opens crumb but harder to handle; use more folds and wetter bench handling
Seeded country loaf
Add 80g mixed seeds (sunflower, flax) during final folds
→ Added texture and flavor; toast seeds for extra aroma
Stronger rye note
Increase rye to 15–20% and reduce whole wheat
→ More pronounced rye flavor and darker crumb (watch hydration)[2][8]
Pro Tips
- 💡 Weigh starter and water separately so you can adjust dough temperature precisely with an instant-read thermometer.
- 💡 Use a floured banneton for better surface tension and easy transfer.
- 💡 If you don't have a Dutch oven, create steam by placing a tray of boiling water in the oven or using a cloche like the Challenger pan.
Common Issues
Problems and likely causes (quick diagnostics):
Storage
Room temperature in bread bag/box
3–5 days
Keep loaf whole; slice as needed and store cut side down
Cloth-wrapped
2–3 days
Use linen or cotton to allow slight breathability
Freezing
Up to 3 months
Slice before freezing and toast slices from frozen
⚠️ Avoid refrigeration — it accelerates staling due to starch retrogradation[7]
Sources
-
[1]
King Arthur Baking Company – Pain de Campagne (Country Bread) Recipe | King Arthur Baking – Link
-
[2]
Fermenting For Foodies – Pain de Campagne: French Sourdough Bread – Link
-
[3]
Breadtopia / Dawg House Bakery – Sourdough Pain de Campagne - Breadtopia – Link
-
[4]
The Bread She Bakes – Pain de Campagne Recipe (Sourdough) - The Bread She Bakes – Link
-
[6]
Caroline's Cooking / Dawg House Bakery – Pain de Campagne: More Than Just Country Bread | The Dawg House Bakery – Link
-
[7]
King Arthur Baking Blog – Sourdough Country Bread - The Perfect Loaf – Link