Boule
Ingredients
- 18 ounces bread flour
- 13 ounces water – room temperature
- 1/2 teaspoons instant yeast
- 2 teaspoons fine sea salt
Instructions
- 1.
Make the preferment (poolish): In a medium bowl, stir together 9 ounces water, 9 ounces bread flour, and 0.125 teaspoon instant yeast until no dry spots remain. Cover and let ferment at cool room temperature until domed, bubbly, and fragrant, 12–16 hours.
- 2.
Mix the final dough: To the poolish, add the fine sea salt and the remaining ingredients. Squeeze and fold by hand until a shaggy, sticky dough forms, then cover and rest (autolyse) 20–30 minutes.
- 3.
Strengthen the dough: With damp hands, perform a set of 4 stretch-and-folds (lift one side up and fold over; repeat north, south, east, west). Cover and rest 30 minutes. Repeat the set of folds two more times at 30-minute intervals (3 sets total over about 1.5 hours).
- 4.
Bulk fermentation: After the third fold, cover and let rise until the dough looks aerated, slightly domed, and increased in volume by about 50%, 30–60 minutes more (total bulk 1.5–2 hours, depending on temperature).
- 5.
Preshape: Lightly oil your hands and a bench scraper. Tip the dough onto the counter, gently tuck edges under to form a loose round, and let it relax uncovered for 15–20 minutes.
- 6.
Shape: Using your scraper and cupped hands, draw the dough toward you on the counter to create surface tension, rotating to form a taut boule. Place it seam-side down on a sheet of parchment set in a medium bowl. Cover and proof until it slowly springs back from a gentle poke, 45–75 minutes.
- 7.
Preheat: During the final 30 minutes of proofing, place a Dutch oven with lid on the center rack and heat the oven to 475°F.
- 8.
Score: Using a sharp lame or knife, score the top of the loaf about 0.5 inch deep in a cross or single arc to guide expansion.
- 9.
Bake: Carefully lift the parchment with the dough and lower it into the hot Dutch oven. Cover and bake 20 minutes. Uncover and continue baking until deep golden-brown with blistered crust and an internal temperature of 205–210°F, 20–25 minutes more.
- 10.
Cool: Transfer the boule to a rack and cool completely, at least 1 hour, until the crust crackles and the crumb is no longer warm before slicing.
Boule is a classic round country loaf celebrated for its crackling crust and tender, open crumb. The flavor is gently wheaty with subtle sweetness from long fermentation, making it a versatile everyday bread. Its sturdy shell and moist interior make it perfect for tearing, spreading with butter, or pairing with soups, cheeses, and charcuterie.
The word “boule” means “ball” in French, referring to the loaf’s shape rather than a strict formula. Historically, French country breads were mixed with natural leaven and baked in communal ovens, yielding large, round loaves that stayed fresh for days. The boule endures as an emblem of French baking, revived by artisan bakers worldwide who prize slow fermentation, hand shaping, and bold, well-caramelized crusts.