Step by step recipe

Stage 1

1 min.

Filter 300 ml sea water to strain out any little impurities it might contain.

Stage 2

3 min.

Pour the sea water into the food processor bowl, add 125 g leaven and mix briefly.

Stage 3

10 min.

Add 500 g plain white flour (French Type 65) then ½ teaspoon yeast and knead for 5 minutes on minimum speed (1), then for a further 5 minutes on speed 2.

You could also chech the dough by trying the window-pane test.

Note: For the best way to knead, see: A few tips for effective kneading at home.

Stage 4

10 min.

Tip the dough into a large clean bowl and cover with a plastic sheet. Leave to rest for 10 minutes.

Stage 5

At the end of this resting time, take a wooden spatula or a dough cutter and lift the dough, stretching it upwards...

Stage 6

2 hours

...then fold it over on itself.

Give a quarter turn to the bowl and repeat the operation. Continue like this until the bowl has made at least one complete turn. In French this kneading manœuvre is called a "rabat".

Cover the bowl again and leave to rest in a warm place for 20 minutes.

This sequence of "rabat" + 20 minutes resting should be done 3 times.

Note: The "rabat" technique is rather hard to describe, so you can watch it in the video on the right.

Stage 7

1 min.

Cover the bowl and leave to rest in a warm place for 2 hours.

After resting, tip the dough out onto your worktop.

Stage 8

2 min.

Shape it into a nice round ball by folding the edge under until the top becomes a smooth dome.

Stage 9

2 hours

Put this ball into a banneton (rising basket), dust with flour, cover and leave in a warm place for 1 ½ to 2 hours.

Stage 10

40 min.

Preheat the oven to 240°C (460°F).

Turn the loaf out of the basket, slash the top and bake for 30 to 40 minutes.

Note: As when baking any bread, you should ensure that the oven is filled with steam for the first 15 minutes of baking. This page shows you how; it really is the secret of golden-brown, crusty loaves..

Stage 11

When the loaf comes out of the oven, see how crunchy the crust is and how light the loaf is inside.

Remarks

Nutritional information

How much will it cost?

• For 1 Ocean bread : 0.93 €

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Your 4 comments or questions on this recipe

• Hello, Could you please provide the recipe for the particular levain that you are using? Thank you.
  Posted by dolores november 7^th 2010 at 12:12 (n° 1)
• Hello, Sure, just click on "leaven" in the list of ingredients.
  Posted by jh november 7^th 2010 at 17:07 (n° 2)
• Thank you, I found the link, as per your instructions. Best regards,Dolores
  Posted by Dolores november 9^th 2010 at 03:34 (n° 3)
• Fascinating...I'll be saving this link to share with my visitors on the east coast. Just think, all the time I lived on Long Island, New York, I could have been baking this bread. Of course, you know, I'm not much of a baker:) Thanks for sharing, jh...
  Posted by Louise november 25^th 2010 at 17:21 (n° 4)

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