Sourdough Batard (Country Loaf)

This sourdough is soft and fluffy with a crunchy crust, shaped into a simple batard (or country-style loaf) for easy slicing. It’s perfect for sandwiches! While it may be a simple recipe, the loaf is still just as impressive and delicious as “artisan” bread—without the extra steps and complicated work!

This post may contain affiliate links from which, at no additional cost to you, I may earn a small commission to keep this site running. Only products I myself would or do use are recommended.

FYI, If you’re new to the world of sourdough, check out this post about creating a starter and this post about maintaining a starter. And before baking your first loaf, you may want to check out this post all about levains. And, if need be, check out this post about troubleshooting a sourdough starter.

It’s crazy to think that just six months ago, Baby Brooklyn was only as long as this sourdough batard. Now she’s almost four months old (and right in the thick of that dreaded four month sleep regression—send coffee now!). She can hold her head up well enough for us to put her in Avery’s old activity center bouncer thingie. In fact, I think she’s even taller than Avery was at this age—her feet reach the bottom already! We’re in for a tall baby.

How was she ever only 15 inches long???

Why this recipe works

This is simply a different shape of my easiest sourdough recipe, which is already so, so simple. Minimal effort (and bread making skill) required. The overall recipe tends to yield an incredibly moist loaf with a perfectly crunchy crust. I know a lot of people claim this, but that is the top comment I get on bread that I share with others—the crust is crunchy yet the bread stays moist for dayyyyyssss. And yet I have cut back on steps to make this the easiest recipe possible.

Turning that recipe into a batard was simple. Just shape it into a log (I list a few methods below since it can be trickier) and proof in an oblong bowl or long banneton. You end up with a bit more crust (my favorite!) and even slices throughout the loaf. I find this shape much easier to cut into and looooove using it for sandwiches!

Key ingredients & equipment

Active starter (levain). In the recipe I do walk you through how to build the levain, but you can find out more about levains (which is just active starter that’s bubbly and passes the float test) in this post here.

Warm water—roughly 80F/27C. I suggest filtered water, unless your tap water is particularly fresh and clean, such as mountain areas.

Bread flour. All-purpose flour can work, too, but bread flour is by far the superior choice here.

Salt. I suggest finely ground sea salt.

Large mixing bowl. I always use a large bowl so I don’t spill ingredients as I mix. Things can get messy!

Kitchen scale. Be sure it’s reliable. I highly suggest weighing everything for sourdough, as measuring cups can pack in the flour and cause your ratios to be wildly off. Until you’re experienced, it’s best to carefully weigh ingredients.

Thermometer. Again, be sure it’s reliable. If you don’t have one or it breaks, you can use the boiled water method: bring 2/3 cup water to a boil and add it to 1 and 1/3 cup cold water. This will give you a little more than the 375g you need, but it should be the correct temperature.

Rubber spatula. This makes mixing so much easier, as it’s all rubber and easier to clean.

How to make a sourdough batard

If you’re new to sourdough baking, I suggest checking out this post here for general timing suggestions and a more detailed breakdown of the process. It may feel daunting at first, but it’s actually a simple series of steps.

1. Build a levain and let it rise until bubbly. Take 25g starter and mix with 50g warm water and 50g flour. Let rise on the counter for 8-12 hours (or in the turned-off oven with the light on for 3-6 hours), until it doubles in volume, has bubbles that break the surface, and can pass the float test (see FAQ’s below for doing a float test). For more on levains and float tests, this post here.

2. Stir active levain with warm water. I like this order of stirring because it’s the easiest. I just use an all-rubber spatula to mix the two together until mostly mixed. Don’t worry if the starter/levain isn’t fully dissolved.

3. Stir in salt. You can do this with the flour, but I like doing it here to let it dissolve fully.

4. Stir in flour until combined and no dry sections. At first, this may seem way too dry to every mix together. Just keep mixing, using a folding motion with your spatula and occasionally flattening it down in the middle to release any water or flour pockets. You can also use your hands and squish it together between your fingers. Mix until you don’t see any pockets of flour. It will be a shaggy ball.

5. Stretch and fold. Let the mixed dough rest for about 30 minutes (a little less or a little more is fine—life happens). Then, using clean, damp hands, slide your hand under one “side” of the dough and grab it gently in your fingers. Pull it up and fold it over the middle of the dough, pressing it gently. It should stretch a little past the middle of the dough. Rotate and do this at least 4 times, until all sides have been pulled up, folded over, and then pressed back into the dough on the other side.

6. Repeat 3-4 times every 30ish minutes. You’ll want to repeat the stretch and folds until the dough is smooth and elastic. It should feel tougher with each set, making it a little harder to stretch and fold each time. The goal is the pass the translucency test—pulling up a small bit of the dough and being able to stretch it until you can see light pass through it without it breaking. Early on, it always took me at least 5 sets, until my starter and technique improved.

7. Let dough rise until volume increases by about 20-50%. I highly suggest a straight-edged, bucket-style canister with measurements on the side. That will be much more accurate in figuring out how much it has risen.

8. Pre-shape. This helps even out the structure and helps build the structure needed to actually shape the bread for baking. For demi baguettes, I always cut the dough into roughly three equal parts on a well-floured surface (you can weigh each piece but I’m lazy). Then, you can just fold each strip in half and let it sit for 10-20 minutes. This is similar to the “punch down the dough” step in many bread recipes.

9. Shape. There are a few ways you can do this. I find the simplest one to be similar to my demi baguettes: with lots of flour, have the longest edge parallel to you/edge of the counter. Fold the top third down toward you and press it down and outward to elongate the loaf, then repeat with the bottom third, folding it up then pressing it down and outward. Do this just a couple times until the loaf feels a bit firm and has some resistance when you fold it. Place with the seam you created facing up in the banneton. If it seems loose, I will use wet fingers to pinch the seams back together in the banneton. Cover tightly (right against the dough and a little around its edges) with plastic wrap.

10. Final proof. Refrigerate at least 8 hours, or up to 36 (I’ve done more, but often the bread gets too puffy by then). Or, you can let it proof on the counter for 30-60 minutes, until it just begins to puff up slightly.

11. Bake. Preheat your oven and baking vessel at 450F/235C. I use this lidded loaf pan by Emile Henry, but any oblong dutch oven or cast iron with a lid would work. Alternatively, I know people who just place the bread straight on a baking sheet but place a pan with about a cup of ice cubes on the rack underneath the bread (a few minutes before the bread goes in) to create steam to give that perfect crunch. After the preheat cycle is done, let it continue heating 10-30 minutes. Remove your bread from the fridge and turn over on a piece of parchment (so that it’s right side up again). Using a very sharp knife, score it as desired (I’m basic and just do slashes). Trim excess parchment and transfer carefully to your baking vessel and place the lid back on. Bake for 30 minutes then remove the lid and turn the oven down to 400. Bake 15-20 minutes more, until your ideal shade of golden brown. (If using just a baking sheet, just turn the temperature down after 30 minutes).

12. Let cool 1 hour. This is pretty mandatory, as the bread will turn gummy and begin to dry out if you cut it too soon.

Enjoy!

Uncut bread can last on the counter 2 days or can be wrapped un foil and frozen up to 2 months. Let defrost on the counter before serving.

Cut bread should be wrapped in foil or plastic.

Timing options:

For a full breakdown of some popular timing options, see this post.

Generally, it takes over a day to make a loaf of sourdough, only spending a minimal amount of time every few hours doing anything to it. If you plan it carefully, you could start very early in the morning and have a loaf ready for a late dinner, but the most ideal method is to let the final proof happen in the fridge for at least 8 hours, meaning the whole process will take over a day.

How long each step takes depends primarily on ambient temperature. Rise times can vary widely on the counter, depending on the time of year and how warm/cold you keep your house. Using the oven light method (meaning oven turned off but the light turned on) is much more consistent and usually means you can build your levain in the morning and shape your loaf by the evening, letting it proof overnight in the fridge.

For reference, here are the typical times each step takes. Feel free to try out some different Note that some are a wide range on the counter, depending on weather.

  • Levain

    • 6-12 hours on the counter (up to 18 in really cold weather)

    • 4-6 hours with the oven light

  • Stretch and folds

    • 2-3 hours (depending on how many you do and how long you wait between each set)

  • Bulk fermentation (can be slowed down using the fridge, as necessary)

    • 6-12 hours on the counter (up to 18 in really cold weather)

    • 4-6 hours with the oven light

  • Final proof

    • 30-60 minutes on the counter (not recommended unless necessary)

    • 8-48 hours in the fridge

  • Baking

    • About 45 minutes

  • Cooling (necessary before cutting)

    • one hour

Tips and FAQ’s for this recipe

Help! I can’t shape it correctly!

That’s okay! This is a pretty forgiving loaf of bread as long as you proof it in a snug bowl that keeps its shape. Pinching those seams back together helps, too. I’ve seen plenty of videos of people who shape their loaf with no flour, and I have no idea how the dough doesn’t stick to their hands! It’s possible to simply fold one edge up about halfway (or down toward you—either direction) then continue to tuck and fold (similar to the last step in rolling a burrito or sushi). Just keep it tight, using the tension against the counter.

Another simple option is to do a full second set of pre-shape folds, going loosely for the first two then more tightly for the second two, which will mean those second two folds create a more oblong shape. Then, gather and pinch the seams together to keep the shape!

What if it’s rising too fast?

If the bulk fermentation (or even levain) is going too fast, feel free to use the fridge! This will slow down the yeast, giving you some buffer time. However, it’s important to catch it early enough, as the fridge doesn’t stop the yeast from rising somewhat, especially for the first couple hours as it cools down.

What is the float test?

It’s so simple! You just take a very small spoonful of your levain (or active starter) and place it in a cup of room temperature water. If it floats, it’s ready to use in baking. If not, it probably needs more time. Usually, when the bubbles begin to break the surface of the levain/starter, it’s at the beginning of being ready. Once the bubbles fill the surface and it starts to sink back down, it’s at the very tail end of being usable, so watch it carefully (and time your loaf carefully).

Why do stretch and folds?

Stretch and folds build strength into your dough but in a gentle way, creating a more tender loaf. Rather than knead the bread, you’ll simply stretch and fold then let it rest, letting the sourdough work its magic to create those long gluten strands that give the classic sourdough crumb. What I love the most about stretch and folds is that they are easier to monitor than kneading (and easier on your wrists!). Even if you don’t do a full 4-5 sets (I don’t always), it builds just enough strength while still keeping the bread soft and fluffy.

What is the difference between bulk fermentation and final proof?

Both are important to sourdough on a chemical level, but the basic difference is that bulk fermentation is the longer rise that is done first, allowing the dough to build acid (which creates that sour taste) and carbon dioxide for rise and an airiness. We don’t want it to double in volume, because that would exhaust too much of the yeast, leaving none for what’s known as oven spring (the final release of carbon dioxide that makes that lovely ear or slit down the middle).

Final proof is important because the shaping process removes a lot of the gas created in the bulk fermentation. You want to give it a chance to rest, puff up again (just a bit), and ideally build a little more flavor. This is why refrigeration is so helpful. The yeast grows very slowly in the fridge, meaning it won’t rise very much. However, the good bacteria continues to grow and create the various acids that create that sour taste. Still, even without the fridge, this final proof allows your shaped loaf to get some rise, relax, and be ready for baking.

How do I keep the shaped loaf tight?

This takes a bit of practice. I still use flour on my hands to shape my loaf, which means the bottom (where the dough gathers as you pull the top tight) can fill with flour and not glue together. Instead, when you flip it over into your banneton, it will often spread back out. That’s where it’s important to pull it back together, using damp hands to help glue it into place so the taut surface (which is currently on the bottom) stays taut. As well, use that plastic wrap to help keep it in place. I like to tuck it around the edges slightly, keeping the dough from spreading back out and losing its shape.

How do I get a more bubbly crust?

A bubbly crust—which is also much more crunchy—is actually pretty easy to achieve. It comes from omitting flour in the banneton (or towel-lined bowl) and perhaps spritzing the bread with water right before baking. In order to keep the bread from sticking to the banneton or bowl, we usually sprinkle it with rice flour (as it’s finer and less prone to burning). However, if you line either vessel with a thin tea towel, it won’t stick and gets around the need for flour. This maintains the moisture level on the surface, leading to a more bubbly, crunchy crust.

My sourdough tools

Here are my must-have tools I use for making sourdough. Affiliate links provided.

Kitchen scale

Thermometer

Small spatula

Long banneton (or more oval banneton)

Straight measuring container

Lidded loaf pan (or this oval one!)

Sourdough Batard (Country Loaf)

  • prep time: about 30-40 minutes, spread out
  • rise/resting times: 9-36 hours (depending on where it rises)
  • baking time: 30-35 minutes
  • cooling time: 1 hour
  • total time: 12-38 hours

servings: 12-16

Ingredients:

for the levain

for the bread

Instructions:

make the levain

  1. Place 25g active starter in a medium jar or small mixing bowl.
  2. Zero out your scale (or the “tare” button) and add 50g warm filtered water, about 80F/27C. Stir with a small rubber spatula or spoon until mixed well*.
  3. Zero out the scale again and add 50g flour. You can use any combination of flours, but it you are just starting out, you can play it safe with all-purpose or bread flour.
  4. Mix well, ensuring there is no dry, unmixed flour and no visible lumps of flour.
  5. Set the lid loosely on top of the jar or cover with plastic wrap.
  6. Store in a spot with moderate temperature (roughly 70F/21C) for 8-12 hours, until it has doubled in volume, bubbles begin to break the surface, and it can pass the float test (see above). Alternatively, you can place it in your turned-off oven with the light on and let it rise for 3-6 hours, depending on climate and the age of your starter. See this post for suggestions on how to time your levain and dough.

make the bread 7. Once the levain is bubbly and active and passes the float test (see note above), you can begin mixing the bread dough. 8. Add 100g active levain/starter to your mixing bowl. Add 375g filtered water that is roughly 80F/27C. Don’t stress if it’s a little warmer or a little cooler. Mix until starter is mostly mixed in. 9. Add salt and stir well. 10. Add the bread flour and mix until fully combined. Eventually, it becomes hard to stir. At this point you could use your hands or you can simply use the spatula to somewhat fold the dough together (literally scooping from the edge and folding it over the middle section). Mix until there are no pockets of dry flour. It should be a shaggy dough at this point. 11. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a damp towel. Let sit on the counter for roughly 30 minutes (at least 20 but no more than 40). At this point, perform the first set of stretch and folds. 12. Stretching and folding is actually quite simple: Using a clean, damp hand, slide your fingers under one “side” of the bowl and grab that section of dough gently in your hand. Lift up gently to stretch it slightly, folding it over the middle of the bowl. It should reach the other side of the bowl or close to it. Rotate the bowl 90 degrees and repeat, until you have stretched and folded all 4 “sides” of the dough. Depending on the size of your bowl, you may need to do 5-6 stretch and folds for each set. Once done, cover again and let sit on the counter. 13. Repeat this process every 30ish minutes, for a total of 4-5 sets of stretches and folds. You’ll know the dough is ready for the next step when it is smooth, elastic, and becomes more difficult to stretch and fold. As well, you can use the translucency test: pinch a little piece of dough and pull it up until some light can pass through the middle. If light passes through without it breaking, it’s ready. 14. Bulk fermentation. Once you’ve done 4-5 stretch and folds and the dough is smooth and can pass the translucency test, cover it and place in a warm spot (no hotter than 90F/32C) until it has risen in volume by 50%. It should begin to be wobbly at this point. To make this easier, I suggest using a straight edged vessel so you can better tell when it’s risen 50%. 15. An ideal spot for bulk fermentation is your turned-off oven with the light turned on. However, if you don’t want it to be ready too quickly, you can use the counter. If it is rising too quickly, feel free to put in the fridge to slow down the rise until you are ready to do the shaping. 16. Once it has risen by 50% and is wobbly, gently dump the dough onto a floured surface. You can use bread flour or all-purpose. Pre-shape it by pulling one side up and over about ⅔ of the way. Pull the opposite side up and over the first fold completely (similar to creating a trifold for a piece of paper). Repeat this with the other two sides. Gently flip the dough over, cover with plastic wrap, and let rest for about 20 minutes. 17. Now shape the dough. Prep your long or oval banneton by either sprinkling with rice or bread flour or lining it with a thin tea towel. If using an oval or oblong bowl, line with a tea towel and optionally sprinkle with rice or bread flour. 18. Remove the plastic wrap from the pre-shaped dough. I find the easiest way to shape it is to use plenty of flour and fold it like a trifold letter a couple of times lengthwise (so fold the bottom third up and across the middle, then the top third down and across the middle). Each time you fold it, press it down and outward to elongate the loaf. You can also flip it over and use the edges of your hands to create some tension on the top of the loaf. 19. Place the loaf upside down in the prepared bowl/banneton. To prevent it losing its shape right away, use damp fingers to pinch the seam together, helping keep that tight surface you created on the top (currently facing down). Cover immediately with a piece of plastic wrap, tucking it slightly along the sides to help maintain the shape you created. 20. Final proof. Place the bowl/banneton in the fridge. If using a banneton, it’s best to place that inside a plastic shopping bag and tie the handles to prevent the dough drying out. Refrigerate at least 8 hours, up to 36. You can technically do the final proof on the counter for 30-60 minutes (until it’s puffed up every so slightly), but this can lead to a flatter loaf. 21. When ready to bake, preheat your oven to 450F/235C. Place your baking vessel inside the oven to preheat as well. I like my Emile Henry lidded loaf pan but also want to get this oval one, but an oval dutch oven or cast iron with a lid will work too. You could also use a baking sheet and simply place a pan filled with 1 cup of ice on the rack beneath it to create a crunchy crust. Let that preheat for at least 10 minutes after the oven reaches 450F/235C. This allows everything to be properly heated up. 22. Once the oven and baking vessel are preheated, remove the loaf from the fridge. Remove the plastic wrap and turn it over onto a piece of parchment paper. Use a very sharp knife or bread lame (a razor for bread) to cut at least one slash through the dough. You can get fancy or just do something simple. 23. Cut the excess parchment, leaving just enough of an edge to grab it. Remove the baking vessel from the oven and carefully transfer the dough to it. Replace the lid and bake for 30 minutes. 24. After 30 minutes, remove the lid and turn the oven down to 400F/205C. Let continue baking 15-20 minutes, until the top is nicely golden brown. If you want a lighter top, it’s best to leave the lid on a little longer then reduce how long it bakes without the lid, so that it still bakes for a total of at least 45 minutes. If not using a lidded vessel, simply turn the oven down after 30 minutes to avoid it burning on top. 25. Remove the bread from the pan and remove the parchment, if using. Set on a wire rack to cool at least 1 hour. Cutting a loaf before it’s cooled sufficiently does alter the texture, so be sure to time it carefully.

*There is a window of when you can use a levain. It can be used when just a couple bubbles break the surface or when the surface is very bubbly. That’s why I like the float test, at least when starting out with sourdough, to know it’s ready for sure.

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