12-14 hours before you would like to mix your dough, feed the starter and make a liquid levain. In a clean container with no soap residue, add the water, flour and prior day starter. Mix with your hand or a silicone spatula. Cover but leave the top just slightly cracked, so gas can escape. Set aside.

When your starter has doubled in volume (approximately 12-14 hours after mixing), mix your dough.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine whole wheat flour, salt, olive oil, water and the fed and bubbly levain. Mix on low with the paddle attachment until the ingredients are incorporated. Remove the paddle and replace with the hook attachment.

With the hook attachment mix on low until a cohesive dough forms, approximately 1-2 minutes. Increase the speed to medium-high to develop. This will take about 10 minutes. It will pull away from the sides of the bowl, make a dough around the hook and not stick to the sides. The dough will look smoother than it did during before developing.

Lightly oil a bowl with vegetable or olive oil, spreading it around the bowl with your hands. Using a bowl scraper, scrape the dough into the oiled bowl and cover the top of the bowl with plastic wrap. Let it rest 30 minutes in a warm place and perform a series of folds.

Series of Folds: A series of folds is actually 4 folds. Always fold the dough towards you, rotating the bowl between each fold rather than trying to contort your body. You will get a tighter fold and shape. Grab one side of the dough and pull it up slightly then fold it down over itself into the middle. Rotate the bowl 90 degrees and repeat 3 more times, rotating after each fold.

Let the dough rest 30 minutes more and repeat the series of folds. The dough should stand tall and hold its shape in the bowl.  If your dough sinks immediately after this second set of folds, you should make a third set of folds after letting it sit 15 minutes.

Proof the dough in the bowl for 6-8 hours in a warm spot until doubled and light and airy. You should see visible bubbles in the dough.

Before shaping prepare your banneton. Dust the inside of the basket with rice flour. If you don’t have a bread basket, you can use a bowl that is lightly sprayed with cooking spray or oiled. You can also proof it on parchment paper but it will be flatter and not as tall a loaf.

Lightly dust the countertop and the top of the dough with whole wheat or all-purpose flour. Turn the dough onto the floured countertop. Fold all 4 edges into the center (much like performing a series of folds), then flip it over so the seam is on the counter. Shape the dough into a tight round by pulling it towards you with both hands. Rotate the dough 90 degrees and then repeat until you have a nice tight round that stands up proud on the counter. If the surface cracks, you over shaped (tightened) the dough. Its ok, but you’re done!

Flip it upside down (with the seam facing up) in the rice floured basket and then place a piece of plastic wrap on top, secured with a rubber band.

Place it in the refrigerator to proof 14-18 hours. You can proof it in the refrigerator for up to 48 hours. The most important thing is that you bake the dough when it is ready! The dough will be cold but should still feel light and airy when gently pressed.

Preheat oven to 450°F with the Dutch oven inside (with the lid). You can allow your dough to sit out or you can leave it in the refrigerator. It doesn’t matter as long as it was properly leavened. When the oven has preheated, cut a piece of parchment paper about the size of the basket and turn the dough onto the parchment. Use a bread lame or simply hold a straight edge razor blade.

Proper Scoring: Make a series of cuts to allow the dough to rise properly and in the way that you want! Hold the blade at about a 45 degree angle and confidently slice the dough. Confidence is key because you want to ensure it goes deep enough and makes a nice clean cut. Scoring tentatively will lead to raggedy edges and a shallow cut. Score with confidence! On round boules I like to do the square scoring so it rises evenly, but you can get as fancy as you’d like. Scoring cold dough makes this easier.

As soon as you score, carefully remove the hot Dutch oven from the oven, remove the top, place the dough in the bottom, replace the top and place it back in the oven!

Bake 450°F for 20 minutes and then reduce heat to 400°F. Continue baking until internal temperature is 205°F, approximately an additional 10-15 minutes. The outside should be a beautiful dark golden brown.

Cool completely before slicing. I know, I know. The struggle is real.