Classic Tartine Country Loaf
The definitive open-crumb San Francisco artisan sourdough formula
Tartine Country Loaf Baker's Formula & Timing At A Glance
The classic Tartine Country Loaf formula follows Chad Robertson's iconic baker's percentages: 90% bread flour, 10% whole wheat flour, 75% apparent hydration (yielding 77.8% true total hydration when starter water is accounted for), 20% young active levain, and 2.0% fine sea salt. Fermented at 78°F–80°F (26°C) for 3.5 to 4 hours with 4 sets of gentle turns, followed by a 12–16 hour cold retard at 38°F (3°C) and a 450°F (232°C) Dutch oven bake.
Dough Rheology & Handling Dynamics
Physics of gluten hydration, elasticity, and tackinessAt 77.8% true total hydration, the glutenin and gliadin chains are fully hydrated and highly extensible. The 10% whole wheat flour absorbs moisture eagerly while stoneground bran micro-particles create slight friction. Building gluten tension via 4-5 coil folds allows the dough to retain trapped carbon dioxide without collapsing outward.
Exact Gram Weights & Baker's Math
Base batch scaled for 1 Loaf (900g). Main flour indexed to 100.0%.
| Ingredient | Weight (g) | Baker's % |
|---|---|---|
| Unbleached Bread Flour (12.7%+) | 411g | 89.9% |
| Stoneground Whole Wheat Flour | 46g | 10.1% |
| Water (Autolyse Phase) | 308g | 67.4% |
| Water (Bassinage / Salt Phase) | 35g | 7.7% |
| Active Levain (100% Hydration) | 91g | 20.0% |
| Fine Sea Salt | 9.1g | 2.0% |
| True Total Hydration | 77.3% | +2.3% vs Apparent |
Interactive Recipe Calculator & Live Timer
Adjust loaf weight, change hydration, or launch the kitchen keep-awake baking companion.
Artisan Sourdough Hydration & Rheology Calculator
Water percentage added to main dough
Screen keep-awake • Step-by-step timer • Bulk Rise sync (282m)
Step-by-Step Artisan Method
Carefully curated instructions designed for consistency, oven spring, and blistering.
Build Young Levain
Phase: Levain BuildMix 1 part mature starter with 2 parts room-temperature water and 2 parts 50/50 blend of bread flour and whole wheat. Rest at 78°F (26°C) for 4–5 hours until 2.5x volume expansion and buoyant in water.
Enzymatic Autolyse
Phase: AutolyseCombine the bread flour, whole wheat flour, and 90% of the calculated formula water in a broad mixing bowl until no dry flour remains. Cover and rest for 45–60 minutes.
Incorporate Levain & Bassinage Salt
Phase: Mixing & BassinageSpread the active levain over the autolysed dough and dimple with wet fingers. Sprinkle the 2.0% salt along with the reserved 10% bassinage water. Work using the Rubaud method for 4 minutes until smooth.
Bulk Fermentation & Turns
Phase: Bulk FermentationKeep dough at 78°F–80°F (26°C). Perform 4 sets of stretch-and-folds or coil folds every 30 minutes during the first 2 hours. Rest undisturbed for the remaining 1.5 hours until dome aerated with 25–30% volume expansion.
Pre-Shape & Bench Rest
Phase: Pre-ShapingTip the dough onto an un-floured wooden bench. Using a stainless bench knife held at 45 degrees, roll the dough in circular motions to create surface tension. Rest uncovered for 20–25 minutes.
Final Shaping & Cold Retard
Phase: Final Shape & Cold RetardLightly dust the dough top with white rice flour. Flip over, fold the bottom third up, left and right sides across like an envelope, then roll downward into a taut cylinder. Transfer seam-side up into a rice-flour-dusted oval banneton. Cover and chill at 38°F (3°C) for 12–16 hours.
Scoring & Dutch Oven Bake
Phase: BakePreheat Dutch oven to 500°F (260°C) for 45 minutes. Invert cold dough onto parchment paper. Make a single long curved slash with a razor-sharp lame angled at 30 degrees. Transfer to Dutch oven, reduce heat to 450°F (232°C), bake 20 mins lid-on, then remove lid and bake 22–25 mins until mahogany dark.
Artisan Baker's Golden Rules for this Recipe
Use Young Levain: Inoculate when the starter smells sweet and milky like fresh yogurt, well before it peaks into harsh vinegar sharpness.
Respect the Autolyse: Mix the flour and 90% of the water 45 minutes prior to adding levain. This enables enzymatic proteolysis and natural gluten development without mechanical oxidation.
Aliquot Jar Tracking: Pour 30g of dough into a straight-sided shot glass. When it expands by 25–30%, terminate bulk fermentation immediately to preserve oven spring potential.
Steam Retention: Raw cast iron can take 2 ice cubes under the parchment paper for explosive steam; for enameled Dutch ovens, spray 3-4 mist pumps to prevent glaze thermal shock.
Frequently Asked Questions & Troubleshooting
Q:Why does the Tartine recipe call for a young levain rather than a mature starter?
A young levain (harvested around 4–5 hours after feeding at 1:2:2) is predominantly driven by yeast and lactic acid bacteria (LAB) rather than acetic acid. This yields a pleasant, mild sweetness and protects delicate gluten strands from excessive enzymatic acid degradation.
Q:Why does my 75% Tartine dough feel like an uncontrollable sticky puddle?
When you add a 100% hydration levain at 20%, your True Total Hydration is actually 77.8%. If your bread flour has less than 12.5% protein or was improperly autolysed, it cannot retain that much water. Ensure you use strong unbleached bread flour and employ wet hands during all coil folds.
Q:Can I bake this loaf in an open oven without a Dutch oven?
Yes, but you must create an intense steam environment. Place a heavy baking stone on the middle rack and a cast-iron skillet filled with lava rocks or rolled kitchen towels on the bottom rack. Pour 1 cup of boiling water into the skillet immediately after loading the dough.
Q:How do I achieve the prominent blistered crust seen on Tartine loaves?
Blisters are tiny steam bubbles trapped under a gelatinized starch skin. They are created by two factors: an extended cold retardation (12–16 hours at 38°F), which allows enzymes to release maltose to the surface, and intense enclosed steam during the first 20 minutes of baking.
The Artisan Baker's Essential Hardware Toolkit
Reliable sourdough starts with accurate hydration math, but finishes with thermal steam retention and knife-edge scoring. Here is the verified hardware standard.
Lodge 5-Quart Double Dutch Oven
Un-enameled raw cast iron steam trap. Handles ice cubes safely without enamel shock cracking. Shallow base prevents burnt wrists.
Saint Germain 10-Inch Round Artisan Banneton
100% natural Indonesian cane with linen liner. Wicks surface moisture for blistered crusts and sharp ears.
Baker of Seville Stainless Steel Bread Lame
All-metal dual-blade scoring tool. Switch effortlessly between curved and straight cuts on slack dough.
0.1g Precision Micro-Kitchen Scale
Crucial for weighing 2.0% salt and levain accurately. Standard 1g kitchen scales miss micro-fractions.