Crusty French Boules

Ingredients

• 0.5 teaspoon active yeast dry
• 1 teaspoon active yeast dry
• 0.7 cup bread flour 
• 1 tablespoon cornmeal 
• 1.3 cups flour all-purpose divided
• 2 cups flour all-purpose
• 0.5 teaspoon salt 
• 1 teaspoon salt 
• 0.5 cup warm water (100° to 110°)
• 0.8 cup warm water (100° to 110°)

Equipment

• bowl
• frying pan
• baking sheet
• sauce pan
• oven
• knife
• wire rack
• blender
• plastic wrap
• stand mixer
• measuring cup

Directions

1. To prepare the pte fermente, weigh or lightly spoon 5 ounces (about 1 cup) all-purpose flour into a dry measuring cup, and level with a knife.
2. Combine 5 ounces all-purpose flour, 1/2 teaspoon yeast, and 1/2 teaspoon salt in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment.
3. Add 1/2 cup warm water, and beat at low speed until mixture is thoroughly combined.
4. Add enough of the remaining 4 tablespoons flour, 1 tablespoon at a time, until dough just begins to pull away from sides of bowl. Increase mixer speed to medium, and beat for 2 minutes.
5. Place dough in a small bowl coated with cooking spray.
6. Place a piece of plastic wrap coated with cooking spray directly on dough. Refrigerate 48 hours or up to 3 days.
7. Remove pte fermente from refrigerator; let stand at room temperature 30 minutes.
8. To prepare the dough, place 3/4 cup warm water in the bowl of a stand mixer with dough hook attached, and sprinkle with 1 teaspoon yeast.
9. Let mixture stand for 5 minutes or until bubbles form.
10. Add pte fermente to yeast mixture; let stand 10 minutes. Weigh or lightly spoon 9 ounces all-purpose flour (about 2 cups) and 4 ounces bread flour (about 2/3 cup) into dry measuring cups; level with a knife.
11. Add flours and 1 teaspoon salt to bowl; beat at low speed until flour is incorporated. Increase mixer to medium speed, and beat for 6 minutes. (Dough should form a ball.)
12. Place the dough in a large bowl coated with cooking spray; lightly coat dough with cooking spray. Cover with plastic wrap, and let stand in a warm, dry place, free from drafts, for 1 1/2 hours or until doubled in size. (Gently press two fingers into dough. If indentation remains, dough has risen enough.) Punch dough down, and divide into 2 equal portions. Knead each portion for 1 minute. Shape each dough portion into a 5-inch round by pulling the sides down, pinching and tucking them under the bottom center of dough, forming a smooth, taut surface on the top.
13. Place dough rounds on a baking sheet sprinkled with cornmeal. Lightly coat surface of dough with cooking spray. Cover and let rise 1 hour and 15 minutes or until doubled in size.
14. Place a small ovenproof saucepan with 3 inches of water directly on the floor of oven. Preheat oven to 45
15. Uncover dough. Spray dough lightly with water. Make 4 (4-inch) cuts 1/4 inch deep in dough to form a grid across top of each loaf using a sharp knife.
16. Bake at 450 for 10 minutes.
17. Remove water pan from oven.
18. Bake an additional 15 minutes or until bread is golden brown and sounds hollow when bottom is tapped. Cool on a wire rack.
19. Cut each boule, crosswise, into 12 slices.