Bread & Butter Recipe

Mix the dough

In a large bowl, whisk together the all-purpose and whole wheat flours. Add the lukewarm water and active sourdough starter. Mix with a wooden spoon or your hands until a shaggy, sticky dough forms and all flour is hydrated (about 2–3 minutes). Cover loosely and let rest (autolyse) for 30 minutes.

Add salt and develop gluten

After the autolyse, sprinkle the fine sea salt over the dough. Pinch and fold the dough in the bowl until the salt is fully incorporated. Perform a series of stretch-and-folds: every 30 minutes for the next 2 hours, perform 4 sets of coil folds (lift one side of the dough and fold it over the center, rotating the bowl and repeating until you've folded all four sides). Cover between sets. The dough should become smoother and more elastic.

Bulk fermentation

After the stretch-and-fold series, cover the bowl and leave the dough to bulk ferment at room temperature (70–75°F / 21–24°C) for a total of 4–6 hours, or until it has expanded by about 30–50% and shows bubbles on the surface and sides. If your starter is very active or your kitchen is warm, shorten this time; a cooler kitchen will lengthen it.

Pre-shape and bench rest

Lightly flour a work surface. Turn the dough out onto it and gently degas just enough to shape. Pre-shape into a loose round by folding edges into the center and flipping seam-side down. Let rest uncovered for 20–30 minutes.

Final shape and proof

Shape the dough into a tight boule (round) or bâtard (oval) by creating surface tension with your hands. Transfer seam-side up into a well-floured banneton or a bowl lined with a linen towel dusted with flour. Cover and proof in the refrigerator overnight (10–16 hours) for a slow final fermentation and best flavor. Alternatively, proof at room temperature for 2–4 hours until puffy but not over-proofed.

Preheat and score

Place a Dutch oven (or baking stone and steam tray) in the oven and preheat to 475°F (245°C) for at least 45 minutes before baking. When ready to bake, carefully invert the proofed loaf onto a piece of parchment paper, slash the top with a lame or sharp knife (a single long cut or creative pattern), and transfer the loaf (on the parchment) into the preheated Dutch oven.

Bake

Cover the Dutch oven and bake at 475°F (245°C) for 20 minutes to trap steam. After 20 minutes, remove the lid and reduce the oven temperature to 450°F (230°C). Bake uncovered for an additional 18–25 minutes until the crust is deep golden-brown and the internal temperature reads 200–205°F (93–96°C).

Cool

Remove the bread from the oven and transfer to a cooling rack. Let cool for at least 1 hour before slicing to allow the crumb to set.

Culture the cream

Combine the heavy cream and 2 tablespoons of buttermilk in a clean jar. Stir gently, cover with a breathable lid (cheesecloth or a loose lid), and leave at room temperature (68–72°F / 20–22°C) for 12–24 hours until the cream thickens slightly and smells pleasantly tangy. Time depends on ambient temperature; warmer = faster.

Chill the cultured cream

Once cultured, refrigerate the cream for at least 2 hours or until well chilled. Chilled cream will separate into butter more cleanly during churning.

Churn to butter

Pour the chilled cultured cream into a stand mixer fitted with the whisk or into a blender/food processor. Whip on medium-high speed. The cream will go through stages: whipped cream, grainy curds, then the curds will separate from the butterfat, leaving a pale yellow butter and a thin liquid (buttermilk). This takes about 4–10 minutes depending on equipment and temperature. Stop once the solids separate clearly and large curds form.

Drain and wash the butter

Pour off the buttermilk and reserve for other uses (baking). Transfer the butter solids to a bowl. Pour cold ice water over the butter and knead gently with a spatula or wooden spoon to wash out remaining buttermilk. Repeat rinsing and draining 3–4 times until the wash water runs clear. Proper washing improves shelf life.

Season and shape

If using, sprinkle fine sea salt over the butter and knead evenly to incorporate. For a soft spread, leave as a mound; for a presentation like Josey Baker's slab, shape the butter into a log or press into a small terrine or ramekin. Chill to firm up before serving.

Serve

Bring the butter to cool-room temperature (about 20 minutes) before serving alongside slices of the levain loaf. Optionally, drizzle a tiny amount of olive oil or flake sea salt on the butter when plated.