The night before baking the bread, mix the levain ingredients in a bowl till smooth. Loosely cover and let it rest for about 10-15 hours at room temperature depending on your ambient temperature. You will have more than is required for the final dough. You can add the remaining levain to your starter and refrigerate it.

You can mix the dough by hand but a machine makes things easier. Add all 1 cup of the water and all the other ingredients to the bowl of a stand mixer. Mix on low for a few minutes to combine. Increase speed to medium low and knead until the gluten begins to develop some stretch, about 5 minutes. Slowly add as much of the remaining water as required and knead for another 5 minutes until the dough is well developed and smooth. The dough should be somewhat slack in consistency.

Shape in a ball and place in an oiled bowl, turning it to coat it well. Let the dough proof for about 1-1/2 hours. After about 45 minutes do a fold by bringing up the sides to the center all the way around. After this let the dough almost double in volume.

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured counter. Gently shape the dough into a loaf and place in a greased 8 x 4 -inch loaf pan. Let the dough rise for an hour to hour and a half until the dough has doubled and/or risen above the edge of the pan by about 3/4 to 1-inch height.

Score if desired. Place in a pre-heated oven at 220C (425F). Immediately turn the heat down to 180C (350F) and bake for about 40 minutes or till the bread browns and sounds hollow when tapped.

Remove to wire rack to cool for 10 minutes. Then remove from pan to finish cooling. Slice when completely cool.