I mixed up another batch of the pain au levain.  It is still cooling or I’d have pictures of the crumb.  I used the same recipe, and did the baking in my cast iron dutch oven a la the famous no-knead bread.

As you might expect, I achieved amazing results.  By far, the highest oven spring I’ve ever achieved, and though I haven’t cut into the bread yet, the spots that opened up look full of nice big holes.

So, for 2007, I’m making note of baking in a cast iron pot as the baking lesson of the year - way way easier than pouring boiling water in the cast iron pan on the lower shelf, and pretty much foolproof.