Artisan Style Breads

Earlier this year I started  making all my breads by hand using 

the autolyze, pinch, stretch and fold method.

I had been using the autolyze (resting period) for a number of years, but the 

pinch, stretch and fold technique was new to me.

It was adopted from Ken Forkish.

I've included links at the end of this post to 

Ken Forkish's videos.

This is my basic every day bread recipe and if I never make 

another style of bread other than this one, I'll be very happy.

It is versatile.

Add cranberries and pistachios for a slightly sweeter loaf that

goes great with Brie.

Or make a savory loaf adding olives, or roasted garlic and cheese.

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NOTE:  See Step by Step Pictorial

Here is the basic recipe with a number of options.

Basic Dough

I use this dough for Baguettes, Batons, Boules, and pizza.

1000g flour

680g to 720g water (68% to 72%) (Can go up to 92% hydration for Ciabatta bread)

5g yeast

26/27g salt

This basic recipe can be cut in half for a 500g version.

Hand-mixed instructions

Weigh out flour and water into a 12 quart container.

Mix well using hand.  Wet hand to prevent sticking.

Cover and let rest for 20 to 30 minutes (Autolyze)

Mix yeast with 1 to 2 tablespoons water.  Let sit for a couple of minutes.   Add yeast and salt to flour mixture.  Mix well using pinch and fold method.  Cover and let rest for another 20 to 30 minutes. (Second Autolyze).

                                                                                                       

Now the dough is ready to stretch and fold.  Do this at least three times ( or more) during the first hour. (Every 20 minutes)  (again wet hand to prevent sticking). 

If not baking same day, the dough can now go into the fridge for an overnight fermentation.  (Can be left for two or three days before baking.  Just take the dough out of the fridge two to three hours prior to shaping.  Dough needs to come to room temperature and start rising).

If baking same day, after the last fold, set aside until the dough has tripled.    Now it is ready to shape and proof.  Shape into two large rounds or four baguettes/batons.  Or make 8 to 10 small rounds or small baguettes.   Perfect size for two.  Freezes well.

Baking

Bread can be baked on a stone or in a Dutch Oven.

Preheat oven with baking stone to 500°F.  If using Dutch Oven, preheat DO in the oven for 30 to 45 minutes.

When proofed, slash loaves and slide on to stone.   Provide some steam: Spray loaves with water every three minutes for the first nine minutes or toss a large cup of hot water into a pan on the floor of the oven.     Bake for 25 to 30 minutes.  Longer if a darker crust is preferred.

If baking in Dutch Ovens:  Slash loaf and place seam side down, or place seam side up, (do not slash)  for a more rustic look.    Bake covered for 30 minutes.  Remove lid and bake another 20 to 30 minutes , depending on crust preference.

Pizza

This dough also makes the most wonderful pizza crust.

OTHER OPTIONS

This recipe can be adjusted to make a sourdough version or one made with a preferment

(Biga )

Biga

225g flour

225g water

2 g yeast

Mix together and stir well.  Cover and leave to double overnight.

Add to the Basic Recipe.

Sourdough Version

225g flour

225g water

60g starter

Mix together, stir well.  Cover and leave to double overnight.

The sourdough preferment can be added to the above basic recipe without the addition of yeast.  Give the dough at least an overnight fermentation in the fridge.   Or if baking the same day, add 2g of yeast.

Sourdough Starter - Amy's Bread

Source: countrylife.net

RYE STARTER

From AMY'S BREAD

This starter is begun with rye flour because rye just LOVES to

ferment and is an easier starter to get going than a wheat

starter. When I first made it, it had a bubble or two within a

couple hours.

The procedure is to start it with rye flour, then transform it by

changing what you feed it. The original rye will dilute to nothing

over time and you'll end up with a white flour (or whatever other

grain you choose, it could be whole wheat or pumpermickel, or you

could leave it as a rye starter) and water based starter, but it

had the advantage of beginning it's life from highly fermentable

rye flour.

Start it with organic rye flour and spring water. Once you have it

going well you can switch to all-purpose white (or other) flour as

you choose. The use of spring water is recommended for

maintenance, however, as tap water may contain elements (such as

chlorine) which may be detrimental to the health of your starter.

I also recommend that you use a container that you can mark the

volume levels of starter each time, so that you will know when it

has doubled. Use a marking pen or tape or any other means to

indicate on the container the starter levels each time you feed.

Phase 1 - Combine 2 oz organic rye flour (room temp) with 4 oz

spring water in a clear container. The batter should be about the

consistency of very thick pancake batter, add more water or flour

if necessary. Cover & let it sit for 36 - 48 hours at 75 - 77

degrees (a little cooler is okay but over 80 you will incubate the

wrong kind of bacteria and your culture will have an unpleasant

bitter taste). You should start to see tiny bubbles forming after

about 24 hours. By the time it has doubled, there will be a

noticeable network of small bubbles throughout the batter & it

will be foaming & bubbling on top. (If the batter has not doubled

within 48 hours, feed with 2 oz water & 2 oz flour (add more of

either if necessary for the consistency) and let it sit another 24

hours or until you see some definite activity.)

Phase 2 - Stir the culture down, notice how soupy it's become. The

batter should have a noticeable sour smell & a mildly tangy taste

at this point. Add 2 oz water & 2 oz flour and stir vigorously

until well-combined. Let it sit for 12 hours. It should be showing

a fair amount of activity at this point. You should see lots of

foaming & bubbling through the sides as well as on the top. Don't

be concerned if the culture deflates & loses volume. This means

the yeast has exhausted its food supply, but it will continue to

increase in acidity. Don't worry if your culture dramatically active yet.

As long as there is some noticeable activity going on and the mixture

 smells & tastes sour, you're on the right track.

Phase 3 - The culture should now have a pronounced, sour, fruity

taste and smell, it should not taste musty or bitter (if it does,

discard and start again, paying close attention to the temp of the

culture at all times). Now you can start "transforming" it into a

white (or other) flour based starter. Use 6 oz of the starter, add

3 oz water & 3 oz flour, stir vigorously. Let it sit for 12 hrs at

75 - 77 degrees F.

Refresh it again, setting up a maintenance level of 12 oz of

starter. This will be your "mother" starter that you use to build

the sourdough starters/sponges needed in individual recipes.

Each time you take part of the mother out to build a starter, you

must refresh it with equal weights of flour and water to bring it

back up to its maintenance level.

To maintain - Use 6 oz of the mother culture (discard the rest),

add 3 oz water & 3 oz flour, stir vigorously, let it sit at room

temp until doubled in volume.

A strong mother will double in 8-12 hours. If yours doesn't do

that, let it continue to sit out until it has a nice tangy taste

and smell; discard all but 6 oz and repeat this procedure. Repeat

this procedure as many times as necessary until the mother doubles

within 8-12 hrs. It may take several days. Don't get discouraged,

it's worth the effort.

 HOW TO VIDEOS

Video on Handmixing/Autolyze

Video on mixing in yeast and salt

Video on Stretch and Fold

Video - Finger Dent -  Test for perfect proofing