Baking by Hand (8 page)
Authors: Andy King
Flip the loaves over onto your peel. It might take a couple of batches to bake all your bread, depending on your oven size. Score each batard with one long, angled slash, or with whichever design you prefer. Now, grab three ice cubes from the freezer. Being careful to not keep the oven door open too long and let the heat out, open the oven, slide your loaf onto the stone, throw the three ice cubes into the cast-iron pan and close the door. After 5 minutes, quickly open the door and spray the interior of the oven with water. Continue baking until the loaf is evenly browned, about 25 minutes, and has a nice hollow thump when you tap it on the bottom. Let cool for at least 3 hours before cutting.
You can add whichever aromatics and spices you like to your olives. Citrus zest, cilantro, rosemary and crushed red pepper are popular options. Make this at least a day ahead of starting the bread.
8 oz/230 g mixed Sicilian and kalamata olives, pitted
½
cup/120 ml extra-virgin olive oil
2 tbsp/30 ml lemon juice
2 cloves garlic, minced
Pinch of dried basil
Pinch of dried oregano
Combine all of the ingredients in a small saucepan, and cook over low heat for 30 minutes. Cool completely before using.
A FEW OF MY FAVORITE THINGS
It stands to reason that people obsessed with the fermentation of dough would be interested in fermentation of other things. Wine and beer come to mind immediately, especially as I am drinking a glass of homemade wine as I write this. But beer is applied to bread a little more traditionally. We like to use a darker ale in bread mixes, as a lager’s lighter flavor profile will get lost in the dough, and hoppier brews add too much bitterness. Brown ale, or even stout, is best for this bread. Make sure to pour the beer into a bowl a few hours before you mix, to let it get flat, and make sure to warm it. It makes up the bulk of your hydration.
• Yield: Three 1 lb 10 oz/750-g loaves
• Desired Dough Temperature: 85°F/30°C
• Mixing Time: 40 minutes
• Bulk Fermentation: ~3 hours
• Proofing Time: ~2 hours
• Baking Time: ~25 minutes
• Cooling Time: ~3 hours
Mix your final starter (see
here
). This will be enough for the bread formula, plus some extra to carry on the starter.
16.25 oz/460 ml 75°F/20°C water
2.75 oz/50 ml liquid sourdough
13 oz/370 g white bread flour
2 lbs 2 oz/1 g white bread flour
4 oz/110 g whole wheat flour
1 oz/30 g whole rye flour
1 lb 11.25 oz/520 ml liquid sourdough
5.25 oz/150 ml 95°F/35°C water
1 lb 2 oz/510 ml quality brown ale (flat, warmed to 95°F/35°C)
4 ¾ tsp/33 g fine sea salt
7.75 oz/210 g pearled barley, soaked overnight and well-drained (presoaking weight)
Combine all three flours into your large mixing bowl. In another bowl, mix the liquid sourdough, water and ale, and remember to keep that water and beer warm to give your wild yeast a comfortable atmosphere to grow. Then, dump the flours on top of the liquid ingredients, and mix by hand for about 30 seconds, until it comes together in a shaggy mass. Don’t forget to scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl regularly; you want all of that flour hydrated and don’t want to see any dry spots. Set aside in a warm place, at least 80°F/25°C, for 30 minutes. If you’re having trouble finding your warm place, it’s time to use your trusty heat lamp.
Sprinkle the salt on top of the dough and grab a four-finger pinch of the dough and pull. It should stretch out like chunky taffy rather than just tear off. Incorporate the salt into the dough, continuously pushing the sides of the dough into the middle while turning the bowl. After a minute of this, the
dough should be pulling away from the sides of the bowl and developing a bit of a sheen, and you shouldn’t feel any crunchy salt crystals. Throw in the pearled barley, and continue to incorporate by hand. Remember, the fold will help distribute, so don’t wear yourself out trying to mix it in perfectly. Cover the bowl, and put it in your warm place for 30 minutes.
Turn your dough onto a lightly floured surface and give it your four-fold (see
here
). It should make a tight little package, and after every fold, the dough’s volume should increase. It should consistently feel warm and active. Roll the dough over and place it, seam side down, back into the bowl. Repeat every 30 minutes for the first 2 hours (you’ll fold the dough four times in total) until the dough is strong but puffy, warm to the touch and holds a fingerprint when pressed into the surface. Leave the dough to gain some volume for the last hour. The whole process will take about 3 hours.
Once your dough is ready to cut, turn it out onto your floured work surface. Using your bench knife and scale, divide into three 1 pound 10 ounce/750-g pieces. Gently shape the dough into rounds (see
here
), being careful not to compress the dough too much, and place seam side down on your work surface. Cover and rest for 1 hour. Dust three bannetons with flour and set aside.
For this particular style, the fendu (see
here
), we call the next step “pinning” rather than “shaping,” because, well, that’s what it is. Dust your work surface with a good amount of flour, and gently scoop your rounded loaves up with your bench knife and place—still seam side down—on the flour.
Sprinkle some flour on the top of the loaf as well. Grab the thinnest rolling pin you have, such as a French one or a 1-inch/2.5-cm-diameter wooden dowel, and press down in the middle of the loaf. Roll the pin back and forth a bit, not pressing so hard that you actually cut through the dough, and then remove the pin to reveal a bisected loaf. Roll the two sides together, gently flip the loaf over and place in the banneton. Place the finished loaves in your warm place and cover with a towel.
While your dough is proofing, place your baking stone on the lowest rack in your oven and your cast-iron pan on the highest rack. Preheat the oven to 450°F/230°C. Check in on your bread periodically; if the surface feels dried out, spray it with a bit of water to allow for maximum expansion. If it feels cold, make it warmer. This may take up to 2 hours, depending on the conditions of your kitchen. The loaf is ready to go in when it feels very airy and holds a fingerprint when pressed into the surface.
Flip the loaves over onto your peel. It might take a couple of batches to bake all your bread, depending on your oven size. Now, grab three ice cubes from the freezer. Being careful to not keep the oven door open too long and let the heat out, open the oven, slide your loaf onto the stone, throw the three ice cubes into the cast-iron pan and close the door. After 5 minutes, quickly open the door and spray the interior of the oven with water. Continue baking until the loaf is evenly browned, about 25 minutes, and has a nice hollow thump when you tap it on the bottom. Let cool for at least 3 hours before cutting.
SMOKING DOUGH
Baker Jess L. (we have a couple of Jesses) pitches practically an idea a week for a new product, and Andy usually has a loaf sitting on his desk when he comes back from the weekend. They’re all good, but this one caught his attention—it’s not often one samples a bread that tastes like it’s been slow-smoked. The cheese adds a nice richness to balance the spice, but you can tone down the heat by dropping the amount of granulated chipotle that goes into the formula. Keep the powdered chili at full power—you won’t get the full effect without it.
• Yield: Three 1 lb 10 oz/750-g loaves
• Desired Dough Temperature: 85°F/30°C
• Mixing Time: 40 minutes
• Bulk Fermentation: ~2 hours
• Proofing Time: ~1.5 hours
• Baking Time: ~25 minutes
• Cooling Time: ~3 hours
Mix your final starter (see
here
). This will be enough for the bread formula, plus some extra to carry on the starter.
10 oz/280 ml 75°F/20°C water
2 oz/40 ml liquid sourdough
8 oz/230 g white bread flour
1 lb 5.5 oz/600 g bread flour
13.25 oz/375 g semolina flour
1 tsp/8 g granulated chipotle chili
1 tsp/8 g chipotle chili powder
7.25 oz/215 g liquid starter
1 lb 9 oz/710 ml 90°F/32°C water
1 oz/30 ml extra-virgin olive oil
4 tsp/28 g fine sea salt
1 tsp/4 g instant yeast
11.25 oz/320 g Asiago cheese, cut into small dice
Combine both flours and both versions of chipotle chili in your large mixing bowl. In another bowl, mix your liquid starter, water and oil, and remember to keep that water warm to give your wild yeast a comfortable atmosphere to grow. Then, dump the flours and spices on top of the liquid ingredients, and mix it by hand for about 30 seconds, until it comes together in a shaggy mass. Don’t forget to scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl regularly; you want all of that flour hydrated and don’t want to see any dry spots. Set aside in a warm place, at least 80°F/25°C, for 30 minutes. If you’re having trouble finding your warm place, it’s time to use your trusty heat lamp.
Sprinkle the salt and yeast on top of the dough and grab a four-finger pinch of the dough and pull. It should stretch out like chunky taffy rather than
just tear off. Incorporate the salt into the dough, continuously pushing the sides of the dough into the middle while turning the bowl. After a minute of this, the dough should be pulling away from the sides of the bowl and developing a bit of a sheen, and you shouldn’t feel any crunchy salt crystals. Throw in the diced cheese and continue mixing by hand until it’s nicely incorporated. Remember, the folds will help distribute the cheese as well, so don’t wear yourself out trying to mix it in perfectly. Cover the bowl, and put it in your warm place for 30 minutes.
Turn your dough onto a lightly floured surface and give it your four-fold (see
here
). It should make a tight little package and after every fold the dough’s volume should increase. It should consistently feel warm and active. Roll the dough over and place it, seam side down, back into the bowl. Repeat every 30 minutes for the first 2 hours (you’ll fold the dough four times in total) until the dough is strong but puffy, warm to the touch and holds a fingerprint when pressed into the surface. Leave the dough to gain some volume for the last hour. The whole process will take about 3 hours.
Once your dough is ready to cut, turn it out onto a floured work surface. Using your bench knife and scale, divide into three 1 pound 10 ounce/750-g pieces. Gently shape the dough into rounds (see
here
), being careful not to compress the dough too much, and place seam side down on your work surface. Cover and rest for 20 minutes to build a bit more strength into the loaf before final shaping.
Next, lightly dust three oval bannetons with semolina flour and set them to the side. Take your rested rounds and gently but firmly shape them into stubby batards (see
here
). Feel free to pinch the seam shut if it threatens to open after shaping. Place your shaped loaves seam side up in your bannetons, cover with a cloth or plastic wrap and place in your trusty warm spot.
While your dough is proofing, place your baking stone on the lowest rack in your oven, and your cast-iron pan on the highest rack. Preheat the oven to 450°F/230°C. Check in on your bread periodically; if the surface feels dried out, spray it with a bit of water to allow for maximum expansion. If it feels cold, make it warmer. This may take up to 2 hours, depending on the conditions of your kitchen. The loaf is ready to go in when it feels very airy and holds a fingerprint when pressed into the surface.
Flip the loaves over onto your peel. If you’re worried about cheese on your baking stone, line your peel with pieces of parchment and load the bread onto that. It might take a couple of batches to bake all your bread, depending on your oven size. Score the face of the loaf with your razor in your desired pattern—we like to slash four or five “gills” down each side. Now, grab three ice cubes from the freezer. Being careful to not keep the oven door open too long and let the heat out, open the oven, slide your loaf onto the stone, throw the three ice cubes into the cast-iron pan and close the door. After 5 minutes, quickly open the door and spray the interior of the oven with water. Continue baking until the loaf is evenly browned, about 25 minutes, and has a nice hollow thump when you tap it on the bottom. Let cool for at least 1 hour before cutting.
CHEESE IT. CHEESE IT GOOD.
This is a fantastic bread for sandwiches, and we’ve had customers rave about using it for hamburger buns. The recipe below makes three larger boules—as our joy lies in ripping off hunks and swiping them across whatever’s left on our plates—but you could also make the boules half-size and end up with six smaller rounds. Just keep an eye on smaller loaves in the oven, as they will take about 5 minutes less to bake.
• Yield: Three 1 lb 10 oz/750-g loaves
• Desired Dough Temperature: 85°F/30°C
• Mixing Time: 40 minutes
• Bulk Fermentation: ~2 hours
• Proofing Time: ~2.5 hours
• Baking Time: ~25 minutes
• Cooling Time: ~15 minutes
Mix your final starter (see
here
). This will be enough for the bread formula, plus some extra to carry on the starter.
8 oz/240 ml 75°F/20°C water
10 oz/280 g white bread flour
2 oz/40 ml liquid sourdough
2 lb 0.5 oz/1 kg white bread flour
4 oz/110 g corn flour
8 oz/230 g liquid starter
1 lb 5.5 oz/610 ml 90°F/32°C water
2 oz/60 ml extra-virgin olive oil
3 ¼ tsp/23 g fine sea salt
