bread baking challenge: #7 CIABATTA BREAD

  In this challenge, that I am part of, we follow the book:

The Bread Baker's Apprentice: Mastering the Art of Extraordinary Bread by Peter Reinhart

 

 

bread baking challenge: #7 CIABATTA BREAD

ONE DAY BEFORE BAKING, I SET UP THE POOLISH, FOR THE CIABATTA BREAD.

2 hours after I set up the poolish (1st step for my ciabatta bread) become swollen, and puffy, raised as the book of Peter Reinhart’s wonderful book, The Bread Baker’s Apprentice: Mastering the Art of Extraordinary Bread. that we follow in this challenge. I kept it in the refrigerator, overnight.

ONE HOUR AFTER I TOOK THE POOLISH OUT OF THE REFRIGERATOR (THE NEXT MORNING)

I add flour, yeast, and salt, and with the paddle of my wonderful "cuisine art" AS Nicole said in her blog, she starts adding from the beginning 1/2 cup tap water, keep adding spoon by spoon until I add all 3/4 (maybe a little more) of the whole quantity that the book advised us to do it.

I start kneading at medium speed for 8 min until the dough was not sticking to the walls. I didn't understand this, by reading the book, but I see it as the dough starts making a glue mass.

This was my consistency, a sticky, but firm dough, that will fall from the paddle (eventually) but will still stick to the bottom of the bucket. 

At this moment I add the hook and knead again 5-7 min until the dough will be smooth, and firm, but a little sticky.

I pour the dough on my granite counter on a heavy flour bed, as Peter R. is advising us. I never did a flour bed, but I follow the picture and my imagination.

I make a flat sheet from my dough,( it is so easy to work with this dough! ) on the flour bed, on my counter.

I fold the flat dough, in three, as a letter and I set it up for the first rise (30 minutes).

I have a special towel for covering all my rising bread, so the air shift, and noises, do not go to the dough- this is what I learn, from my grandmother and her baking in my childhood.

I was surprised by how much it raised after 30 minutes… Looks plump and happy don’t you think?

I folded again in three. and as Peter suggested, I put my own special, basil oil, brushed, it so the plastic wrap will not be stuck to the dough, and left it another hour at room temperature, to rise again.

Few more packing and shaping it to be raised again, slip the loaves on the parchment paper and spray oil and cover with wrap, for another 30 minutes.

Baked at 350F, 35 minutes 

It is a nice, nice very good bread!!!!

Ciabatta bread, which I bought from a Bakery, is perfect, soft, and crunchy, outside.

MY OWN CHIABATTA SLICE, WITH WHOLES AND VERY GOOD TASTE.

I AM VERY PROUD AND SO IT IS MY HUSBAND, WHO IS ENJOYING THIS CHALLENGE, MORE THAN ME......

Next bread, I will try ANADAMA bread, I like the story behind, it and the fact it is invented in Massachusetts.