Ortiz, in his book "The Village Baker" (p 21-24) ) describes the aims of the sponge method (poolish): "It allows the baker to achieve some of the TEXTURE and CRUSTINESS of a bread made with sourdough, yet retain some of the lightness of a straight yeasted dough." "...acquire a more interesting flavor, and give a chewy texture to the crumb." "... a CRACKLING CURST, well-developed texture, and an aromatic, nutlike flavor are some of the qualities..."
After a year as a beginner just following recipes, I am still in search of a THIN CRACKING CRUST (rather than tough and chewy). I am not getting enough of the thin cracking crust texture using the sponge or any other method.
I bake in a cloche staring with a preheated bottom and a water soaked lid. Are there other factors I should amplify in order to get that thin, crackling crust? Adjust oven temperature? Longer/slower or faster rising time? Number of rises (though most recipes specify two)? Baking time? Additions to the dough beyond flour, water, salt, yeast? Some other flour rather than King Arthur Unbleached All Purpose? Praying or swearing? Other things I have not mentioned. Thanks much. Jim Burgin
Praying & swearing definitely :)
I would add: using lower-protein flour & baking with steam as important items in thin crackly crust. High protein flours will lead to a thicker, chewier crust (think pizza dough)
You realize that a crisp crust is a temporary phenomenon, right?
Yes, I do. Understand that it can be crisped up next day by sprinkling with water and putting in 350 degree oven for 10 minutes. RIGHT????
Ten minutes seems excessive....I use a spray bottle and 5 minutes in a hotter oven.
If your bread is coming out of the oven with a tough chewy crust you are giving it too much moisture. Pull the cover off the bread at about 90% done and let the crust dry out. Moisture after the first 50% of the bake is unnecessary. Professional ovens allow you to steam immediately and then again 5 minutes or so into the bake. After the oven spring is finished steam is not desired. Try preheating the top and bottom of the cloche and NOT soaking either piece. If you feel you need a LITTLE more moisture than you'll get from the dough, spray the bread before you put it in the cloche.
Yes, Thanks for writing. I have been baking 40 minutes cover on then taking cover off for remaining 15-20 minutes. Will try not wetting the top of cloche next time. Jim
less steam tends to produce a thinner, less chewy crust. So does baking at a lower temperature.
1) Shorten the covered time, lengthening the uncovered time. I'd suggest 25 minutes covered, 25 minutes uncovered (more on this in #4 below).
2) What is your baking temperature and have you calibrated your oven? I pre-heat my calibrated oven to 500F, and reduce to 475F when I put the dough in.
3) When the bake is complete (I bake my bread to 208F and test with an instant read thermometer), turn off the oven, crack open the oven door 2 - 3 inches and place an oven mitt or towel to hold it open. This prevents the water coming from the interior at the end of the bake from saturating the crust. Take the bread out after 2 - 3 minutes (I've gone as long as 10 minutes with baguettes).
4) Try a metal Dutch oven. A water-soaked clay cloche will not affect the humidity level very much inside (compared to the water coming from the dough), but will take a lot longer to reach target temperature due to evaporative cooling of the cloche. This results in the dough being exposed to a much lower temperature for much of the bake.
Good luck!
Thanks much Bart. I will try these things.
Jim