Hi, this is my first week of bread making and my first post.
I remember eating Italian bread, white with lovely crust, and with huge air pockets inside. Does anyone know how to make beaad with these large bubbles of air ? Thanks. Bob
Yes, many of us know how to make such a bread. It starts with a good formula (recipe) and relatively good control of time, temperature and dough handling. You can find many formulas through a web search.
In essence you are trying to mix various ingredients and develop 3 things; gluten structure, gas and flavor. The gas makes the bubbles, the gluten retains the shape we desire and heck, why make bread without flavor.
It would be difficult to tell you all the parameters needed to develop the ideal Italian loaf of bread in this single post. Folks have written entire books on the subject. I suggest you begin by reading the various postings here and then search on specific points.
As the saying goes, "Making bread is easy. Making good bread is hard, and making good bread consistently is nearly impossible". Most of us here on on a journey to the impossible.
One thing not clear in the video is the final proofing is done in the fridge.
You'll need AP flour (you can use bread flour too) and durum flour. Ideally it should be semola rimacinata (re-milled semolina) but if you can't find any then fine semolina will do.
Prep your starter so it is fed and matured before starting the recipe in the video. Do this by taking a little off the mother starter and build a 50% hydration levain.
Big holes in the crumb comes from flour, hydration and how it's handled. But the higher the hydration the more difficult. So while this recipe isn't what you're looking for it is Italian and delicious.
I think you're looking for Ciabatta bread from the description in your post.
I'd suggest starting with just basic bread - make a few loaves, get used to handling the dough before moving on to something that a friend describes as "origami with glue".
Basic bread - 500g flour, 8g salt, 7g yeast, 320g water. Mix in bowl. Tip out onto bench. Cover with bowl and leave 30 minutes. Knead for 30 seconds. Put back into bowl - leave for about an hour, gently tip out, shape into something (10000's of videos on youtube) or just plop it into a tin. Leave until almost doubled - (almost an hour) put into a hot oven (230°C) for about half an hour - turn out, wait as long as you can (or at least until you don't burn your fingers picking it up), slice, cover in butter and enjoy...
Hi Gordon, a few people have mentioned 'handling the dough' however I have been using my Kitchen Aid mixer with dough hook - is that a bad thing? And will it adversely effect my results ? Bob
well, not for me. I don't make ciabatta that often, but when I do, I use an electric mixer. I have a Hobart A200 for big batches, and Kenwood Chef for smaller ones. Seems to make it OK.
and it doesn't help that the term "Italian bread" can mean different types to different people, so it might help if you'd be as specific and as detailed as possible about the particular type you'd like to bake.
you are quite right. I have found a bread with the consistency that I would love - The Royal Crown's Tortanohe ? - crown shape isn't the important thing, but those lovely air pockets -- Bob
if you haven't done so already, you might try doing a TFL search for "tortano" or "royal crown tortano". I'm not familiar with this type beyond its name, but I'd be pretty surprised if you don't find info from bakers who are.
Hi bobhurley and welcome aboard.
Yes, many of us know how to make such a bread. It starts with a good formula (recipe) and relatively good control of time, temperature and dough handling. You can find many formulas through a web search.
In essence you are trying to mix various ingredients and develop 3 things; gluten structure, gas and flavor. The gas makes the bubbles, the gluten retains the shape we desire and heck, why make bread without flavor.
It would be difficult to tell you all the parameters needed to develop the ideal Italian loaf of bread in this single post. Folks have written entire books on the subject. I suggest you begin by reading the various postings here and then search on specific points.
As the saying goes, "Making bread is easy. Making good bread is hard, and making good bread consistently is nearly impossible". Most of us here on on a journey to the impossible.
Jim
Many thanks, Jim, I feel new hope rising - I just need the Italian bread to follow suit -- Bob
As it is low hydration but very delicious.
One thing not clear in the video is the final proofing is done in the fridge.
You'll need AP flour (you can use bread flour too) and durum flour. Ideally it should be semola rimacinata (re-milled semolina) but if you can't find any then fine semolina will do.
Prep your starter so it is fed and matured before starting the recipe in the video. Do this by taking a little off the mother starter and build a 50% hydration levain.
http://www.thefreshloaf.com/node/51986/pane-cafone-mark-ii-better-crumb
Enjoy!
Big holes in the crumb comes from flour, hydration and how it's handled. But the higher the hydration the more difficult. So while this recipe isn't what you're looking for it is Italian and delicious.
I think you're looking for Ciabatta bread from the description in your post.
Hi Lechem, many thanks for the info - it has given me lots to think about. Bob
... is probably what you're after.
However - it's tricky to make.
I'd suggest starting with just basic bread - make a few loaves, get used to handling the dough before moving on to something that a friend describes as "origami with glue".
Basic bread - 500g flour, 8g salt, 7g yeast, 320g water. Mix in bowl. Tip out onto bench. Cover with bowl and leave 30 minutes. Knead for 30 seconds. Put back into bowl - leave for about an hour, gently tip out, shape into something (10000's of videos on youtube) or just plop it into a tin. Leave until almost doubled - (almost an hour) put into a hot oven (230°C) for about half an hour - turn out, wait as long as you can (or at least until you don't burn your fingers picking it up), slice, cover in butter and enjoy...
-Gordon
Hi Gordon, a few people have mentioned 'handling the dough' however I have been using my Kitchen Aid mixer with dough hook - is that a bad thing? And will it adversely effect my results ? Bob
well, not for me. I don't make ciabatta that often, but when I do, I use an electric mixer. I have a Hobart A200 for big batches, and Kenwood Chef for smaller ones. Seems to make it OK.
-Gordon
and get a million hits and do the same thing on YouTube and see a million videos.
and it doesn't help that the term "Italian bread" can mean different types to different people, so it might help if you'd be as specific and as detailed as possible about the particular type you'd like to bake.
Hi Arjon,
you are quite right. I have found a bread with the consistency that I would love - The Royal Crown's Tortanohe ? - crown shape isn't the important thing, but those lovely air pockets -- Bob
if you haven't done so already, you might try doing a TFL search for "tortano" or "royal crown tortano". I'm not familiar with this type beyond its name, but I'd be pretty surprised if you don't find info from bakers who are.