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Ok…….I am making yet another refinement to my bread. Last time, I made a very successful bread without preferment. This time, I am making a bread with a true biga, NOT a poolish.

 

 

Monday 10:00 AM

 

 

Biga

6 oz water

Pinch of instant yeast

12 oz All Trumps Hi Gluten Flour

 

 

Mix on low until bread comes together, and there is no dry flour remaining. Cover with a plate, and allow to remain on the counter. My plan is to allow the biga to ferment for 24-32 hours, yes, a long time, but I hope to make a strongly flavored bread.

 

 

Now…I have had it with waiting for poolish or biga to develope………So, I am going to make this loaf using a total of 32 oz of flour, and 24 oz of water, plus salt and yeast. When I make the bread, I am going to reserve 8 oz of flour and 6 oz of water as 14 oz of pate fermente. I am going to keep the pate fermente in the fridge for the next loaf. Then, I will always have “old dough” to make bread with.

 

 

Tuesday 10:30 AM

 

 

Add to biga:

 

 

18 oz water

1 tbl yeast

20 oz flour

1/4 tsp citric acid

2 tsp salt

 

 

I allowed the bread to bulk ferment for 2 hours, removed and refrigerated 14 oz for pate fermente, and shaped the remainder into 2 loaves. I allowed the loaves to rise for 2 hours, and then baked at 450 F for 35 minutes. The bread temped at 200 F.

 

 

I made a similar bread last week, no preferment, and it had a tablespoon of lard in it. Last weeks bread was soft, and very springy. The current bread had a much fuller, lightly sour taste, and is very springy, but some effort has to be made to bite it. The holes are also bigger and more irregular. THIS is my favorite style, although the addition of a little fat can make the bread “easier, less tough”, but I’m not sure that is a good thing. I am delighted that I am actually in control of what the loaf flavor and texture can be.

Done