So last night I was up ridiculously late after work trying to make white sandwich bread, you know, like wonder bread only tastier and with less preservatives. I've had success in the past with rustic Tuscan bread, the kind you can use for bruschetta and such, but danged if I can't find a way to make a fluffy, store-bought-esque white bread (and maybe someday a fluffy whole wheat bread!).
The Tuscan bread is like delicious madness, a 48 hour turn around...you have to really want it...in two days! I should just keep mini loaves of the dough in the freezer before the second rise...but I digress! This is not about this recipe. This is about the white bread recipe from "Crust and Crumb: Master Formulas for Serious Bread Bakers" by Peter Reinhart.
So! In the past, my attempts at sandwich bread have invariably been too dense or too dry or had too much of a crust, or in the case of bread like my "grandma makes," wind up tasting stale (grandma avoids using salt...). So, I tried the "Joy of Cooking" recipe...didn't turn out very good; this one I'm on the fence, I'd love a sandwich bread that doesn't require a "biga," or many iterations of "knead and rest," and this is definitely not that. On the other hand, it's pretty tasty and the things that went wrong are probably user error.
But some may ask, what the heck is a biga and why do I need it??
Well, biga is the fancy pants name for a "bread starter;" and the purpose of the starter is for the yeasts to "ripen" and add additional flavor to you bread, so it doesn't taste flat and lifeless. Which is done by allowing a prescribed portion of your yeast, flour, water and sometimes a sweetner (sugar or honey usually) to rise in a warm place for a little while and then be transferred to the fridge to develop the rest of the way. Depending on the type of bread you're making you may want a starter that has "ripened" for a few hours, a day or a few days, so consult your recipe. Take note however, because much like anything else requiring care and feeding, your little bread starter yeasts will die after a few days, so don't leave it too long.
Some chefs, like Alton Brown, recommend keeping your bread starter going (esp. if you really are going to be making your own bread all the time) by mixing back in some flour and water every time you take some starter out, in this manner you can keep your little yeasties happy for a long, long time! I haven't tried it though, so I can't really advise one way or the other.
But back to the recipe...my main complaint on any bread recipe is about the yeasts. I'm enough of a noob to know that I don't know about the difference between "active dry" yeast and "instant" yeast, but now that I've poked the sleepy dragon that is the internet enough, I now know that "active dry" the kind I have in my fridge, requires "proofing." Which I had forgotten about before I made this recipe...now I know that I shouldn't blame the book for my flaws as a bread baker, but how hard would it be to simply mention the slight variations that might be in order for using one or the other...eh? Now my bread didn't fail to rise because of this, it just rose super slowly...
"Proofing" is to "active dry" yeast what a sleepy shamble for a bowl of cereal and a cup of coffee and a shower are to Dr. husband. The yeast needs to wake up and be ready for action. This also tells you if your yeast is still alive or not, if they fail to "proof" then you need new yeast. The super picky thing about your yeast friends, however, is they are total "Goldilocks" prima donnas of water temperature, below 100-105 degrees won't be warm enough to rouse them, above 115 degrees and you've boiled the little buggers, SO!
To proof, add your yeast to 0.5 cups of warm water (at specified temp (I use a probe thermometer, but you could pro'lly ball park it...luke warm...), mix in 1 tsp sugar (this is yeast food) mix until sugar is dissolved, then sprinkle your yeast (usually a "packet" aka 2.25 tsp) into the water and stir gently. Then leave it to sit (no touchy!) for 5-10 minutes. If it bubbles, expands and smells yeasty or "beer-like"--Congratulations! You've got live yeast! If not, your yeast has failed to proof, go to the grocery store and get fresh yeast.
The other thing as a bread noob that bothers me is the recipe specifies: "Allow bread to rise in a warm spot or at room temperature for 60 to 90 minutes, till nearly doubled in size. The dough should crest above the rims of the pans but not mushroom over the sides. If the dough should show signs of mushrooming, bake it immediately."
Now I'm used to loosey-goosey instructions in cooking in general, but...could they define how much of "the dough should crest above the rims of the pans?" I mean are we talking just the top edge? 50% of the total top area, 80%? Just shy of "mushroom?" (which I do understand the meaning of). Apparently I'm too analytical...could they just draw a diagram?! I'm guessing just shy of "mushroom,"as I went for about hmm...a 40-50% cresting and it turned out rather dense...for me just shy of mushroom would have meant letting the dough rise for probably double the allotted time. But this recipe is tasty...so I may give it another shot, but not before I go for this one, which requires no biga.
This is how it turned out:
If you can see, there is some very tight crumb at the bottom, which I believe means I should have let it rise longer...ah well...
Also, bread recipes never seem to want to tell you how long it'll take until you get to eat the bread...so I'll add it up for you (after you've made the biga and are on to the bread recipe proper)...time to tasty bread: 6.5 hours (including "mixing" and 2 hours cooling).
And so:
"BIGA-STYLE (FIRM) PRE‑FERMENT
...biga comes in a wide range of styles, depending on the baker or the village. Stiffer pre-ferments take longer to develop than wet sponges because the thicker dough offers more resistance. For the same reason, they are easier to control, which is an advantage in bakeries where much is going on or in homes where baking schedules are unpredictable.
This pre-ferment will be active for up to three days if kept refrigerated, which means that if you make the biga on day one, you can make bread dough on days two, three, and four. As with thepoolish-style sponge, this formula yields more than many breads require. You may freeze unused bigafor up to six months. (It is best to freeze it on day two, as it accumulates more alcohol on subsequent days and will not hold up as well in the freezer.)
COMMENTARIES
• I prefer instant yeast because it is strong and reliable, but other types will work.
• Using cool water allows the dough to mix thoroughly before the friction of the kneading raises its temperature to the optimal range of 78° to 80°F.
• You can also use an electric mixer with a dough hook or a food processor with a metal or plastic blade for the first two steps. An electric mixer takes about the same amount of time as hand kneading; a food processor takes only a few seconds.
• Every brand of flour has a slightly different absorption rate. Because this is only a pre-ferment, the amount of liquid is not as critical as in the final dough, where adjustments can be made. The most important thing is to have enough water to hydrate all the flour.
• Because this dough will ferment for a long time and will be mixed again, it does not have to be kneaded as fully as a final dough.
• The fermentation time may need to be adjusted according to the room temperature. On hot days (above 80°F) you can cut an hour off the time; on cold days (if the house temperature is below 62°F) you may need to add an hour. The goal, remember, is to fully ferment the dough and build up the yeast.
• Retarding the dough in the refrigerator helps develop even more flavor, while slowing down the yeast activity. It also allows you to begin making bread dough the next morning that can be ready for dinner that night. Pull the biga from the refrigerator 1 hour before using to take the chill off.
| INGREDIENT | % |
| Unbleached bread flour | 100 |
| Water | 62.5 |
| Instant yeast | 0.7 |
| Fresh yeast | 2 |
MAKES ABOUT 1⅝ POUNDS
3.5 cups (16 ounces) unbleached bread flour
1 teaspoon instant yeast, 1.25 teaspoons active dry yeast, or 1 tablespoon fresh, crumbled yeast
1.25 cups cool water (65°to 70°F)
=Approximate Weight: 26 ounces (1 pound, 10 ounces)
1. Combine all the ingredients in a mixing bowl. Stir with a wooden or metal spoon until the dough forms a ball.
2. Transfer to a lightly floured work surface and knead for about 5 minutes, until the flour is fully incorporated and the dough is smooth and tacky but not sticky. Add a little more flour or water if necessary to achieve this consistency.
3. Place the dough in a clean bowl large enough to accommodate doubling. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or enclose it in a plastic bag, and allow the dough to rise at room temperature for about 3 to 5 hours, or till the dough increases in size at least 1.5 times.
4. Use immediately or punch down, cover with plastic wrap (or put it back in the plastic bag), and retard in the refrigerator overnight."
And the bread:
"WHITE SANDWICH BREAD
As home bakers we do not, thankfully, have to be concerned about shelf life, so this master formula takes white bread to its zenith: It has fully developed flavor from long fermentation yet is soft and airy, perfect for any kind of sandwich. I have yet to find a better white bread.
COMMENTARIES
• Although this formula is for two loaves, you can also make smaller sandwich loaves, dinner rolls, or soft, hoagie-style submarine rolls from this multipurpose dough.
• Make the pre-ferment the day before, and use the full amount in this formula. Because this bread has a higher percentage of pre-ferment than flour, you can bake it the same day you mix it and achieve full flavor.
• Punching down or “turning” the dough for a second rise, as in step 4, promotes fermentation and gluten development, which enhance the flavor and structure of the bread.
• You can use different size pans, but do not fill the pans any fuller than two-thirds, or the loaves will appear ready for the oven before they actually are. If you put too little dough in the pan, the loaves will not develop the proper dome.
• Be sure to allow the loaf to cool. You will crush this relatively soft bread if you try to slice it before it cools completely; its creamy texture and flavor will reward your patience.
| INGREDIENT | % |
| Unbleached bread flour | 100 |
| Biga-style pre-ferment | 100 |
| Salt | 3.1 |
| Sugar | 9.3 |
| Instant yeast | 0.9 |
| Whole milk | 37.5 |
| Unsalted butter | 25 |
MAKES 2 LOAVES
4 cups (16 ounces) biga-style pre-ferment
3.5 cups (16 ounces) unbleached bread flour
2 teaspoons (0.5 ounce) salt
3 tablespoons (1.5 ounces) sugar
1.25 teaspoon (0.15 ounce) instant yeast
0.75 cup (6 ounces) whole milk, at room temperature
0.5 cup (4 ounces) unsalted butter, softened
Vegetable oil cooking spray
=Approximate Weight: 31 ounces (1 pound, 15 ounces)
1. Cut the biga into small pieces. Combine it with all the other ingredients in a mixing bowl or in the bowl of an electric mixer with a dough hook.
2. Add a small amount of water or flour if necessary to create the right texture.
3. Round the dough, and put it in a clean bowl large enough to hold it when it has risen. Mist the dough lightly with cooking spray, cover the bowl with plastic wrap, and let the dough rise for about 1 hour at room temperature. It should rise to about 1.5 times its original size.
4. Remove the dough and knead it again, by hand, for 5 minutes. Round it into a ball, return it to the bowl, re-cover and let the dough rise for an additional hour, until it again increases about 1.5 times in size.
5. Divide the dough into 2 equal pieces, and shape them into rolls or sandwich loaves.
6. Grease two 5 by 9-inch bread pans. (Cooking spray works well for this.) Place the shaped doughs in the pans and mist them lightly with cooking spray. Cover the pans loosely with plastic wrap or enclose them in a large plastic bag. Let the loaves rise in a warm spot or at room temperature for 60 to 90 minutes, till nearly doubled in size. The dough should crest above the rims of the pans but not mushroom over the sides. If the dough shows signs of mushrooming, bake it immediately.
7. When the dough is nearly ready, place an oven rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350°F. (Make sure there is enough headroom for the loaves. If not, lower the rack a notch.)
8. Remove the pans from the plastic and bake the loaves for about 45 minutes, rotating them front to back after 20 minutes to promote even browning. The bread is done when it is golden brown all around and has an internal temperature of 190°F. If you don’t have a probe thermometer, carefully remove a loaf from the pan and thwack the bottom; it should make a hollow sound.
9. Turn the loaves out onto a rack, and let them cool for at least 2 hours before slicing."
So for what it's worth, this one is worth a go. It might be a little more trouble then it's worth, but then again I might just pick up some "instant" yeast and do this during a day I'm not at work, just to have the patience to wait for a proper rise.
Happy baking!
