The Fresh Loaf

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Mission Ciabatta

alabubba's picture
alabubba

Mission Ciabatta

I love Ciabatta bread. One of my goals has always been to be able to bake it myself and have it turn out as good or better than the stuff from my local bakery.

I found "Jason's Quick Ciabatta" recipe and decided to give it a go.

Attempt #1 was delicious! It had the right crust and crumb and while I have some experience when it comes to slack dough I was not prepared for just how wet this recipe was. The forming left A LOT of room for improvement.

Attempt#2 I decided that the answer was to knead the crap out of it and add flour to help give it some structure. This helped with the form but took away from the chewiness of the crust.

Attempt#3 I stayed up late last night and watched several videos on youtube of ciabatta makers at work.

Several lights went off in my brain. After my initial mix and knead I portioned the dough out into separate bowls. Covered with plastic wrap and let them to rise. When they were ready I poured them onto a heavily floured table and quickly rough formed them. Not working the flour into the bread but using it to keep everything lubricated. Then let them rest for 20 min. and then transferred them onto plastic wrap that had been floured and dusted with cornmeal. Once on the plastic I could move them around and shape them with ease. I then used the plastic to flip them onto my peel and into my oven.



 



Thats what I am talking about!!!



This makes me smile...

Comments

Salome's picture
Salome

Very beautiful! I've made Jason's cocodrillo Ciabatta as well and I didn't manage to get such nice Ciabatte. the dividing into portions before fermentation sounds smart and and I can imagine that your plastic wrap helps a lot, too. Thanks for sharing!

Here's my attempt: Jason's Quick Cocodrillo Ciabatta

Salome

swtgran's picture
swtgran

I have always divided mine into portions because that is the only way could figure out how to get my loaves sized evenly. Terry R

alabubba's picture
alabubba

Jack, The video above does not show the high hydration of Jason's Quick Cocodrillo Ciabatta but it gave me some ideas about handling wet dough.

And this is a very wet dough, the wetest I have ever worked with. After mixing it is a wet sticky glop. I divide it, then using my bench scraper I do several folds (if you can call pouring the dough onto the counter then scraping it over onto itself a couple of times before scraping it all back into the bowl folding) Usually 3 or 4 folds at 20 minuets apart. This will not turn it into a firm manageable dough but it helps.

As for the plastic wrap, spritz your counter with some water, then lay a piece of plastic wrap down on the wet counter. The water keeps the plastic wrap from moving on you. Then spray the plastic with PAM, then dust with cornmeal. Then pour your dough onto it. Now you can just pull the sides of the plastic up to form your ciabatta loaf.

I turn mine out onto parchment before baking.

Did the water turn out to be your culprit?

I followed you plight on your other thread. Have you been able to turn out any good breads yet. I have a loaf recipe for you to try if you want it. I bake it 3 to 4 times a week and it ALWAYS comes out.

avatrx1's picture
avatrx1

could I get a copy of your recipe.  I have hit a dud period and need to make something that comes out like it's supposed to.

:-)

susie

avatrx1's picture
avatrx1

I made this bread a few weeks ago and it turned out fine.  This time I seem to be experiencing a whole new thing.  It collapsed during the rise before it reached the emphasized 'triple".

I put it in the fridge overnight and it rose again, but it still isn't triple.  The dough seemed much wetter than before. I read your suggestion that it might be the water and since we just refilled the softener - I wondered if that had something to do with it.  We have to soften our well water here or everything would be orange from the iron.

I"d thought about adding a cup of starter to it this morning, but I'm hoping for some advice before proceeding.  It's warming up on the counter as I type.

hmmmmmmmmmmm?

-susie

ronhol's picture
ronhol

I'm glad I stumbled onto this thread.

I've been doing no knead via ABI5 with great success.

Then I tried Jasons Ciabatta, and it's been a horrible flop.

Followed the recipe to the letter! But I kneaded it in the KA for over 30 minutes, no good.

I then realized I had used dried yeast, and it called for instant yeast.

I put the dough in a warm oven for hours, left it on the counter for more hours, just never took off.

Then back in the KA for another 25-30 minutes, just never wanted to climb the hook.

Put in bowl for several hours, never doubled.

Finally put it in the frig, I'll see if it does better tomorrow.

I normally use hot tap water, today I used cold. Well, the hot tap water has more minerals from the hot water tank, and the heat wakes up the yeast.

Double whammy.

My water is softened, but normally does not affect my bread, because I normally use hot tap water, which is not as soft. I can actually smell the difference, just as I can smell the hardness in my water when I run out of salt for the softener.

I'm hoping the yeast will grow enough overnight to bake it in the morning.

ronhol's picture
ronhol

Turns out, the yeast I used is called Instant, so it must be right stuff.

I made up a fresh batch this AM, and although it did not climb the dough hook and stay up, nor did it  really seem to triple, it turned out nice, all the same.

This time I used hot tap water, which is harder than the soft tap water, and the dough behaved much better!

Love it with a little real butter then some peanut butter, terrific.

My crumb is a little damp, is anyone else's like that?

 

jowilchek's picture
jowilchek

I followed directions exactly on this one...wettest dough I have ever worked with.

Cooked as directed. internal themometer read between 205 and 210. Still the dough was undercooked and damp. Even had a very bland taste. Tossing in trash!

According to another blog site Jason says the dough will pass the thump the bottom test long before it is done, so what is the internal temp. for throughly cooked ciabatta? I read it was between 210 and 212 any one know?

It's such a shame because they looked beautiful and the crumb was by far the best I have ever made.

bobkay1022's picture
bobkay1022

Hi there Joelcheck

Not sure what the problem is but I have never had a bad loaf. I check temp internal and it is about 205.  I wonder if there was a problem with the ingredients. I have quite a few loaves posted on this site for Ciabatta.

This is the last batch. Nice Cruse and a tasty crumb. If we can help let me know not sure I can be of nay but my loaves as I mentioned are delicious every time.

I have added at time 2 heaping table spoons of rye flower or whweat flour to the vatch and it does change the taste a little and folks like it.

MR. Bob

jowilchek's picture
jowilchek

MR Bob,
Your loaves are beautiful. Thanks for the comments but I am sure my ingredients are fine. I used the same bag of flour, the jar of yeast, etc...that I used for my Focaccia Christmas Eve. So ingredients ok, followed formula and directions to a tee! It seems from other posts and other web sites others have had problems with this formula, so I don't feel to deflated. But next week I am going to try Steve's (Bread cetera)
Ciabatta using Double Flour Addition/Double Hydration
Hopefully I will get better results (couldn't get much worse, a little joke)
But thanks so much for your response and will let you know how the doulble flour double hydration formula works. I know I am a newby but since starting this journey into bread making a year and 8 months ago I have learned and improved alot thanks to all the kind folks at The Fresh Loaf and Bread cetera!!!
Happy New Year and Happy baking (and eating)