The Fresh Loaf

A Community of Amateur Bakers and Artisan Bread Enthusiasts.

Pointe-a-Calliere ala Shiao Ping

trailrunner's picture
trailrunner

Pointe-a-Calliere ala Shiao Ping

I started to make this from Bread but then looked at my  notes and saw an old post from another TFLer who  cited Shiao Ping's version. Since her adaptation fits with my usual procedures I decided to carry on with her ideas. Everyone comments on how wet this formula is. I always have my levain at approx 80-100% hydration. Again I carried on. I used equal parts Red Fife and Kamut and finished with organic bread flour. I doubled the formula to get 4 1 kg miche...mini miche :) I followed her folding schedule and the dough became very easy to handle and the gluten development was amazing.It is definitely a wet formula and my high hydration levain increased it. I shaped and placed in floured  cloth-lined baskets and retarded immediately for 12 hours. I baked cold from the fridge in iron pots as my usual routine. 500 degrees for 15 min. with lids on and 25 min. at 460 with lids off. This is a great bread !  Hamelman says it develops more and more flavor as the days go by. I look forward to that. I got an open tender crumb with a bit of sour right off the bat. Crust is very crisp initially and beautifully  caramelized  .

 

Comments

dabrownman's picture
dabrownman

is somewhere around 84% hydration for not so much whole grains and accounts for for its rather flat appearance.  Less water makes for a much loftier loaf according to David Snyder's experiments with this bread.  I don't know what the Kamut and Red Fife would do to the flavor but it can't hurt it any.  It sure looks tasty with that crust.  Well done adn 

Happy baking 

trailrunner's picture
trailrunner

It is very tasty the next day. Had some with an aged cheddar /grilled . Yum....Kamut seems to always increase the gluten formation with little effort needed. At least that is what I have found when using it. In all respects it is a terrific bread and I have 3 more miche to enjoy :) Happy Spring day to you. c

Ru007's picture
Ru007

Looks mighty tasty! That crumb looks very nice and soft.

I've got some dough in the fridge that's way wetter than I intended it to be. Your loaf has given me hope for a good loaf still!

Anyway, very nice bake! 

Happy baking.

trailrunner's picture
trailrunner

I love a really wet dough. As shiao ping notes in her blog when retarded in the fridge and baked right out of the cold you get the advantage of easy scoring and the loaf doesn't collapse so much. I will make again and lower the hydration but it wasn't bad at all. Good luck and do post your outcome . c

Ru007's picture
Ru007

the outcome. No disaster. I baked the dough right out of the fridge, i still found it a bit tricky to handle but i think it was a much better situation than if i had let it come to room temp first. 

Ru

dmsnyder's picture
dmsnyder

I'm talking about the loaves, of course. 

I have a new formula I am working on that is 82% hydration and 79% whole grain flour. (First iteration/first loaf just came out of the oven.) Even with the greater water absorption of whole grain flours, this was still a wet dough. Time and folds work magic on wet dough. If only noobie loafers didn't panic and keep adding more flour to their wet doughs!

David

trailrunner's picture
trailrunner

so they are what they are !! On to the bread :)  It is wonderful !  Have no idea of the true hydration as I am poorly attached to anything but the " feel " of the starter and my dough. Alas having worked with bread dough since 1975 I am sorely lacking in the ability to precisely measure. ( I am having fun here ) 

The ability to handle the wet doughs has gotten better and better as my ability to gingerly grab and fold has improved. Having come from decades of traditional kneading to this point I am truly impressed with what I can manage. I actually spray my soapstone counter with water and then turn the dough out and pat it into a large square and letter fold/stretch. I have wonderful success. It adds to the hydration in increments while increasing the gluten/body of the dough. I do feel that the extra additions of the water aid the dough in many ways . Also as you point out the addition of extra flour subtracts at a greater rate. What comes from years of handling the dough in a fearless manner is an improved loaf.  

Thank you for posting and as always your humor strikes me " just so" . We really must meet for coffee and pastry at some point soon !!  c