How to adapt a recipe for using a sponge
Hi!
I've been reading a lot of posts here and learning about bread baking. I'm new to this and I learn with every post. :) Love this site!!
I'd like to adapt a recipe my grandmother used to make. I'd like to use a sponge to increase fermentation time and develop flavor. It's a brioche-like bread and it uses A LOT of yeast! (Sorry it's in cups, it's the original recipe).
Recipe:
30 g instant yeast
1/4 cup of water
6 cups flour
5 eggs
1 can of condensed milk (the one that has sugar)
5 yolks
250 g butter
2 tablespoons orange blossom water
1 Egg (for eggwash)
Dissolve yeast in water and add 1/2 cup of flour. Let rest for 15 min. To the rest of the flour add eggs, condensed milk, yolks, butter and orange blossom water. Add the yeast mixture. Knead until it doesn't stick to the table. Ferment until it doubles. Divide in 4 pieces. Shape and proof until it doubles. Apply eggwash and bake (200ºC/390ºF)
I'd like to know how to adapt it for using a sponge. Rose Levy Beranbaum uses eggs in her sponges for brioche. Should I? How many? How do I go about the yeast? I know I need to use less yeast if using a sponge, how much? (I'd like to use less yeast anyway).
Thanks in advance