The Fresh Loaf

A Community of Amateur Bakers and Artisan Bread Enthusiasts.

House Miche

Shiao-Ping's picture
Shiao-Ping

House Miche

My daughter left today for Belgium to start a six week (French speaking) holiday and visiting our family friends over there.  A couple of days ago I asked if there's anything she'd like me to make before she goes.  She said, "Something familiar."  I can take the hint.  Recently, I have been experimenting with rye flour and my family are not very impressed with the result.  One rye bread came out really dense and as I was mumbling why this bread is so dense, my husband said, "Don't throw it out."  "What made you think I would?" I asked.  He said, "History."  I have had a bad track record in littering. 

Anyway, as I said, I can take the hint from my daughter.  I made this good old House Miche, or Daily Bread, for our lunch yesterday.  "House Miche" - doesn't it sound glamorous?  It sounds really lovely, I might add.  I took the term from a post by Jeremy of Stir The Pots in the Australian Sourdough Companion, back in 2005!  Jeremy's sourdough making history certainly goes a long way back (or, put another way, Sourdough Companion goes a long way back). 

Well, here it is, our House Miche, a simple formula with a simple procedure:

 

       

                                                                                                             

My Formula

  • 230 g starter at 60% hydration * Note
  • 100 g whole wheat flour (20% of final dough flour, or 15% of total dough flour)
  • 400 g white bread flour (sometimes I do 50 g rye flour and 350 g white bread flour)
  • 378 g water * Note
  • 12 g salt

Total dough weight 1120 g; overall dough hydration 72%.

* Note: If your starter is at 75% or 100% hydration, you can reduce your water to 355 g or 328 g, respectively, and still keep the same overall dough hydration.

 

               

 

  1. Mix all ingredients.  Autolyse 30 to 45 minutes.  
  2. Depending on your room temperature, over the next 2 - 3 hours, stretch and folds 3 - 4 times with 20 - 30 strokes each time. 
  3. Pre-shape, rest for 15 - 20 minutes, and shape.  (If the dough does not appear to have enough dough strength, pre-shape twice with 15 - 20 minutes rest in between, but be mindful of the time elapsed as it all counts towards the total fermentation time.)
  4. Depending on your room temperature, proof for no more than 1/2 - 1 hour.  (As my room temperature was 28 C, from the time my ingredients were mixed, to the time the shaped dough was placed into the fridge, it was no more than 3 1/2 to 4 hours.  Alternatively, if you want to bake it on the day the dough was made with no overnight retardation, proofing can be up to 2 1/2 hours.) 
  5. Place the shaped dough in the fridge for a minimum of 8 -12 hours.  (Note: an 8 - 12 hours overnight retardation in the fridge is equivalent to an extra two hours of proofing in the room temperature!)  Bake with steam at 240C for the first 15 minutes, then reduce the heat to 220C and bake for a further 20 minutes.

 

                

 

My daughter loved it.  When she returns in mid February, she will start a new phase in her life - say goodbye to school and start university.  She will be ready for more independence and responsibility. 

Until then, our son gets the full attention of both his mummy and daddy.  How good is that, he says.

 

                                            

                            Roast beef and salad sourdough sandwich for our boy - a mid-morning snack

 

Shiao-Ping

Comments

ehanner's picture
ehanner

Beautiful post. This is one of my favorite breads Shiao-Ping. I don't always make it in a Miche form but it is a nice table bread every one likes to enjoy as hunger attacks them. I'm always surprised that this springs so well in the oven after laying so flat when loaded. Do you have a similar experience? Our flours are likely so different..

So your daughter is off on her first big adventure on her own. I can relate to that. Lucky son!

Eric

Shiao-Ping's picture
Shiao-Ping

Isn't there something to be said about our familiar and favourite bread?  A few years ago I noticed that all of a sudden there were many cookbooks under the same title of comfort foods.  Our familiar and favourite bread is our comfort food, isn't it.  They are never grand, but they are always very warm to our heart. 

Like your brilliant idea of Susan's simple sourdough challenge, perhaps this can be another similar idea - a Home Miche challenge?!!   No, no, we don't want challenge of any sort, we just want sharing.

The oven spring I get isn't always spectacular.  I find, though, even when there was no noticeable oven spring, the crumb is still reasonably open.   

I think this trip my daughter is having will be the one that she will remember fondly for many years to come.  

Thank you for your remarks, Eric.

Shiao-Ping

dmsnyder's picture
dmsnyder

David

Shiao-Ping's picture
Shiao-Ping

Shiao-Pign

rossnroller's picture
rossnroller

Just baked your miche this morning, and was VERY pleased with the result.

 

 


THANKS for sharing the recipe! A truly beautiful bread.

Cheers
Ross

Shiao-Ping's picture
Shiao-Ping

Hope your partner enjoys it as much as you do.

Shiao-Ping

rossnroller's picture
rossnroller

Oh, she does! Or I should say 'did' - we're through it already! Thanks again, Shiao-Ping. It's one of my very favourites. Love the way it retains its moisture and continues to develop depth of flavour the day after baking, and the next.

Looking forward to trying it with a little rye next time, but really, the flavour is great regardless.

joshuacronemeyer's picture
joshuacronemeyer

house miche

I bake this bread or a variation of it at least once a week.  Thanks for the inspiration! http://makingloaf.tumblr.com/post/3049542488/ive-been-up-on-that-high-hydration-ledge-for-a

Shiao-Ping's picture
Shiao-Ping

Hello, your bread looks awesome! So much nicer than my House Miche which was pale and unappetizing. Thanks for sharing your photos. People who love sourdough can never have enough bread photos!   Shiao-Ping 

Librarian's picture
Librarian

Thank you for this recipe the small ammount of full grain makes this DELIGHTFUL to sample. I love the taste, this is among the light rye from Leader

the best recipe I tried from here. I did everything according to your instructions, but due to work I had to ferment it in the fridge for 18 hours, I dechilled it for 1 hour,

it didnt look like it doubled at all, but in the oven the rise was sensational, weird how that differs from bread to bread, I will never fully understand that :D.

Great crust, amazing texture nice big pores, for the first time i had those little blisters on the crust I love much, this is a keeper. thank you for sharing !

Shiao-Ping's picture
Shiao-Ping

Thank you for taking the time to comment and paste your bread picture.  I tried to load the page a few times but still couldn't see your picture.  I don't know if there is something wrong at my end. 

Librarian's picture
Librarian

Sorry it worked yesterday i tried another storage option, thank you so much again for sharing this. I adore this bread.