4/21/10 - Ciabatta Blobs

Hey All,

Just wanted to share with you my bake from last night.  Ciabatta blobs.  I was planning to bake something else, but switched plans last minute...  I'm happy with them.  They have the most open crumb that I have gotten in a long time...  Enjoy!

Recipe is below.

Tim

Recipe

1000g Bread Flour

200g Firm Sourdough Starter (60% hydration)

800g Water

24g Kosher Salt

6g Active Dry Yeast (approx 2 tsp)

2030g Total Dough Yield

Instructions:

7:00pm – Weigh out all ingredients.  Place firm SD starter along with water in large mixing bowl.  Then, add all dry ingredients on top, mix well with wooden spoon and plastic scraper.  Cover and let rest for 30 minutes.

7:30pm – In bowl, turn dough using wet hands and French fold method until dough is smooth.  4-8 strokes.  Cover and let rest.

8:00pm – Turn dough using French fold or letter fold method in bowl using wet hands, cover and let rest.

8:30pm – Turn dough using wet hands, cover and let rest.

9:00pm – Turn dough using wet hands, cover and let rest.

9:30pm – Turn dough using wet hands, cover and let rest.

9:45pm – Turn dough using wet hands, place on well floured linen couche on a sheet pan in 1 piece seam side down.  Flour top, cover, place in large plastic bag, proof for 1 hr.  Arrange 2 baking stones and a steam pan in oven, preheat to 550F with convection.

10:50pm – Using a bench scraper, cut dough blob into 4 roughly equal pieces, stretch them out lightly, place onto floured peel and place in oven directly on baking stone.  When all the loaves are in, pour 1 cup of water into steam pan, close oven door, turn down oven to 450F, no convection, bake for 40 minutes, rotating them between the stones halfway through the bake.  Cool completely before cutting.