The Fresh Loaf

A Community of Amateur Bakers and Artisan Bread Enthusiasts.

Ciabatta???

Skibum's picture
Skibum

Ciabatta???

Can I call this loaf a ciabatta? Well that was the original plan and I shaped according to P. Reinhart, sort of. I only did one letter fold. Well things bloomed beautifully along the letter fold seam and this made a nice sandwich loaf. Gave half to my neighbours and made their little girl's day.

Total flour 350g. I used 35g durham semolina and the balance strong bread flour. I mixed this at 78% hydration using 7g coarse sea salt and 6g EVOO.

the proofed loaf.

Crumb.

This bread made for a great BLT sanny with roast chicken. YUMM!

Ahhh!  A couple of sanny slices.

Happy baking! Ski

Comments

Danni3ll3's picture
Danni3ll3

I wish I had had some of that for dinner tonight. I couldn't bake this weekend due to other obligations, and we ran out of bread for us (I have 3  loaves in the freezer but they are for the soup kitchen.) so hubby ran out and bought bread - a light rye loaf. Oh my! Was it ever horrible! It was so mushy it stucinto my teeth and had no flavour what so ever! 

Love your loaf!

Skibum's picture
Skibum

I have a similar experience with store bought  bread. I bought a baguette from my local deli and couldn't eat it. We get spoiled with our home made breads. I will admit having a loaf of Wonder bread in the freezer, used solely for adding into meatballs.

Happy baking! Ski

PalwithnoovenP's picture
PalwithnoovenP

Oven spring was unbelievable! Is this the first time it happened? I'm curious how this beauty bloomed.

Skibum's picture
Skibum

I think my secret to oven spring is keeping my starter very happy. I used to feed my starter 1:1:1. Lately I have been feeding 1:2:2 or 1 part old levain, 2 parts each flour and water. My sense is that I get a more active starter and may actually experiment with a 1:3:3 feeding.

Happy baking! Ski

dabrownman's picture
dabrownman

I think you can call this a really nice white bread with that beautiful spring and vertical lift.  For me ciabatta using NA flour starts at 85% or so and needs to spread as much as it lifts:-)  Looks great Ski.  We got some snow in the AZ mountains this weekend so you must have a ton of it by now ....so why are you baking instead of skiing?

Happy baking and skiing Ski

Skibum's picture
Skibum

Hi dab, I used my liquid levain that I use fr most everything I bake. I agree that this is a nice white bread, but no ciabatta. I have another batch in the fridge at 78% hydration. It has been some time since I handled dough over 80%, so I will work up to 85% over a couple of bakes.

We have had a very poor and late start to the ski season and very little good skiing to be found. I did ski today and did find some good turns. But there is not really very much terrain, so the days are short and I have time to bake.

Baking pizza with 00 flour has recharged my love of baking and today I have 3 loaf projects on the go and a batch of pizza dough waiting in the fridge.

Give Lucy a scratch behind the ear and a treat from her uncle Skibum and happy baking! Ski

dabrownman's picture
dabrownman

90% and then 95%.  It is fun to bake these experiments and see the difference and feel the dough as it gets more mooshy and liquid.   You start getting nice slippers at 90% and the flipping right before baking becomes a real adventure - two large scrapers of some kind are a real help:-)  When the ciabatta comes out 1 1/2" high, then you can slice it in half height wise and it makes perfect paninnis and the crumb is almost all air:-)

Lucy says thanks Uncle Ski

Skibum's picture
Skibum

Well dab, you have inspired to keep baking this at higher and higher hydrations. This should be a fun project. Both myself and my neighbours will enjoy the result. I have a 78% batch on the counter ready for shaping and will be sure to post the results. Before I shape, I will re-read Mr. Reinhart's shaping instructions.

happy baking, Ski

suave's picture
suave

who's gonna stop you? :)