Pre-ferment Question.
Hi
This is my first time posting here. My first question is; are beginners welcome? For that is my skill level at the moment. I have only baked three loaves of bread thus far. Fortunately they all turned out well. The last, actually tasted really good. In spite of the fact that I used Active Dry Yeast when Instant was called for. But it really tastes good. I have been reading this and other boards for several weeks. And can say that this one is probably the most sophisticated one of all. I really like it here.
So My questions.
I just did this recipe from the Good Eats show: Dr. Strangeloaf [1]. He calls for a pre-ferment.
" Combine 5 ounces of the flour, 1/4 teaspoon of the yeast, all of the honey, and all of the bottled water in a straight-sided container; cover loosely and refrigerate for 8 to 12 hours. "
What I would like to know is, can I substitute a pre-ferment in any recipe that calls for Active Dry Yeast that is to be proofed in warm water? Wouldn't this add flavor as it did in this recipe?
Or for that matter any recipe that uses yeast. active or instant? If so I would like to be able to do so.
Thanks
Jim