Artisan bread

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7 Understanding Artisan Breads

Artisan Breads

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7Common Characteristics:• Handmade.• Use of pre-ferments and sourdough or culture

starters (a fermented dough or batter used to provide leavening for a large batch of dough).

• No chemical additives or preservatives.• Traditional production methods.

Understanding Artisan Breads

Yeast Pre-Ferments

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7• Poolish: thin yeast tarter made with equal parts flour and

water plus commercial yeast.• Biga : the Italian term for pre-ferment. It usually is a

stiff pre-ferment and made with two times the quantity of yeast as a poolish.

• Levain-levure: French term for yeast pre-ferment. (Levure means “yeast.” Levain means “sourdough.”)

• Pâte Fermentée : a piece of fermented bread dough saved from a previous batch.

• Mixed fermentation: a straight dough in which both a pre-ferment and a fresh addition of yeast are used for leavening.


Sourdough Starters

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7A dough or batter that contains wild yeasts and bacteria.•It has a noticeable acidity as a result of fermentation.•The wild yeasts in sourdough starters are not the same as commercial yeasts.•Wild yeasts can tolerate and grow in higher levels of acidity.


Bacterial Fermentation

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7• Sourdough starters contain bacteria as well as

yeast. The most important bacteria are from the group Lactobaccilli.

• Two kinds of acid are created by bacteria, lactic acid and acetic acid.


Refreshing the Starter

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7• After the initial fermentation has begun, the starter must

be refreshed or fed regularly so the yeasts and bacteria are nourished and will multiply until they are strong.

• The basic procedure is to combine a portion of the fermenting starter with additional flour and water.


Autolyse

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7Artisan bakers may take an extra step during mixing called autolyse.•Autolyse is to first combine the flour and water and mix at low speed just until the flour is moistened and a dough is formed. Let stand 30 minutes.•During the autolyse, the flour hydrates fully.


Fermentation

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7• Artisan breads are fermented at lower

temperatures.• Sourdoughs ferment more slowly.


Baking

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7• Artisan breads are usually baked as “hearth

breads.”• If baked on pans, perforated pans are best.• Steam should be injected for the first 15 minutes.

Most lean hearth breads are best baked in a hot oven, 425° to 450°F (218° to 232°C).


French, Italian, and Vienna LoavesMake up Techniques

•Flatten the rounded, relaxed dough into a circle. Fold the sides over the center, then round again. •Shape the dough into a seam-free ball.•Place on prepared pans. Proof, wash with water, and slash in a crosshatch pattern. Bake with steam.

•Flatten the rounded, relaxed dough into a circle. Fold the sides over the center, then round again. Roll the dough under the palms of the hands into a smooth oval loaf.•Place on pans sprinkled with cornmeal or flour. Proof, wash with water, and dredge with flour. Score.

Self Improvement

Artisan bread