Poolish mixed with dry ingredients...
A big sticky mess...
Prepping for the stretch & fold method...
Stretch & fold...
After the 30 minute rest - Stretched & folded for the 2nd time - Covered dough with plastic & fermented for 2 hours...wow...its huge!
Prepped the couche...shaped the dough into three sections - misted with spray oil - covered with a towel & proofed for 60 minutes...
Prepped a pan with cornmeal to make the dough slide more easily onto the preheated stone in the 500 degree oven...The dough has swelled from the proof...
Followed the directions in the book for the "steam oven" & baked for 20 minutes...I probably could have let the loaves bake a bit longer...bit I didn't want to risk burning them after such an intensive recipe...
The ciabatta did not have the
"big, shiny holes" as typical ciabatta does...& the flavor was a bit bland...but it was still a nice bread to try to create...& very attractive right out of the oven...
The sliced Ciabatta at a friends house - the menu? Italian of course...
Ciabatta french toast the next morning - very chewy on the outside & soft in the middle...
The look of this bread has a definate "wow" factor - I'm not sure why the taste was a bit bland...still - very fun to try to recreate what you drool over in the gourmet bakeries - my first artisan bread!
Poolish mixed with dry ingredients...
A big sticky mess...
Prepping for the stretch & fold method...
Stretch & fold...
After the 30 minute rest - Stretched & folded for the 2nd time - Covered dough with plastic & fermented for 2 hours...wow...its huge!
Prepped the couche...shaped the dough into three sections - misted with spray oil - covered with a towel & proofed for 60 minutes...
Prepped a pan with cornmeal to make the dough slide more easily onto the preheated stone in the 500 degree oven...The dough has swelled from the proof...
Followed the directions in the book for the "steam oven" & baked for 20 minutes...I probably could have let the loaves bake a bit longer...bit I didn't want to risk burning them after such an intensive recipe...
The ciabatta did not have the "big, shiny holes" as typical ciabatta does...& the flavor was a bit bland...but it was still a nice bread to try to create...& very attractive right out of the oven...
The sliced Ciabatta at a friends house - the menu? Italian of course... 
Ciabatta french toast the next morning - very chewy on the outside & soft in the middle...
The look of this bread has a definate "wow" factor - I'm not sure why the taste was a bit bland...still - very fun to try to recreate what you drool over in the gourmet bakeries - my first artisan bread! 
Angela, your bread looks great! If you found it bland, the culprit is likely the salt (after all, this bread is made of flour, water, yeast and salt). Are you using kosher salt? If so, it measures differently than table or fine sea salt. One teaspoon of kosher is less salt than a teaspoon of the others.
ReplyDeleteThe best way to make sure you're adding the right amount is to weigh your ingredients, including the salt.
Do you have an instant probe thermometer? They only cost a few bucks, and they eliminate the guesswork when it comes to making sure your bread is done but not overbaked.
Phyl
Love,love,love the french toast pictures!
ReplyDeleteMine was a disappointment regarding the lack of holes as well.
Same here on the lack of holes! But the loaves look awesome anyways, and the french toast! Seems like it is the favorite recipe for BBA breads!
ReplyDeleteLooks gorgeous to me! I may have to try french toast with my loaf too...haven't made mine yet but looking forward to it!!
ReplyDeleteGreat looking bread. You did a nice job.
ReplyDeleteI think the recipe doesn't use enough fluid to be honest. Next time I try it I'm going to MORE than the most he recommends.
Nice baking along with you,
Susie
Wow...that ciabatta french toast looks great. I second what Susie said: Nice job on the bread!
ReplyDeleteThat french toast looks AMAZING!!!
ReplyDelete