Ciabatta Bread Help!!!

Worth1 · June 17, 2016

I need Ciabatta Bread Help!!!

It is the only bread I like, it cost a fortune in the store and I want to make it.
Is there anyone here that makes it and how do they do it.
Do you really have to make a sponge and everything?

I like to put slices in the oven and let them get crispy.

Worth

NewWestGardener · June 17, 2016

yes, you do if you want flavor. The longer time is for the slower acting bacteria (than yeast) to contribute acid to the mixture, for more complex flavor.
or you could give the fully yeasted and fermented dough some time to chill in the fridge, called retardation, 24-36 hours , for better texture and flavor.

Worth1 · June 17, 2016

I thought I would get lucky ans someone would reply.
Not complaining by all means but I wanted help now.

I found the Betty Crocker recipe on line and am using it.
I have made the starter and it is in the garage and will be there for 24 hours or so.
It was a cup of bread flour, 1/4 teaspoon of yeast and 1/2 cup of water.
This will be my very first attempt at this kind bread I hope it comes out right.

Worth

Worth1 · June 17, 2016

Quote:

Originally Posted by NewWestGardener

yes, you do if you want flavor. The longer time is for the slower acting bacteria (than yeast) to contribute acid to the mixture, for more complex flavor.
or you could give the fully yeasted and fermented dough some time to chill in the fridge, called retardation, 24-36 hours , for better texture and flavor.

Thanks.

Worth1 · June 17, 2016

Now I have two sponges going.
The second one I doubled the recipe and made it a little more wet.
I also added a bit more yeast.
I hope my yeast isn't dead it is red star yeast in a jar and has been kept in the refrigerator.
I cant remember when I opened it.

mgk65 · June 17, 2016

I tried this one once and it was easy and good.
http://www.thefreshloaf.com/node/298...ciabatta-bread

oakley · June 17, 2016

I'll look it up in our files when i get home.

We have few good recipes. Boule, focaccia, English muffins, naan, burger/dog rolls, ciabatta, and a sprouted dark pumpernickel brown bread.
My cowboy husband is the bread baker and the best at pie crusts. He will help but work is nuts right now.

Worth1 · June 17, 2016

I think my yeast is a little on the dead side, I just tried to proof some and it is on the lazy side.
So I just put a bunch more in the sponges to make up for it.
I will now go to the store to get fresh yeast more bread flour and make yet more sponges.

Worth

Worth1 · June 17, 2016

I am bound and determined to get this darn bread perfected and it will happen this week end.
I paid $2.98 for a loaf of this stuff the other day as a treat.
It took me a long time to perfect pastas but once I did it was easy.
Other regular bread was the same way.
Once I got the general idea I tossed the recipes and started doing better.

Worth

NewWestGardener · June 17, 2016

The dough needs to be very wet.
Here's the pro video. I have several of his books. all wonderfully written.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FGTHVWHc4Fo

Worth1 · June 17, 2016

Thats how wet I started making dough and started liking my bread.
The only thing I wasn't doing is making the sponges.
Here is a picture of both sponges.
They have started to work.
Worth
IMG_20160617_39564.jpg

IMG_20160617_53148.jpg

Old chef · June 17, 2016

Worth
your starters are looking good. Patience young man.
its a wet dough easily 80% hydration If you want a good baking book Look up the King Arthur"s flour company book or Peter Reinhart's baking book

Hint_ wet your hands before trying to turn the bread

Old Chef

**mdvpc** · June 17, 2016

Worth

1. You need to scale ingredients-using cups (volume) is notoriously inaccurate.

2. Ciabatta is a difficult bread for folks because of the high hydration-the dough is so wet, its difficult to manage.

Here is a representative recipe:

Ciabatta Bread Ciabatta Bread
Variaton 1

500g bread flour
475g (~2 cups) water
2 tsp. yeast
15g salt

Varation 2 (Semolina)

350g bread flour
150g semolina flour
475-485g (~2cups) water
2tsp. yeast
15g salt

In Kitchen Aid style mixer: Mix all ingredients roughly till combined with paddle, let it rest for 10 minutes.
With the paddle (I prefer the hook to prevent the dough from crawling into the guts of the mixer), beat the living hell out of the batter, it will start out like pancake batter but in anywhere from 10 to 30 minutes it will set up and work like a very sticky dough. if it starts climbing too soon, then switch to the hook. You'll know it's done when it separates from the side of the bowl and starts to climb up your hook/paddle and just coming off the bottom of the bowl. I mean this literally about the climbing, i once didn't pay attention and it climbed up my paddle into the greasy inner workings of the mixer. It was not pretty! Anyway, it will definately pass the windowpane test.
Place into a well oiled container and let it triple! it must triple! For me this takes about 2.5 hours
Empty on to a floured counter (scrape if you must, however you gotta get the gloop out), cut into 3 or 4 peices. Spray with oil and dust with lots o' flour. Let them proof for about 45 minutes, which gives you enough time to crank that oven up to 500F.
After 45 minutes or so the loaves should be puffy and wobbly, now it's iron fist, velvet glove time. Pick up and stretch into your final ciabatta shape (~10" oblong rectangle) and flip them upside down (this redistributes the bubbles, so you get even bubbles throughout), and onto parchment or a heavily floured peel. Try to do it in one motion and be gentle, it might look like you've ruined them completely, but the oven spring is immense on these things.
Bake at 500F until they are 205F in the cnter (about 15-20 minutes), rotating 180 degrees half way through. Some people like to turn the oven down to 450F after 10 minutes, but whatever floats your boat. I usually bake in 2 batches.

And here is the King Arthur Flour recipe:

http://www.kingarthurflour.com/recip...iabatta-recipe

dmforcier · June 17, 2016

mdvpc, do you like to add steam with cibatta for crustiness? Or does it matter? (I've never baked it.)

**mdvpc** · June 17, 2016

dm-I have a steam oven, so yes, I use steam for all my bread. I think steam during the initial baking minutes is always beneficial. My oven steams for 2 minutes, then the steam stops. When I went to baking school at SFBI, we manually applied the steam for 10 seconds. We were baking probably 50 baguettes at a time and I loved to use the lever to steam for that 10 seconds!

June 17, 2016	#1
Worth1 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Den of Drunken Fools Posts: 38,539	Ciabatta Bread Help!!! I need Ciabatta Bread Help!!! It is the only bread I like, it cost a fortune in the store and I want to make it. Is there anyone here that makes it and how do they do it. Do you really have to make a sponge and everything? I like to put slices in the oven and let them get crispy. Worth

June 17, 2016	#13
mdvpc Tomatoville® Moderator Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: San Antonio, Texas Posts: 4,386	Worth 1. You need to scale ingredients-using cups (volume) is notoriously inaccurate. 2. Ciabatta is a difficult bread for folks because of the high hydration-the dough is so wet, its difficult to manage. Here is a representative recipe: Ciabatta Bread Ciabatta Bread Variaton 1 500g bread flour 475g (~2 cups) water 2 tsp. yeast 15g salt Varation 2 (Semolina) 350g bread flour 150g semolina flour 475-485g (~2cups) water 2tsp. yeast 15g salt In Kitchen Aid style mixer: Mix all ingredients roughly till combined with paddle, let it rest for 10 minutes. With the paddle (I prefer the hook to prevent the dough from crawling into the guts of the mixer), beat the living hell out of the batter, it will start out like pancake batter but in anywhere from 10 to 30 minutes it will set up and work like a very sticky dough. if it starts climbing too soon, then switch to the hook. You'll know it's done when it separates from the side of the bowl and starts to climb up your hook/paddle and just coming off the bottom of the bowl. I mean this literally about the climbing, i once didn't pay attention and it climbed up my paddle into the greasy inner workings of the mixer. It was not pretty! Anyway, it will definately pass the windowpane test. Place into a well oiled container and let it triple! it must triple! For me this takes about 2.5 hours Empty on to a floured counter (scrape if you must, however you gotta get the gloop out), cut into 3 or 4 peices. Spray with oil and dust with lots o' flour. Let them proof for about 45 minutes, which gives you enough time to crank that oven up to 500F. After 45 minutes or so the loaves should be puffy and wobbly, now it's iron fist, velvet glove time. Pick up and stretch into your final ciabatta shape (~10" oblong rectangle) and flip them upside down (this redistributes the bubbles, so you get even bubbles throughout), and onto parchment or a heavily floured peel. Try to do it in one motion and be gentle, it might look like you've ruined them completely, but the oven spring is immense on these things. Bake at 500F until they are 205F in the cnter (about 15-20 minutes), rotating 180 degrees half way through. Some people like to turn the oven down to 450F after 10 minutes, but whatever floats your boat. I usually bake in 2 batches. And here is the King Arthur Flour recipe: http://www.kingarthurflour.com/recip...iabatta-recipe __________________ Michael

June 17, 2016	#15
mdvpc Tomatoville® Moderator Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: San Antonio, Texas Posts: 4,386	dm-I have a steam oven, so yes, I use steam for all my bread. I think steam during the initial baking minutes is always beneficial. My oven steams for 2 minutes, then the steam stops. When I went to baking school at SFBI, we manually applied the steam for 10 seconds. We were baking probably 50 baguettes at a time and I loved to use the lever to steam for that 10 seconds! __________________ Michael

June 17, 2016	#2
NewWestGardener Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Vancouver, BC, Canada Posts: 564	yes, you do if you want flavor. The longer time is for the slower acting bacteria (than yeast) to contribute acid to the mixture, for more complex flavor. or you could give the fully yeasted and fermented dough some time to chill in the fridge, called retardation, 24-36 hours , for better texture and flavor.

June 17, 2016	#6
mgk65 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: WV, Z6 Posts: 16	I tried this one once and it was easy and good. http://www.thefreshloaf.com/node/298...ciabatta-bread

June 17, 2016	#7
oakley Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2015 Location: NewYork 5a Posts: 2,303	I'll look it up in our files when i get home. We have few good recipes. Boule, focaccia, English muffins, naan, burger/dog rolls, ciabatta, and a sprouted dark pumpernickel brown bread. My cowboy husband is the bread baker and the best at pie crusts. He will help but work is nuts right now.

June 17, 2016	#12
Old chef Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2014 Location: Long island Posts: 456	Worth your starters are looking good. Patience young man. its a wet dough easily 80% hydration If you want a good baking book Look up the King Arthur"s flour company book or Peter Reinhart's baking book Hint_ wet your hands before trying to turn the bread Old Chef

June 17, 2016	#14
dmforcier Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Apr 2016 Location: Dallas, TX Posts: 3,825	mdvpc, do you like to add steam with cibatta for crustiness? Or does it matter? (I've never baked it.)