for pain a l'ancienne, is there anything better than kingArt's bread flour?

[SpringJim]

Where's CJ?

...busy building ovens?

[Alfredo]

SJ,
As you may have gathered, he and I generally have a fairly lively email exchange going. I think I've had one message from him in the past two weeks, and that was in the order of, "Crazy busy with installations."

Gather ye rosebuds while ye may (and june and july and so on, as long as the weather holds)

[MoonshineBaker]

James, Thanks for the thoughts. Pretty closely following Hamelman's directions for "Ciabatta with Poolish", page 107 in his book, Bread, I did a room temperature poolish for 16 hours, etc. I have baked at 550*F but end up burning the bottoms of my bread. I did get a nice brown crust at 475*F after about 20-25 minutes. The crust just wasn't as crackly and light as I would hope it to be. The crumb was OK but was a bit tough. The flavor was complex from the long pre-fermentation. After dividing and shaping, I did the final fermentation for an hour or two on a floured linen clouche. Would the linen have an effect on the crust? Again, practice makes perfect. I'll keep on truckin', Richard

[james]

I don't think you do your final proof of a ciabatta in a linen clouche. Try getting that dog-bone shape on the floured surface and let it proof there, while covered.

Have you looked at the technique photos for ciabatta in The Bread Baker's Apprentice? Those are good.

Ciabatta has less of a boule structure than a traditional hearth bread, and I think some bread books miss that distinction. That's why it is so crackly, light and full of huge holes.

James

[james]

I am thinking if you get your loaf lighter, with more air holes, you can bake it at 500º+ in 15 minutes and not burn it.

Possible?
James

[Dutchoven]

Originally Posted by james

I am thinking if you get your loaf lighter, with more air holes, you can bake it at 500º+ in 15 minutes and not burn it.

Possible?
James

Hey guys!
This is definitely possible...the right amount of hydration is really key and possibly the use of brown rice flour as opposed to wheat flour on the bottom of the loaf. We couche proof our ciabatta and actually sometimes basket proof them and ususally have no issues with the crust. I think your hydration is the issue in the toughness question and, no offense, lighter handling. As for the crust...vent the steam closer to halfway through baking and them wait a minute or so longer than you think you should if you want real snap...you'll smell the loaves and want to pull them but just wait a minute and the smell will change just a bit...then pull them..it is the result of a longer, cooler, drier bake.
How do you get to Carnegie Hall?
Best
Dutch