Ciabatta bread video Wood-Fired Oven and Cooking Videos Discuss Ciabatta bread video in the Good Background Information forums; I made bread today and shot a video, which came out pretty well. I am very happy with the Primavera ...

[james]

I made bread today and shot a video, which came out pretty well. I am very happy with the Primavera oven -- more so than I am with my videography. Hopefully my video (and bread) skills will continue to improve.

On a positive note, the oven was fully fired with three pieces of wood. One split into two; one split into three and the last split into kindling. The Top-Down firing method is a real keeper.

I shot an entire sequence which described making the Ciabatta dough, but the cinematography was terrible, and it ended up on the cutting room floor. More to come on that in the future. In general, the recipe is the Hamelman Ciabatta with poolish formula, with an overnight pre-ferment and roughly 80% hydration dough. It has a 3 hour bulk fermentation with two folds.

I had a great time doing the video and I hope you enjoy it. Comments are greatly appreciated.

One last thing. The oven had enough retained heat to bake Beer-Can Chicken. I will post a short video on that next. The YouTube version of this video should be live shortly.

Cheers,
James

http://www.fornobravo.com/video/ciabatta_primavera.mov.

[james]

Here is the YouTube version.


James

[drogers]

Thank you for posting the video. There is a wealth of knowledge shared in the video, both the visual and verbal parts conveyed had a lot to offer.

[ross]

fantastic james .....these videos are invaluable..

cheers

[dbhansen]

Very nice, James. In a situation where the floor might be a little too hot, one thing I've tried -- to allow the bread to continue baking but prevent the bottom from scorching -- is to place the loaves on one of those air-bake cookie sheets (basically an insulated cookie sheet). It can provide just enough insulation to salvage the bottom. Not an ideal situation to be in in the first place, but if you have to do something to cool off the bottom, that can do it.

Daren

(EDIT: I should have mentioned that I only do this AFTER the bread has been cooking on the oven floor for a while and I notice that it might scorch. The theory is the same as lifting a pizza off the floor to brown the top.)

[Ken524]

James,

Great video. I have a couple of easy questions:

1. Did you use the Ciabatta recipe in FB's Hearth Bread E-Book?

2. For those of us with a 36" or 42" Pompeii - Should we heat the oven until the dome is clear, then let it stabilize back to 550F? I don't think I can get my Pompeii up to temp with 3 pieces of wood!

Thanks!

[james]

Daren,
Nice idea with the baking sheet. Next time I'm stuck, I will try that.

Ken -- this is the Ciabatta with poolish recipe in Hamelman. Basically, let 100gr water, 100gr flour and a pinch of yeast ferment overnight. Add 400gr flour, 275gr water (75% hydration), 10gr salt and a little more yeast. Mix for 3 minutes on low (1) and knead for 4 on low (2). The important step is to fold the dough two times during a 3 hour bulk fermentation. That way, you don't have to fold the dough for final proofing.

I've done it a few times in a row, and I really like it. The poolish step is essential and really, it doesn't take very much extra effort.

You should fully bring your oven up to heat and let it fall back into bread temperature. That way, you will have enough retained heat to ride through the bake.

My 24" Primavera continued to hold enough heat from three logs to roast Beer Can Chicken. Very cool. There is always a trade-off between oven size and fuel consumption. Your mileage may vary. :-)

James

[Dutchoven]

Very nice James!
Interested to find out what flour you used...it seems to me that our ciabatta has the same hydration level as yours but it seemed that yours was easier to handle...also interested to hear how you handle the transfer of the loaves from proofing board to peel...you did an excellent job of it and I am sure there will be many who will benefit from hearing how you accomplished it...
Best
Dutch

[james]

Dutch,

Don't laugh, but I ran out of King Arthur bread flour so this was KA general purpose from our local Trader Joe's. I pushed the hydration way up, and the flour just held it together. Only just. :-)

I think I will get a better crumb with high quality bread flour. Still, a Ciabatto is a very light loaf, so maybe it was the right flour.
James

[egalecki]

Originally Posted by james

Dutch,

Don't laugh, but I ran out of King Arthur bread flour so this was KA general purpose from our local Trader Joe's. I pushed the hydration way up, and the flour just held it together. Only just. :-)

I think I will get a better crumb with high quality bread flour. Still, a Ciabatto is a very light loaf, so maybe it was the right flour.
James

According to Carol Field's The Italian Baker, most traditional Italian breads should be made with all purpose flour because American bread flour is too strong (actually I think she refers to it as "powerful"). Most of her recipes call for all purpose (unbleached, of course), including her ciabatta recipe.