Ba's Best Bread
Serves: 2
Magnus Pfeffer
1 January 1970
Based on User reviews:
35
Spice
54
Sweetness
38
Sourness
41
mins
Prep time (avg)
3.9
Difficulty
Ingredients:
Directions:
1
For the poolish: Combine yeast and 300 g (1 1/4 cups) room-temperature water in the bowl of a stand mixer
2
Take the temperature of your kitchen—between 72°F and 74°F is ideal for fermentation
3
If your kitchen is running hot, use cool water
4
If it’s a bit colder, use warm water
5
Add all the flours and mix with a wooden spoon until no dry spots remain
6
Cover with plastic wrap and let sit at room temperature until poolish is mature (surface will be very bubbly), 14–18 hours
7
Drop a pinch of poolish into a small bowl of room-temperature water
8
If it floats, it’s mature, and you’re good to go
9
If it sinks, wait 30 minutes and test again
10
Combine yeast and 300 g (1 1/4 cups) room-temperature water in the bowl of a stand mixer
11
Take the temperature of your kitchen—between 72°F and 74°F is ideal for fermentation
12
If your kitchen is running hot, use cool water
13
If it’s a bit colder, use warm water
14
Add all the flours and mix with a wooden spoon until no dry spots remain
15
Cover with plastic wrap and let sit at room temperature until poolish is mature (surface will be very bubbly), 14–18 hours
16
Drop a pinch of poolish into a small bowl of room-temperature water
17
If it floats, it’s mature, and you’re good to go
18
If it sinks, wait 30 minutes and test again
19
For the dough: Combine 300 g (1 1/4 cups) room-temperature water into poolish with a sturdy wooden spoon
20
Add whole wheat flour and 412 g (3 cups plus 1 Tbsp
21
) all-purpose flour and mix until no dry spots remain
22
Cover dough with plastic wrap and let sit 2 hours
23
(This process, called autolysis, starts to develop the all-important gluten, giving the dough structure and chew
24
) Evenly sprinkle salt over dough, then add 65 g (1/4 cup plus 1 tsp
25
) room-temperature water and mix with dough hook on medium-low speed
26
The dough should start to develop a shape and cling to hook after a minute or two
27
Increase speed to medium-high and mix until almost all the dough clings to hook and clears the sides of the bowl, 8–12 minutes
28
Cover with plastic wrap and let sit 15 minutes to let dough relax
29
Turn out dough on a clean surface
30
Holding a flexible bench scraper in one hand, quickly lift dough eye-level then slap it down on surface in one swift, deliberate motion
31
As you propel dough downward, let it fall off the ends of your hands and fold over onto itself; the dough will be sticky, but it will want to stick to itself more than your hands
32
Start slowly to avoid flying dough bits, then increase the intensity of your motion as the dough starts to firm up
33
Slap and fold 10–12 minutes, occasionally scraping bits of dough from surface with bench scraper
34
(If you’re not slightly winded by the time the dough is ready, you’re doing it wrong
35
) This important step builds gluten and strengthens the dough, which helps give the finished loaf a nice open crumb
36
Pinch off a small piece of dough and stretch it between your thumbs and index fingers on both hands
37
The dough should be able to stretch thin enough to let light through without breaking
38
If it splits or tears, the gluten is not yet developed enough
39
Continue slapping and folding another 2 minutes and test again
40
Place dough in a large clean bowl and cover with plastic wrap; let sit 30 minutes
41
Starting from one side, use a bench scraper to lift edge of dough, stretching it up and out of the bowl at least 12" and shaking back and forth to encourage lengthening, then fold back onto itself
42
Rotate the bowl 90°
43
Repeat stretching process 3 more times, rotating the bowl after each turn
44
Cover and rest another 30 minutes
45
Repeat process 2 more times, resting dough 30 minutes in between each full turn
46
(This rebuilds gluten and feeds the yeast during fermentation
47
) Cover dough with plastic wrap and let sit in a warm spot until nearly doubled in size, 30–60 minutes
48
Dough should look puffed and bubbly on the surface
49
To test if your dough is fermented, poke it with an oiled finger
50
The dough should spring back slowly but still hold a slight indentation
51
Turn out dough onto a lightly floured (use all-purpose) surface and do a final series of 4 folds, bringing edges into the center
52
Turn dough over, using bench scraper to help you, so seam side is down
53
Lightly dust with more flour and cover with a kitchen towel
54
Let rest until dough is puffed and surface is dotted with a few bubbles, 20–50 minutes
55
Line a 9" round colander with a clean kitchen towel and dust towel with an even layer of rice flour
56
Uncover dough and dust with a bit more all-purpose flour
57
Use bench scraper to push edges of dough toward the center to gather into a ball
58
Cup scraper and free hand around far side of dough and gently pull ball toward you, dragging dough several inches across work surface and rotating slightly
59
Repeat dragging motion several times, occasionally moving dough back to center of surface
60
The friction against the surface will help tighten the gluten over the dough, creating a smooth dome
61
Lightly flour top of dough, turn over with bench scraper, and quickly transfer, seam side up, to prepared colander; cover with plastic
62
Chill 1–2 days
63
The longer the bread sits, the more complex the flavor will be, but don’t chill longer or the yeast may die
64
Place an oven rack in lower third of oven and set a 3 1/2–5 1/2-qt
65
Dutch oven in center of rack
66
Set your oven as high as it will go (you want it between 450°F and 500°F)
67
Let pot preheat at least 40 minutes
68
(If the handle on the lid is made of plastic, unscrew, remove, and plug hole with a small piece of foil
69
) Uncover dough and dust surface with rice flour
70
Cut a round of parchment paper so it’s slightly larger than dough; place over top
71
Remove pot from oven and set on stovetop
72
Working on stove next to Dutch oven, invert dough onto a plate (parchment side will be down)
73
Use a lame or a razor blade taped to an ice-pop stick to slash dough in desired pattern, using swift and deliberate strokes to cut at least 1/2" deep into dough
74
Working quickly and wearing mitts on both hands, slide dough and parchment into center of pot
75
Cover pot and bake bread 15 minutes
76
Remove lid and continue to bake, rotating pot halfway through, until crust is very well done—approaching the edge of burnt—30–40 minutes
77
Carefully transfer bread to a wire rack
78
When it’s cool enough to handle, remove parchment
79
Resist the temptation to cut into that just-out-of-the-oven loaf
80
Trust us
81
You want to wait at least a couple of hours so the starches in the bread have time to set
82
This gives the bread a better texture
83
If you’re dead set on eating it warm, reheat part of the loaf in a 300°F oven (which will also revive the crust), then slice
84
Combine 300 g (1 1/4 cups) room-temperature water into poolish with a sturdy wooden spoon
85
Add whole wheat flour and 412 g (3 cups plus 1 Tbsp
86
) all-purpose flour and mix until no dry spots remain
87
Cover dough with plastic wrap and let sit 2 hours
88
(This process, called autolysis, starts to develop the all-important gluten, giving the dough structure and chew
89
) Evenly sprinkle salt over dough, then add 65 g (1/4 cup plus 1 tsp
90
) room-temperature water and mix with dough hook on medium-low speed
91
The dough should start to develop a shape and cling to hook after a minute or two
92
Increase speed to medium-high and mix until almost all the dough clings to hook and clears the sides of the bowl, 8–12 minutes
93
Cover with plastic wrap and let sit 15 minutes to let dough relax
94
Turn out dough on a clean surface
95
Holding a flexible bench scraper in one hand, quickly lift dough eye-level then slap it down on surface in one swift, deliberate motion
96
As you propel dough downward, let it fall off the ends of your hands and fold over onto itself; the dough will be sticky, but it will want to stick to itself more than your hands
97
Start slowly to avoid flying dough bits, then increase the intensity of your motion as the dough starts to firm up
98
Slap and fold 10–12 minutes, occasionally scraping bits of dough from surface with bench scraper
99
(If you’re not slightly winded by the time the dough is ready, you’re doing it wrong
100
) This important step builds gluten and strengthens the dough, which helps give the finished loaf a nice open crumb
101
Pinch off a small piece of dough and stretch it between your thumbs and index fingers on both hands
102
The dough should be able to stretch thin enough to let light through without breaking
103
If it splits or tears, the gluten is not yet developed enough
104
Continue slapping and folding another 2 minutes and test again
105
Place dough in a large clean bowl and cover with plastic wrap; let sit 30 minutes
106
Starting from one side, use a bench scraper to lift edge of dough, stretching it up and out of the bowl at least 12" and shaking back and forth to encourage lengthening, then fold back onto itself
107
Rotate the bowl 90°
108
Repeat stretching process 3 more times, rotating the bowl after each turn
109
Cover and rest another 30 minutes
110
Repeat process 2 more times, resting dough 30 minutes in between each full turn
111
(This rebuilds gluten and feeds the yeast during fermentation
112
) Cover dough with plastic wrap and let sit in a warm spot until nearly doubled in size, 30–60 minutes
113
Dough should look puffed and bubbly on the surface
114
To test if your dough is fermented, poke it with an oiled finger
115
The dough should spring back slowly but still hold a slight indentation
116
Turn out dough onto a lightly floured (use all-purpose) surface and do a final series of 4 folds, bringing edges into the center
117
Turn dough over, using bench scraper to help you, so seam side is down
118
Lightly dust with more flour and cover with a kitchen towel
119
Let rest until dough is puffed and surface is dotted with a few bubbles, 20–50 minutes
120
Line a 9" round colander with a clean kitchen towel and dust towel with an even layer of rice flour
121
Uncover dough and dust with a bit more all-purpose flour
122
Use bench scraper to push edges of dough toward the center to gather into a ball
123
Cup scraper and free hand around far side of dough and gently pull ball toward you, dragging dough several inches across work surface and rotating slightly
124
Repeat dragging motion several times, occasionally moving dough back to center of surface
125
The friction against the surface will help tighten the gluten over the dough, creating a smooth dome
126
Lightly flour top of dough, turn over with bench scraper, and quickly transfer, seam side up, to prepared colander; cover with plastic
127
Chill 1–2 days
128
The longer the bread sits, the more complex the flavor will be, but don’t chill longer or the yeast may die
129
Place an oven rack in lower third of oven and set a 3 1/2–5 1/2-qt
130
Dutch oven in center of rack
131
Set your oven as high as it will go (you want it between 450°F and 500°F)
132
Let pot preheat at least 40 minutes
133
(If the handle on the lid is made of plastic, unscrew, remove, and plug hole with a small piece of foil
134
) Uncover dough and dust surface with rice flour
135
Cut a round of parchment paper so it’s slightly larger than dough; place over top
136
Remove pot from oven and set on stovetop
137
Working on stove next to Dutch oven, invert dough onto a plate (parchment side will be down)
138
Use a lame or a razor blade taped to an ice-pop stick to slash dough in desired pattern, using swift and deliberate strokes to cut at least 1/2" deep into dough
139
Working quickly and wearing mitts on both hands, slide dough and parchment into center of pot
140
Cover pot and bake bread 15 minutes
141
Remove lid and continue to bake, rotating pot halfway through, until crust is very well done—approaching the edge of burnt—30–40 minutes
142
Carefully transfer bread to a wire rack
143
When it’s cool enough to handle, remove parchment
144
Resist the temptation to cut into that just-out-of-the-oven loaf
145
Trust us
146
You want to wait at least a couple of hours so the starches in the bread have time to set
147
This gives the bread a better texture
148
If you’re dead set on eating it warm, reheat part of the loaf in a 300°F oven (which will also revive the crust), then slice