Read Online Baking by Hand by Andy King - Free Book Online

loaf sitting on his desk when he comes back from the weekend. They’re all good, but this one caught his attention—it’s not often one samples a bread that tastes like it’s been slow-smoked. The cheese adds a nice richness to balance the spice, but you can tone down the heat by dropping the amount of granulated chipotle that goes into the formula. Keep the powdered chili at full power—you won’t get the full effect without it.
OVERVIEW
    • Yield: Three 1 lb 10 oz/750-g loaves
    • Desired Dough Temperature: 85°F/30°C
    • Mixing Time: 40 minutes
    • Bulk Fermentation: ~2 hours
    • Proofing Time: ~1.5 hours
    • Baking Time: ~25 minutes
    • Cooling Time: ~3 hours
12 HOURS BEFORE THE BAKE
    Mix your final starter (see here ). This will be enough for the bread formula, plus some extra to carry on the starter.
    10 oz/280 ml 75°F/20°C water
    2 oz/40 ml liquid sourdough
    8 oz/230 g white bread flour
BAKING DAY
    1 lb 5.5 oz/600 g bread flour
    13.25 oz/375 g semolina flour
    1 tsp/8 g granulated chipotle chili
    1 tsp/8 g chipotle chili powder
    7.25 oz/215 g liquid starter
    1 lb 9 oz/710 ml 90°F/32°C water
    1 oz/30 ml extra-virgin olive oil
    4 tsp/28 g fine sea salt
    1 tsp/4 g instant yeast
    11.25 oz/320 g Asiago cheese, cut into small dice
    Combine both flours and both versions of chipotle chili in your large mixing bowl. In another bowl, mix your liquid starter, water and oil, and remember to keep that water warm to give your wild yeast a comfortable atmosphere to grow. Then, dump the flours and spices on top of the liquid ingredients, and mix it by hand for about 30 seconds, until it comes together in a shaggy mass. Don’t forget to scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl regularly; you want all of that flour hydrated and don’t want to see any dry spots. Set aside in a warm place, at least 80°F/25°C, for 30 minutes. If you’re having trouble finding your warm place, it’s time to use your trusty heat lamp.
    Sprinkle the salt and yeast on top of the dough and grab a four-finger pinch of the dough and pull. It should stretch out like chunky taffy rather thanjust tear off. Incorporate the salt into the dough, continuously pushing the sides of the dough into the middle while turning the bowl. After a minute of this, the dough should be pulling away from the sides of the bowl and developing a bit of a sheen, and you shouldn’t feel any crunchy salt crystals. Throw in the diced cheese and continue mixing by hand until it’s nicely incorporated. Remember, the folds will help distribute the cheese as well, so don’t wear yourself out trying to mix it in perfectly. Cover the bowl, and put it in your warm place for 30 minutes.
    Turn your dough onto a lightly floured surface and give it your four-fold (see here ). It should make a tight little package and after every fold the dough’s volume should increase. It should consistently feel warm and active. Roll the dough over and place it, seam side down, back into the bowl. Repeat every 30 minutes for the first 2 hours (you’ll fold the dough four times in total) until the dough is strong but puffy, warm to the touch and holds a fingerprint when pressed into the surface. Leave the dough to gain some volume for the last hour. The whole process will take about 3 hours.
    Once your dough is ready to cut, turn it out onto a floured work surface. Using your bench knife and scale, divide into three 1 pound 10 ounce/750-g pieces. Gently shape the dough into rounds (see here ), being careful not to compress the dough too much, and place seam side down on your work surface. Cover and rest for 20 minutes to build a bit more strength into the loaf before final shaping.
    Next, lightly dust three oval bannetons with semolina flour and set them to the side. Take your rested rounds and gently but firmly shape them into stubby batards (see here ). Feel free to pinch the seam shut if it threatens to open after shaping. Place your shaped loaves seam side up in your bannetons, cover with