Peter Reinhart's Artisan Breads Every Day: Classic French Bread Recipe

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Peter Reinhart’s

artisan breads every day

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Peter Reinhart’s

artisan breads every day Fast and Easy Recipes for World-Class Breads

Peter Reinhart photography by

Leo Gong

TEN SPEED PRESS Berkeley

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Copyright © 2009 by Peter Reinhart Photographs copyright © 2009 by Leo Gong All rights reserved. Published in the United States by Ten Speed Press, an imprint of the Crown Publishing Group, a division of Random House, Inc., New York. www.crownpublishing.com www.tenspeed.com Ten Speed Press and the Ten Speed Press colophon are registered trademarks of Random House, Inc.

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Reinhart, Peter. Peter Reinhart’s artisan breads every day / Peter Reinhart ; photography by Leo Gong. p. cm. Includes index. Summary: “Master baker and innovator Peter Reinhart’s answer to the artisan-bread-in-no-time revolution, with time-saving techniques for making extraordinary loaves with speed and ease”—Provided by publisher. 1. Bread. 2. Quick and easy cookery. I. Title. II. Title: Artisan breads every day. TX769.R4175 2009 641.8’15—dc22 2009021119 ISBN 978-1-58008-998-2 Printed in China Design by Nancy Austin Food styling by Karen Shinto Prop styling by Harumi Shimizu 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 First Edition

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Contents

Introduction: Where We Are and How We Got Here

1. Baking Basics

1

5

2. Sourdough and Wild Yeast Fundamentals

35

3. French Breads and Sourdough Hearth Breads 4. Enriched Breads 5. Rich Breads

81

139



Epilogue: What’s Next for the Artisan Movement?



Resources



Baker’s Percentage Formulas

Index

45

199

204 206

210

Acknowledgments

214

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On Baking Day

Remove the dough from the refrigerator about 2 hours before you plan to bake. Gently transfer it to a lightly floured work surface, taking care to degas it as little as possible. For baguettes and bâtards, divide the cold dough into 10-ounce (283 g) pieces; for 1 pound boules, divide the dough into 19-ounce (53 g) pieces; and for freestanding loaves, use whatever size you prefer. Form the dough into bâtards and/or baguettes (see pages 21 and 22) or boules (see page 20). Mist the top of the dough with spray oil, loosely cover with plastic wrap, and proof at room temperature for about 11/2 hours, until increased to 11/2 times its original size. About 45 minutes before baking, preheat the oven to 550°F (288°C) or as high as it will go, and prepare the oven for hearth baking (see page 30). Remove the plastic wrap from the dough 15 minutes prior to baking; if using proofing molds, transfer the dough onto a floured peel. Just prior to baking, score the dough 1/2 inch deep with a serrated knife or razor. Transfer the dough to the oven, pour 1 cup of hot water into the steam pan, then lower the oven temperature to 450°F (232°C). Bake for 12 minutes, then rotate the pan and bake for another 15 to 25 minutes, until the crust is a rich golden brown, the loaves sound hollow when thumped, and the internal temperature is about 200°F (93°C) in the center. For a crisper crust, turn off the oven and leave the bread in for another 5 minutes before removing. Cool the bread on a wire rack for at least 45 minutes before slicing or serving. Variation

By simply varying the method so that the shaped loaves undergo cold fermentation, rather than the freshly mixed bulk dough, you can create a spectacular loaf with a distinctive blistered crust. After the dough is mixed and placed in a clean, oiled bowl, let it rise at room temperature for about 90 minutes, until doubled in size. Divide and shape as described above, mist with spray oil, then cover the shaped dough loosely with plastic wrap and refrigerate it overnight, away from anything that might fall on it or restrict it from growing. The next day, remove the dough from the refrigerator 1 hour before baking. It should have grown to at least 11/2 times its original size. Prepare the oven for hearth baking, as described on page 30. While the oven is heating, remove the plastic wrap and let the dough sit uncovered for 10 minutes. Score the dough while it’s still cold, then bake as described above.



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French Breads and Sourdough Hearth Breads

51

Classic French Bread

After the final stretch and fold, return the dough to the lightly oiled bowl, and immediately cover the bowl tightly and refrigerate overnight or for up to 4 days. The dough will rise to about double, and possibly triple, its original size within 4 to 12 hours in the refrigerator. (If you plan to bake the dough in batches over different days, you can portion the dough and place it into two or more oiled bowls at this stage.)

Makes 2 large loaves, 4 small loaves, or many rolls

This version of French bread is the simplest formula in the book. It uses the cold fermentation technique, and the resulting dough actually holds the shape and cuts of conventional French baguettes, bâtards, and boules better than the lean dough (page 46), which is wetter. Because

On Baking Day

the dough isn’t as wet, it’s especially important to handle it with a firm but light touch. Too

Remove the dough from the refrigerator about 2 hours before you plan to bake. Rub the work surface with a few drops of olive or vegetable oil, then use a wet bowl scraper or wet hands to transfer the dough to the work surface. Divide the dough in half (about 21 oz or 595 g each) for two large loaves; into 4 to 6 pieces for smaller loaves; or into 18 to 24 pieces for rolls. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper or a silicone mat, then mist it lightly with spray oil or dust it with flour, semolina, or cornmeal. (If using a banneton or proofing mold, mist it with spray oil, then dust it with flour.) Have a small bowl of bread flour standing by. With floured hands, gently pat the dough pieces into rectangles, then stretch it into torpedos (see page 21), boules (see page 20), or loaves (see page 23), or shape it into rolls (see page 25). With floured hands, gently lift the dough and place it seam side down on the prepared pan (or seam side up in the proofing mold). If air bubbles form, pinch the surface to pop them. Mist the surface of the dough with spray oil and cover loosely with plastic wrap or a towel. Let the shaped dough sit, covered, at room temperature for 60 minutes. Then, remove the covering and let the dough proof for an additional 60 minutes. The dough will spread slightly and the skin will begin to dry out a bit. About 45 minutes before baking, preheat the oven to 550°F (288°C) or as high as it will go, and prepare the oven for hearth baking (see page 30). Just before baking, score the dough with a sharp serrated knife or razor blade. The dough will have spread somewhat but should still have its basic shape, and the shape should spring back in the oven. (If using a banneton or proofing mold, remove the dough from the basket at this stage.) Transfer the dough to the oven, pour 1 cup of hot water into the steam pan, then lower the oven temperature to 450°F (232°C), or 425°F (218°C) for a convection oven. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, then rotate the pan and bake for another 10 to 15 minutes, until the crust is a rich golden brown and the internal temperature is 200°F to 205°F (93°C to 94°C). For a crisper crust, turn off the oven and leave the bread in for another 5 to 10 minutes before removing (rolls will take less time). Cool the bread on a wire rack for at least 1 hour before slicing or serving.

48

peter reinhart’s artisan breads every day

much pressure will squeeze out the gas trapped during the overnight rise, resulting in small, even holes rather than the prized large, irregular holes. I’ve also included a variation that makes spectacular loaves with a distinctive blistered crust. 51/ 3 cups (24 oz / 680 g) unbleached bread flour 2 teaspoons (0.5 oz / 14 g) salt, or 1 tablespoon coarse kosher salt 21/ 4 teaspoons (0.25 oz / 7 g) instant yeast 2 cups (16 oz / 454 g) lukewarm water (about 95°F or 35°C)

Do Ahead

Combine all of the ingredients in a mixing bowl. If using a mixer, use the paddle attachment and mix on the lowest speed for 1 minute. If mixing by hand, use a large spoon and stir for 1 minute, until well blended and smooth. If the spoon gets too doughy, dip it in a bowl of warm water. The dough should form a coarse shaggy ball. Let it rest, uncovered, for 5 minutes. Switch to the dough hook and mix on medium-low speed for 2 minutes or knead by hand for about 2 minutes, adjusting with flour or water as needed. The dough should be smooth, supple, and tacky but not sticky. Whichever mixing method you use, knead the dough by hand on a lightly floured work surface for about 1 minute more, then transfer it to a clean, lightly oiled bowl. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap, then immediately refrigerate overnight or for up to 4 days. If the dough feels too wet and sticky, do not add more flour; instead, stretch and fold it one or more times at 10-minute intervals, as shown on page 18, before putting it in the refrigerator. (If you plan to bake the dough in batches over different days, you can portion the dough and place it into two or more oiled bowls at this stage.)



French Breads and Sourdough Hearth Breads

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On Baking Day

Remove the dough from the refrigerator about 2 hours before you plan to bake. Gently transfer it to a lightly floured work surface, taking care to degas it as little as possible. For baguettes and bâtards, divide the cold dough into 10-ounce (283 g) pieces; for 1 pound boules, divide the dough into 19-ounce (53 g) pieces; and for freestanding loaves, use whatever size you prefer. Form the dough into bâtards and/or baguettes (see pages 21 and 22) or boules (see page 20). Mist the top of the dough with spray oil, loosely cover with plastic wrap, and proof at room temperature for about 11/2 hours, until increased to 11/2 times its original size. About 45 minutes before baking, preheat the oven to 550°F (288°C) or as high as it will go, and prepare the oven for hearth baking (see page 30). Remove the plastic wrap from the dough 15 minutes prior to baking; if using proofing molds, transfer the dough onto a floured peel. Just prior to baking, score the dough 1/2 inch deep with a serrated knife or razor. Transfer the dough to the oven, pour 1 cup of hot water into the steam pan, then lower the oven temperature to 450°F (232°C). Bake for 12 minutes, then rotate the pan and bake for another 15 to 25 minutes, until the crust is a rich golden brown, the loaves sound hollow when thumped, and the internal temperature is about 200°F (93°C) in the center. For a crisper crust, turn off the oven and leave the bread in for another 5 minutes before removing. Cool the bread on a wire rack for at least 45 minutes before slicing or serving. Variation

By simply varying the method so that the shaped loaves undergo cold fermentation, rather than the freshly mixed bulk dough, you can create a spectacular loaf with a distinctive blistered crust. After the dough is mixed and placed in a clean, oiled bowl, let it rise at room temperature for about 90 minutes, until doubled in size. Divide and shape as described above, mist with spray oil, then cover the shaped dough loosely with plastic wrap and refrigerate it overnight, away from anything that might fall on it or restrict it from growing. The next day, remove the dough from the refrigerator 1 hour before baking. It should have grown to at least 11/2 times its original size. Prepare the oven for hearth baking, as described on page 30. While the oven is heating, remove the plastic wrap and let the dough sit uncovered for 10 minutes. Score the dough while it’s still cold, then bake as described above.



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Peter Reinhart’s  Artisan Breads Every Day   

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