Artisan Bread
By: Chuyue Wang(Winnie)
Introduction
Nowadays, handmade breads with a lot of flavors
have become more and more popular. This is the
reason why bakers in North America do researches
and experiments with traditional European bread
so that they can offer customers special,
handmade products.[1]
What is artisan
bread?
Artisan bread is homemade, handmade, made in
small quantities, lacking in preservatives, and
using traditional techniques.[1]
Characteristics
•
Handmade
•
Use of pre-ferments and sourdough or culture
starters
•
No chemical additives or preservatives
•
Traditional production methods
•
Total production time is longer[1]
History
In 8000 BC, the ancient Egyptians were the first
people to bake artisan bread.
Traditional Sourdough baking originated in Europe
during the Middle Ages where it was common for
the landowning aristocrats to have a communal
oven. [2]
Different texture. Different
taste.
Thicker, tougher crust
Bigger, irregular air cell
structure
Taste is more sour
which is different
because of wild yeast
and bacteria.
h.[1]
n.
Pre-ferment
A pre-ferment is a fermented dough or batter used
to provide leavening for a large batch of dough.[1]
Positive thing for using pre-ferment: it helps for
daily production and controlling the fermentation.
Types of pre-ferment
levain: like sour starter, but is stiffer
biga: water+flour+more commercial yeast
poolish: 100%water+100%flour+small amount
commercial yeast
pâte fermentée: old dough or fermented dough
Levain-Levure
This is a French term for yeast pre-ferment
Sometimes it is stiff, but it can be thin like biga as
well.
Levure means “yeast”.
Levain means “sour dough” or “culture starter”[1]
Biga
This is the Italian term for pre-ferment.
It is usually used for stiff pre-ferments
It is made with more yeast.
A biga contains 100%flour, 50-60%water and
0.8to1.5%fresh yeast.[1]
Poolish
The word comes form Poland.
It is a thin yeast starter with equal parts of flour and
water added with commercial yeast.
To make the bread taste better, the polish is made
with small amount of yeast and fermented longer
time at warm places.[1]
Scrap dough
It is also called pâte fermentée.
A lean dough is best for making pre-fermented
dough.
It contains salt and the salt slows down the
fermentation. So there would be more yeast to
balance the salt.[1]
Sourdough Starters
A sourdough starter is a dough or batter that
contains wild yeasts and bacteria, has a noticeable
acidity as a result of fermentation by these
organisms, and is used to leaven other doughs.
It is also called “natural sour” or “natural starter”.
Barm and Levain
Both of them have wild yeast.
Barm is mild,thin and bakers should keep it warm
in room temperature.
Levain is more acidic and stiff. It should be kept
cold.
Refreshing the starter
The starter must be fed frequently after the initial
fermentation has begun in order to nourish the yeast
and bacteria and make them grow.
Bakers should feed the sour everyday at the beginning.
A stiff starter(levain): Flour 100%, Water 5060%,Fermented starter 67%
A thin starter(barm): Flour 100%, Water 100%,
Fermented sour 200%[1]
Autolyse
First combine flour and
water.
Mix them at low speed
until they come together.
Let is stand for 20 to 30
minutes.
Add the other ingredients
after 30 minutes.
Fermentation
The fermentation of artisan bread should be longer,
slower and cooler than normal bread.
If the temperature is too low, fermentation will be slow
and acidity will be produced.
A high temperature makes the fermentation faster and
the flavor “off”.[1]
Keep the artisan bread in room temperature(20
degrees) or in the cooler.
Baking
Artisan breads are baked directly on the reck or floor
of deck or hearth ovens.
If the bread is getting dark in the oven, put a paper on
top to prevent form getting dark fast.
Pour enough flour or cornmeal on the peel before
putting breads into the oven.
The baking temperature should be higher like 218232degrees.
Steam
Steam should be used for 15
minutes at the beginning of
baking[1]
It can make the crust thinner
It can make the bread have
equal temperature including
the interior
Steam dissolves sugar on the
surface and makes a glaze.
Why there are little bubbles
on the skin?
Because bread is
overnight proofed in the
cold environment. Under
the surface, the yeast
was growing. CO2 came
up and makes small
bubbles.
References
1. “Professional Baking Sixth Edition”, Wayne
Gisslen, 2013
2.
http://www.brasseriebread.com.au/sourdough/artis
an-baking.aspx
Thank you for watching!
Chuyue Wang(Winnie)