The process of making yeast breads and its many steps are not designed to irritate you and they are not part of a twisted plot to waste your time. They each serve an important purpose. Each step contributes something special to your finished product and if you allow the process to work in your home kitchen you will experience the extraordinary instead of another so-so loaf of bread. If you think that your bread is great without these necessary steps, and you have been cutting corners for years, give the process a try. I'm betting even you will be shocked at the results.
Let's go through the steps together.
#1 Pre-doughs serve multiple purposes, from increased leavening power and flavor to softer bran and better digestibility. If you have not made breads with pre-doughs you are not using your best tools to make bread.
Making the Biga
For such a simple thing, the Biga is a powerful tool in your bread making arsenal. It is nothing more than flour, a little commercial yeast, and water. When combined and allowed to slowly ferment, the biga will give your whole grain bread leavening power that you can only dream about otherwise. Combine the flour, yeast and water together in your mixing bowl.
Mix your biga briefly with a spoon until the ingredients are mostly incorporated. Ditch the spoon and get in there with your hands. Knead the dough for about a minute until all of the ingredients are fully incorporated and the dough forms a ball. The dough will be slightly sticky, but not too bad. No need to oil or flour your hands. . . they'll wash.
Allow the dough to rest for about five minutes. The dough will continue to soak in the moisture provided. After the resting period, knead the dough for another minute. You will notice that the dough has already changed in texture. The dough will be softer, smoother, and more elastic. The magic is already working.
Store your biga in an airtight container in the refrigerator for eight to twelve hours. I store mine in these Lock Tight containers which can be purchased at any super mart. I place a piece of plastic wrap directly on top of the dough to protect it from discoloring due to oxidation. You can also easily put your Biga in a baggie. Remove all of the air and seal it. What ever you use, make sure that the container allows for some expansion of the dough. Use the Biga anytime in the next seventy-two hours. Set it out a few hours before you need it to allow it to come to room temperature.
I make my Biga in the evening and it does its work while I am sleeping, a perfect arrangement.
Making the Soaker
The soaker gives the rest of your flour a chance to hydrate and develop its flavor. The soaker shown to the right is for the sprouted seed loaf. A soaker does not traditionally include a sweetener, but I decided to try honey in this recipe on a whim and loved the results. Combine all of the ingredients in a mixing bowl.
Using a spoon mix the ingredients together until incorporated. You will find that this particular soaker seems a little wet. No worries, the seeds are going to spend the next twelve hours soaking in their share of the moisture. They will plumb up, increase in nutrition, and add incredible flavor to this loaf of bread.
Knead your Soaker for about a minute. It doesn't need much attention, just make sure the ingredients are nicely incorporated. Store your Soaker like you do the Biga. It can sit out on the counter for the allotted time, or you can keep it in the fridge. Once it has soaked for eight to twelve hours you can use it anytime in the next seventy-two hours. I keep my soaker and biga in the fridge near each other. I make them in the evening and pull them out in the morning. They only need a few hours at room temperature to be ready to make the best loaf of bread ever!
Notice how both of these pre-doughs can be made up in about five minutes. I make my biga first and then mix up my soaker while the biga is resting.
Making the Final Dough
Now the fun begins. Combining the biga and soaker is the brain child of Peter Reinhart, master bread maker, and author. I spoke with him recently and he mentioned that if he could rewrite his book Peter Reinhart's Whole Grain Breads that he would increase the kneading and resting periods of his doughs.
I mention this because so many of us don't make bread because of the time it takes. The first question I am usually asked right off the bat is, "How long do I have to knead it"? It is hard to pin point an exact time because of the variations of the dough, the technique of the baker, the protein content of the wheat, the amount of enrichments added to the dough, and the desired final outcome. The answer is you knead it until it is finished.
Let's go through this together with lots of pictures and discuss the process of creating a soft, smooth, hydrated, extensible dough.
Combining the Pre-doughs
Lay the biga on a lightly floured surface, flatten, and lightly sprinkle it with flour. Using a bench scraper or pizza wheel, cut the biga into pieces. Roll the biga in the flour provided, this will prevent the biga and soaker from sticking back together. Follow the same process for the soaker.
Combine the biga and the soaker in a mixing bowl along with the yeast, salt, sugar, butter, and any other enrichments the recipe calls for. Mix the doughs together the best you can. You can try using a spoon, but I have found that my hands are best. If you are using a bread mixer you will want to use your hook attachment on low to combine the doughs.
In this picture you can clearly see the two different doughs, brown sugar, yeast and I think a little butter. It will take three to four minutes of kneading to thoroughly combine all of the ingredients together.
Once the doughs and enrichments are combined, continue kneading. The dough will very quickly turn shaggy and wet. You will be tempted to add more flour but don't. The water that the dough has spent hours soaking up is being squished around as the gluten is being manipulated and organized. The dough will reach a point where the gluten becomes more organized. The moisture will be recaptured by the dough and it will all smooth out.
Notice the webbing on the ball of dough. The gluten strands are coming together and becoming more and more organized by the kneading action. The dough is still a little sticky and may stick to the counter top. Simply use a bench scraper to lift the dough and bring it back to you. The dough will continue to smooth out and stick more to itself than it does to the counter top. If you are using a bread mixer for this phase, use the paddle attachment on a medium low setting.
If you look closely at this picture you can see the circular long strands of gluten that are giving shape to the dough. The dough has smoothed out considerably. It is ready for a second resting, or autolyse cycle. The first autolyse cycle was done when you initially made the pre-doughs and left them to soak and ferment for several hours. This time will be much shorter. Cover the dough in a lightly oiled bowl and allow it to rest for 20-30 minutes.
During the autolyse cycle the water that you have been pushing around reabsorbes into the dough. The gluten rests and becomes more extensible and flavors continue to develop. At the end of the cycle there will be a noticable difference in the texture of the dough.
Another quick kneading cycle and your dough will be smooth and ready to allow to ferment. At this point you will cover it and allow it to rise until it has doubled in size. It may take as long as an hour. During the fermentation cycle the dough is allowed to fully develop its flavor. Look at the time as an opportunity to provide delicious, flavorful bread for your family.
Shaping and Proofing the Dough