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.

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. 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 %,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 degrees.

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, an-baking.aspx an-baking.aspx

Thank you for watching! Chuyue Wang(Winnie)