The Young and The Yeastless

It's that time again. The Bread Baking Babes have taken on a new challenge and this one was a lot of fun. I have to admit that sometimes I look at our new recipes and gulp a bit when I realize it's going to mean a shopping scavenger hunt to find a weird ingredient (usually flour), or a couple of weeks of prep time prior to popping the loaf into the oven.

This month I didn't gulp at all. The recipe that Sara of I Like To Cook, our host kitchen of the month, gave us is really quite easy and calls for water, bread flour, and salt. Did you read yeast? I didn't type yeast. As leaven for this loaf you use 1/4 cup of leftover dough, called a "chef." It's a 2 day loaf, but worth the wait. For me it produced dainty loaves with a sturdy crust and lovely texture inside. And it's so much fun to make, I can't wait to try it again.

Check out all the other Babes (see the sidebar) and see what lovely loaves they've concocted, then try it yourself. If you make it and post it by the 29th, send a link to Sarah and she'll send you back a handsome Bread Baking Buddy badge to proudly display on your site.



Pane Francese
- adapted from King Arthur Flour, inspired by Joe Ortiz and The Village Baker

Early on the first day:

Creating the Levain
chef (1/4 cup leftover dough, or 1/4 cup sourdough starter, unfed)
1/4 cup warm, chlorine-free water
1/2 cup King Arthur Unbleached Special Bread Flour (I used plain bread flour)

Let the chef soften in the warm water, then whisk out any lumps. Mix in the flour until yo8u've formed a stiff dough. Turn the dough out onto a floured surface, and knead it for 5 to 8 minutes. The chef (now called a levain) should be moist but firm. Place the levain in a bowl, cover it with a damp cloth, and let it rise in a warm place till doubled. This will take 5 to 6 hours.

Sometime after lunch:

Second-Stage Levain
All of the levain (from above)
1/2 cup warm, chlorine-free water
1 1/2 cups King Arthur Unbleached Special Bread Flour

"Refresh" the levain by placing it in a medium-sized bowl, chopping it into small pieces, and adding the water and 1/2 cup of the flour, stirring till smooth. Add the remaining flour gradually to create a stiff dough. Knead the dough for several minutes, then return it to the bowl, cover it with a damp cloth, and let it rise for 3 to 5 hours, till it doubles in size. Punch down the risen levain, and reserve 1/4 cup as your next chef. (Let the piece ferment at room temperature for 3 hours, then wrap it in plastic and store it in the fridge. It'll develop a hard crust; that's OK.)

In the evening:

Dough
all of the second-stage levain (from above)
3/4 cup warm, chlorine-free water
2 teaspoons salt
2 cups King Arthur Unbleached Special Bread Flour

Chop the levain into small pieces, and mix them with the water, stirring till they begin to dissolve. Add the salt, then 1 1/2 cups of the flour. Turn the dough onto a lightly floured or lightly greased work surface, and knead until the dough is smooth and satiny, adding only enough additional flour to keep the dough from sticking unbearably. Return the dough to the bowl, cover it with a damp cloth, and let it rise in a warm place for 8 to 10 hours (overnight).

The next morning:

Shaping:
Cut the dough into 2 pieces, and shape each piece into a round or oval. Transfer the loaves to a lightly greased or parchment-lined baking sheet, or to a floured banneton; cover with a heavily floured cloth, and allow them to rise for 2 to 3 hours, or until they're almost doubled in bulk.

Don't slash or glaze the loaves. Bake the bread in a preheated 450°F oven for 35 to 40 minutes, with plenty of steam, or until they're a deep, golden brown. Yield: 2 loaves.

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And now, the announcement you've all been waiting for.... the winner of the See's $25 gift certificate is.....(drumroll)...Elyse! Congratulations, Elyse! Please send me your full name and mailing address so we can get it right out to you.