- 1 recipe Ciabatta
- 3 MEASURING, MIXING AND KNEADING, AND FIRST FERMENTATION
- Make the dough according to the directions for Ciabatta through the first fermentation stage.
- 4 DIVIDING
- Generously coat a clean work surface with flour.
- Generously flour the top of the dough and, using a bowl scraper, scrape the dough onto the floured work surface. Lightly dust the exterior of the dough with flour and allow the dough to rest for 30 seconds.
- If the dough is very sticky, lightly flour your hands and add more flour to the work surface. If the dough sticks to the table, use your bench scraper to lift it up; do not pull and stretch the dough.
- Lightly press down on the dough with a flat hand, forming the dough into a large square. Using a bench scraper, cut the dough in half to form 2 rectangles. Then, again using the bench scraper, cut each piece into 3 or 4 equal-sized rectangles. (The number will depend upon the size of your oven-proof crocks.)
- 5 SHAPING Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone liner. Turn the ovenproof crocks upside-down and spray the exteriors with nonstick vegetable oil spray. Transfer the sprayed crocks to the prepared baking sheet.
- Working with one piece of the dough at a time, stretch the dough out and over to completely and evenly cover an inverted, sprayed crock. Don’t hesitate to work the dough until it completely covers the crock; any excess can be pressed out to form the rim on the finished bread bowl. Cover the dough-covered crocks with a clean linen towel followed by plastic wrap.
- 6 FINAL FERMENTATION
- Place the baking sheet in a warm (75°F to 80°F), draft-free place for 1 hour. Record the time in your Dough Log, as well as the exact time required for the final fermentation, and set your timer. It should take 45 minutes to 1 hour for the final proofing; however, you should keep a close eye on the dough, because if it is overproofed it will be unusable.
- About 30 minutes before you are ready to bake, move the oven rack to one rung below the center. Preheat the oven to 450°F.
- To determine whether the dough is ready to be baked, uncover and gently make a small indentation in the center of the dough with your fingertip. If the indentation slowly and evenly disappears, the bread is ready to bake. If not, follow the instructions on page 63 for additional fermentation.
- 7 BAKING
- Uncover the dough and place the baking sheet in the preheated oven. Bake, rotating the baking sheet after 10 minutes, until the bred bowls are evenly browned and baked through, about 25 minutes. If necessary, rotate the individual bowls occasionally to make sure that they brown evenly.
- Remove from the oven and place on cooling racks to cool slightly.
- While still slightly warm, carefully tip the baked bread bowls from the crocks and place, still upside-down, on cooling racks to cool completely.
- Serve, filled with your favorite soup.
- Final Fermentation
- Quick tip for final fermentation:
- Your finger is the only tool you need to determine whether bread is ready to bake.
- The final fermentation, often called “proofing” by home bakers, is when the bread takes on volume. Whether the dough is in a banneton, in a couche, or on a baking sheet, transfer it to a warm (75°F to 80°F), draft-free place.
- Record the time in your Dough Log, as well as the exact time required for the final fermentation, and set your timer. It will usually take about 1 hour for the final proofing, although some recipes may take less or more time. You should keep a close eye on the dough, since it will be unusable if it is overproofed.
- To determine whether the dough is ready to be baked, remove the plastic wrap and gently make a small indentation in the center of the dough with your fingertip. If the indentation slowly and evenly disappears, the bread is ready to bake.
- If the indentation quickly pops back up, the bread is not yet ready, to bake. Again, cover loosely with plastic wrap and let ferment for an [additional 15 minutes. Check again, making another small indentation in the center. If it still pops back up, cover and continue to ferment for another #15 minutes. If still not ready, cover and continue to ferment, checking every 5 minutes until the indentation disappears slowly and evenly.
- If, on the other hand, the indentation causes the entire shape to completely deflate, the dough is overproofed. This means that it has been allowed to rest for too long. It is now unusable and would yield an unpleasant texture and flavor if baked.