Comments & Questions: • We made "warp speed ciabatta" in class. At home, you can take advantage of time to make really great ciabatta with better texture (more/bigger holes) and improved flavor too. Suggestions: a) Instead of boiling hot water, add warm water (120F) to the biga. b) Cut the yeast down to 2 teaspoons. c) Rise at room temperature (75F). d) To build strength: fold the dough over itself in the bowl by inserting a rubber spatula down at the edge near you and then bringing it up and over the dough before pressing down on the other side away from you. Rotate the bowl and repeat all the way around the dough. Rise again after folding. e) Give bread made at home twice as much time as we had in class. Don
• To calculate Hydration divide the WEIGHT of water/liquids into the WEIGHT of flour used.
Example using the ciabatta recipe on this page:
Water = 236g in biga + 236g in dough = 472g total
Flour = 280g in biga + 280g in dough = 560g total
Hydration = 472 / 560 = 84%
