Post by wilderness on Nov 24, 2023 13:23:07 GMT -5
Using a Starter Sponge in Any Bread Recipe-Birdy
Would you like to play with your food? You can take any bread machine recipe and convert it to start with an overnight sponge to increase its flavor and texture. It's really easy and doesn't take much work--just a little advance planning. The sponge sits in the bread machine pan during its overnight rest--all you do is add the rest of the ingredients the next day and finish the recipe. To save time, I measure out the ingredients for the rest of the loaf at the same time that I prepare the sponge, set them aside, and have them waiting when it's time to continue. Try making pizza dough with a sponge starter--you'll be amazed how good it is.
Overnight Sponge Formula (sometimes called a Poolish or Biga)
from "Rustic European Breads from Your Bread Machine" by Linda Eckhardt & Diana Collingwood Butts
In this method, a small portion of the total dough is made early and allowed to ferment for two to 10 hours. Some sources say at least 8 hours or up to 24 hours. Even a short time makes the flavor better than without it. If it is summer or you have a warm kitchen, keep this in mind. Your sponge will develop faster. You should not let it go too long since there is a point where the yeast begins to fail as it runs out of food. This fermenting enhances the flavor and strength of the dough without being as much trouble or as time-consuming as making a full-fledged starter that may take days to ripen.
You can turn any bread machine recipe into a sponge method recipe by following this technique. Sponges can be made easily in the bread machine itself. Here’s the formula:
Mix half the flour with all of the water and all the yeast in the bread machine pan.
(Note--do not use milk as any of the liquid since it sits at room temperature overnight. Use water in the sponge and add dry milk powder to the rest of the recipe later to equal the milk in your recipe.)
Run the machine on the dough setting. (I let the machine mix for 5 min. when the blade starts, scrape down the sides, let it mix for another five minutes and then turn off and unplug the machine. Leave the sponge in the pan.)
Let the sponge sit in the bread machine on the counter (not the refrigerator) for at least 8 hours or up to 24—or whatever time your recipe may require if it starts with a sponge. The texture will be more like a batter than a dough.
When it is time to finish the loaf, add the remaining flour, salt, and any other ingredients called for. Be sure to keep the salt on top away from the sponge mixture--salt kills yeast. I like to scrape down the sides of the pan before adding the other ingredients to make mixing easier.
Finish the loaf. Run it on the dough setting if you plan to finish the loaf in the oven or continue with a program to bake the loaf in the bread machine. If you bake in the machine, you should plan to monitor the kneading and add either water or flour to adjust the moisture of the dough as you would normally do.
Note:
I have seen some recipes where people prepare the sponge and then place the rest of the ingredients on top before letting it sit overnight. The next day they just turn on the machine and finish the loaf.
Some brave souls set the machine on the timer so that they wake up to a warm loaf of fresh bread. I'm too controlling since I like to monitor the moisture level when it's kneading so I don't think I'd do that. But if you trust your recipe and bread machine, it is an option.
Would you like to play with your food? You can take any bread machine recipe and convert it to start with an overnight sponge to increase its flavor and texture. It's really easy and doesn't take much work--just a little advance planning. The sponge sits in the bread machine pan during its overnight rest--all you do is add the rest of the ingredients the next day and finish the recipe. To save time, I measure out the ingredients for the rest of the loaf at the same time that I prepare the sponge, set them aside, and have them waiting when it's time to continue. Try making pizza dough with a sponge starter--you'll be amazed how good it is.
Overnight Sponge Formula (sometimes called a Poolish or Biga)
from "Rustic European Breads from Your Bread Machine" by Linda Eckhardt & Diana Collingwood Butts
In this method, a small portion of the total dough is made early and allowed to ferment for two to 10 hours. Some sources say at least 8 hours or up to 24 hours. Even a short time makes the flavor better than without it. If it is summer or you have a warm kitchen, keep this in mind. Your sponge will develop faster. You should not let it go too long since there is a point where the yeast begins to fail as it runs out of food. This fermenting enhances the flavor and strength of the dough without being as much trouble or as time-consuming as making a full-fledged starter that may take days to ripen.
You can turn any bread machine recipe into a sponge method recipe by following this technique. Sponges can be made easily in the bread machine itself. Here’s the formula:
Mix half the flour with all of the water and all the yeast in the bread machine pan.
(Note--do not use milk as any of the liquid since it sits at room temperature overnight. Use water in the sponge and add dry milk powder to the rest of the recipe later to equal the milk in your recipe.)
Run the machine on the dough setting. (I let the machine mix for 5 min. when the blade starts, scrape down the sides, let it mix for another five minutes and then turn off and unplug the machine. Leave the sponge in the pan.)
Let the sponge sit in the bread machine on the counter (not the refrigerator) for at least 8 hours or up to 24—or whatever time your recipe may require if it starts with a sponge. The texture will be more like a batter than a dough.
When it is time to finish the loaf, add the remaining flour, salt, and any other ingredients called for. Be sure to keep the salt on top away from the sponge mixture--salt kills yeast. I like to scrape down the sides of the pan before adding the other ingredients to make mixing easier.
Finish the loaf. Run it on the dough setting if you plan to finish the loaf in the oven or continue with a program to bake the loaf in the bread machine. If you bake in the machine, you should plan to monitor the kneading and add either water or flour to adjust the moisture of the dough as you would normally do.
Note:
I have seen some recipes where people prepare the sponge and then place the rest of the ingredients on top before letting it sit overnight. The next day they just turn on the machine and finish the loaf.
Some brave souls set the machine on the timer so that they wake up to a warm loaf of fresh bread. I'm too controlling since I like to monitor the moisture level when it's kneading so I don't think I'd do that. But if you trust your recipe and bread machine, it is an option.
