Finally, my first post about something I baked! This bake included Kaiser Rolls and Ciabatta Batards. The Ciabatta dough was not as wet as real Ciabatta (actually, it was more like a super-hydrated French Bread dough) but it still yielded a spongy crumb with large holes.The Kaiser Rolls turned out soft and flavorful due to the long, cold overnight fermentation and came out of the oven slightly crusty (though they softened after they cooled). The rolls are knotted. Both recipes came from Peter Reinhardt's The Bread Baker's Apprentice.
Actually, both recipes used long, cold overnight fermentation by using a component called a pre-ferment. The pre-ferment in both recipes is the same, and when I make the pre-ferment I double or triple the recipe and bake a few different breads at once. Check out the book for the recipes.Before I close, a couple of tips: Red Star Active Dry yeast acts very similarly to instant yeast and can be used as a substitute. Using Peter's steam pan method is the best way I have found to get a crispy crust. You can also spray the loaves as they are proofing to give them an interesting texture. Finally, for the Kaiser Rolls, use an egg wash to get the tops shiny. The recipe doesn't call for it but has a picture of egg-washed rolls in the book. Until next time...I'll be baking.
