Feeding a Poolish?
eclipsme
consisting of 100g ww flour, 100 g water and 1/8t yeast. It sat on the
counter 24 hours.
Not able to bake today, I decided to experiment and added another 100g
water and 100g flour. It has expanded and is very much alive. However,
it has a much stronger smell to it than I am used to - pungent, spicy. I
actually like it and think it will add to the flavor of the bread.
I am starting to feel like I am making a sourdough though. After
doubling in size, I have stirred it and put it in the fridge with the
thought of baking tomorrow.
Is there any problem using it tomorrow?
Thanks,
Harvey
Boron Elgar
wrote:
You should have no problem using it tomorrow. Account for the
additional poolish flour and water in your recipe.
You may or may not need more yeast in the recipe. I think you'll get
away without it, but you might need a longer rise. And of course, I
have not seen your recipe and like to live on the edge.
The flavor this gives to your bread will probably be deeper, more
complex than you usually get with the recipe, but is not too likely to
have a real sourdough tang.
Boron
eclipsme
Harvey
Derek Lyons
Other than letting it warm up a bit before using, there should be no
problem at all. (Don't forget to account for the flour and water in
the additional feeding!)
D.
--
Touch-twice life. Eat. Drink. Laugh.
http://derekl1963.livejournal.com/
-Resolved: To be more temperate in my postings.
Oct 5th, 2004 JDL
eclipsme
> eclipsme <no...@invalid.invalid> wrote:
>
>> I thought I was going to bake today, so I began a poolish yesterday
>> consisting of 100g ww flour, 100 g water and 1/8t yeast. It sat on the
>> counter 24 hours.
>>
>> Not able to bake today, I decided to experiment and added another 100g
>> water and 100g flour. It has expanded and is very much alive. However,
>> it has a much stronger smell to it than I am used to - pungent, spicy. I
>> actually like it and think it will add to the flavor of the bread.
>>
>> I am starting to feel like I am making a sourdough though. After
>> doubling in size, I have stirred it and put it in the fridge with the
>> thought of baking tomorrow.
>>
>> Is there any problem using it tomorrow?
>
> Other than letting it warm up a bit before using, there should be no
> problem at all. (Don't forget to account for the flour and water in
> the additional feeding!)
>
> D.
Harvey
KingOfGlop
Because I have serious health problem that cause my mental and
physical capabilities to vary unpredictably from day to day I often
make a poolish and then am not up to actually making the bread the
next day (or even the next week!) and I've never had a problem. In
fact the finished bread's flavour is better the longer the
fermantation.
Apropos of which, here's something I write a long time ago.
Glop IV - The Wages of Forgetfullness.
It is morning, early morning, 07:00, an unusual time for the Scribbler
and Bread Fairy who conceals his electronic Doppelgangers behind the
mask of a simple countryman. The tired B.F. has slept little in recent
days. Muad'dib is bedridden with an energy-sapping throat infection
that has robbed her of speech and signing is not a skill posessed by
either partner to any marked degree. They have been forced to rely on
note writing and Charades neither of which make for flowing
conversation. Madame, Moggy from Hell, is madder than ever. Ah well,
"Time to cringe from another day." as Sally Brown so memorably put it.
Time for Breakfast. John is feeling a little liverish this fine,
bright (Too bright, Kemo Sabay!) March Morning. A trifle too much of
the Spirit of Mother Russia has left him in no fit state to face the
nasty sneaking suspicion that oozes from a little used recess of his
mind. Shaking off foreboding John prepares a light breakfast,
Scrambled Eggs with the lovely, delicate, new shoots of chives for Her
Celestial Radiance and for John, 2 large pitta, reheated over the
naked gas flame, charred lightly in spots, a big dollop of Tahini with
loads of garlic, salt and lemon, a few slices of Black Forest Ham,
some excellent Saint-Agur cheese, half a loaf of raisin bread which,
unusually in the B.F. household, has survived the night, sliced and
slathered with salty French butter and 2 cans of full-sugar coke.
Refreshed by this light repast the B.F. turns his thoughts with what
would, in a lesser man, be taken for reluctance to the array of minor
and major fiascos, farragos and firefights which are the Scribbler's
lot in these parlous times.
The oil slick of suspicion is still staining the blue sea of our
hero's mind. The PDA - No appointments. The Notice board - nothing.
The post-it note that has fallen to the floor and jammed itself behind
the rack of pans - "Bake BIG pdc (B.F. shorthand "Pain de Campagne")
for J. tues lunch". "Oh dear" murmurs the soft-spoken Honey Monster
(The darling children of the village have made him their own by
bestowing upon him this affectionate nickname.) A sidelong glance at
the clock shows that, assuming lunch at 13:00 John has 5 hours to bake
something, no problem except the Lady concerned knows and loves John's
bread and will detect lack of preferment and will have awkward
questions. And she is a competent baker herself. And she specifically
asked for a Pain de Campagne. She is intending a hearty, beer and
pickles, affair and she wants bread with LOTS of flavour.
OK, a batch of Quick Coccodrillo will at least turn heartbreak into
disappointment so start that mixing and we''ll sort out a convincing
fairytale later. To the fridge, for the yeast, open the door and have
what can only be described as a religious experience on seeing,
lurking in the depths of the capacious cooler, a big plastic bag
containing, as he now remembers, with an alarming mixture of guilt and
jubilation, the fetid result of 2 days cold fermentation of a batch of
Pitta dough that was mixed 2 days ago and left in the fridge because
Her Mightiness was not well and the Scribbler's notoriously imperfect
short term memory was working even worse than usual.
Open the bag, powerful, lactic, sour, cleans John's sinuses out in 3
seconds. Perfect! Into the mixer bowl, rye, wholwheat and white, HOT
water to bring hydration down to 60% (or thereabouts), salt, a
tablespoon of instant yeast, mix slowly then medium for 15 minutes,
out onto the counter, 3 very quick Stretch 'n' Folds, brief bulk
ferment shape into a big boule, cover, mop brow, feel faint, sit down,
get up again, turn on oven, sit down, get up again, adjust postion of
oven shelves, sit down, exhale, "I am calm , I am certain, a rock of
knowing in a sea of ignorance.".
Later that day.........
"That was lovely bread, John. Nice , sour taste" says J.
"That's from the 48 hour preferment." replies John, not without a
twinge of conscience.
"Hmm, I'll have to try that, do you have a recipe for this one?"
"It's not ready for a formal recipe yet." squeaks, John in best weasel
mode.
Moral, Forgetfullness moves in mysterious ways it's terrors to abate.
Or, as Muad'Dib puts it "You always come up smelling like a rose,
Dear"
.
Love
John