some of you have mentioned Lionel Poilane
gw
(miche) Or, in fact, any of his other loaves?
I think that's what I am seeing occasionally, but thought perhaps I could
get you to post it here.
many thanks in advance,
gw
Rose Kish
"gw" <wor...@idworld.net> wrote in message
news:v17jdpg...@corp.supernews.com...
> and I am wondering if any of you have a recipe for his great four lb loaf?
> (miche) Or, in fact, any of his other loaves?
I know of 2 versions of Poilane's loaves. The following authors have both
dealt with Poilane. Does anyone know if Patricia Wells has a version?
Here's Bernard Clayton's version of Pain de Campagne at my bread page.
http://rkish.tripod.com/breadsbooksbiscotti/id3.html Depending on your
comfort/skill level, this is a heads up - this recipe produces a
*super-hydrated* dough. I handle it with a large of amount of bench flour
(not kneading it in, only to cradle the dough for transport to oven) YMMV
In a previous post, I mentioned Linda Collister's The Bread Book. She has a
version of Poilane's French Sourdough Loaf. Don't have time to type the
whole recipe, but here are the ingredients - the proportions are different
from Clayton's version, but you can compare these measurements to the
Clayton recipe and decide for yourself.
STARTER
2 cups whole wheat bread flour (pref. stone ground)
1 cup lukewarm water
SPONGE
2/3 cup lukewarm water
2 cups unbleached white bread flour
DOUGH
1/4 cup lukewarm water
2-1/4 tablespoons coarse sea salt
2 cups unbleached white bread flour
Alan Zelt
>
> "gw" <wor...@idworld.net> wrote in message
> news:v17jdpg...@corp.supernews.com...
> > and I am wondering if any of you have a recipe for his great four lb loaf?
> > (miche) Or, in fact, any of his other loaves?
>
> I know of 2 versions of Poilane's loaves. The following authors have both
> dealt with Poilane. Does anyone know if Patricia Wells has a version?
>
> Here's Bernard Clayton's version of Pain de Campagne at my bread page.
I did not personally like the results that I got with Clayton's version.
I have been using Patricia Well's version for about four years.I have
posted it here several times. I will do so again. I love it. Of late, I
have sometimes varied it by using Reinhart's sour with her recipe. I
have had great results. Also, I have been substituting about half a cup
of rye flour to the mix. A tad heartier without turning into a Pain
Compagne.
* Exported from MasterCook *
Pain Poilane au Levain Naturel(Poilane's Natural Sourdough)
Recipe By : Recreated by Patricia Wells
Serving Size : 1 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories : Bread French
Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
Sourdough starter
1 cup water -- room temp
2 cups bread flour
Final Loaf
3 cups water -- room temp
1 tbsp fine sea salt
6 cups bread flour (5-6 cups)
1/2 cup coarse rye flour
1/2 cup white whole wheat flour
Days 1-4: Prepare the starter. In small bowl, combine 1/4cup water and
1/2cup flour. Form into soft dough. Knead into smooth ball(sticky and
soft). Return to bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Set aside at room
temp for 24hours. The starter should rise slightly. Repeat this process
for 3 more days. Each day the starter should rise slightly and become
more acidic.
Day 5: Make the bread. Transfer the starter to the mixing bowl. Add the
three cups of water and the 1tbsp of salt. Using a whisk, stir for about
1 minute, to thoroughly dissolve the starter. Add the flour, a bit at a
time, stirring well(use flat beater). After you have added 7cups of
flour, the dough should be firm enough to knead. Put in dough hook and
knead for 10 minutes, adding the remaining 1cup of flour, until the
dough is nicely elastic and soft, but still firm enough to hold itself.
Reserve one cup of starter.
Shape the remaining dough into a tight ball. Place in a large floured
cloth, in a round shallow basket(10"). Place the dough top(smooth side
down). Loosely fold the cloth over the dough. Set aside at room temp for
a minimum of 6hours, up to 12 hours(can even go longer). The dough will
rise very slowly, but should double in size.
40minutes before placing in oven, preheat to 500F.
Lightly flour a pizza peel, invert the loaf onto the peel, and slash the
top of the bread several times(about 1/4" deep), so that it can expand
evenly during baking. Quickly place the bread on the stone. Spray the
oven when bread is placed in oven, and again three more times during the
next 6 minutes. The bread will reach its full height in the first 15
minutes. After 15 minutes, reduce the heat to 425F; and continue baking
until the crust is a deep golden brown and the loaf sounds hollow when
tapped, an additional 20-25 minutes(total time 40-45min).
Do not slice the bread for at least 1 hour, for it will continue to bake
as it rests. For best results, store the bread in a paper or cloth bag
once it is thoroughly cooled. Plastic will tend to soften the dense
crust you worked so hard to create. The bread should remain fresh for
3-4days.
NOTE: After you have made your first loaf and saved the starter, begin
at step 2 for subsequent loaves. Proceed through the rest of the recipe,
always remembering to save about 1 cup of the starter. The starter may
be stored in a a covered plastic container or bowl with a damp cloth for
1-2 days., or refrigerated for up to 1 week. Reactivate the starter
every week by adding 1/4 cup water and 1/2cup bread flour. Do not use
more than 1 cup of starter per loaf. The starter may be frozen in the
freezer; but it will take a long time to reactivate.
Do not be fearful of baking in a very hot oven; for it's that initial
high heat that helps the bread rise during the first 15 minutes.
Once you become comfortable with the process of sourdough bread, you can
improvise, adding whole grains, a bit of whole wheat flour, other ground
grains, and flour, including rye, semolina, or cornmeal. Just be sure
not to overdo it, or your starter will become heavy and less active.
And no matter how many times you make sourdough bread, remember that no
two loaves are ever exactly alike:that's part of their eternal charm.
Zelt note: I have substituted some flour in the dough. Instead of the
seven cups of bread flour, I used six. In addition, I used half a cup
of WHITE whole wheat flour and half a cup of coarse rye flour. The
finished product is more substantive and hearty. As for the white wheat
flour, I find it sweeter and not bitter as is the regular whole wheat
flour.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
NOTES : This is the recipe that Paris's most famous baker, Lionel
Poilane, created for the French housewife, and the closest I've come to
re-creating his superb and popular loaf at home. I also call it
"patience bread" because it takes almost a week to make the first batch
of this natural, slightly sour loaf.
To bakers accustomed to the fast-acting whoosh one gets from yeast
dough, Poilane's dough is a real sleeper. This dough really takes its
time expanding, but the reward for your patience is a very fine grained,
acidic, gentle loaf. It's the most subtle and delicious bread I know, at
once sophisticated and countryish. When you bite into it, you'll say,
"now this is bread." A great crust, with a moist, chewy, wheaty-brown
interior.
This recipe should offer a consistent loaf, with a vibrantly acidic
interior and and an irresistibly thick and chewy crust. If you love good
bread, invest in a baking stone, and get into the habit of spraying the
oven for the first few moments
--
Alan
Rose Kish
the original post you sent re this recipe (printed)... R.
Graham
Graham
"gw" <wor...@idworld.net> wrote in message
news:v17jdpg...@corp.supernews.com...
Combat Lit
She has a version of Poilane's French Sourdough Loaf. Don't have time to type
sea salt >>
When I read tablespoons of salt, I was surprised. I think I have the same book
Rose mentioned so I checked the ingredients list. My book states 2 teaspoons
kosher salt or flaked sea salt. Because there are other differences, I thought
I would post the entire recipe as it appears on pages 162-163 of the book.
Robert
_________________
French Sourdough Loaf (after Poilane)
Makes one large loaf:
STARTER:
1 1/2 cups whole-wheat bread flour (preferably stone-ground)
about 1 cup lukewarm water (95F to 105F)
SPONGE:
1/2 cup lukewarm water (95F to 105F)
1 cup white bread flour (preferably unbleached and stone-ground)
DOUGH:
1/4 cup lukewarm water (95F to 105F)
2 teaspoons kosher salt or flaked sea salt
about 2 to 2 1/2 cups white bread flour (preferably unbleached and
stone-ground)
one round wicker basket, about 9 inches wide and 4 inches high, limed with a
heavily floured dry dish towel, and a baking sheet, heavily floured, or a
9x5x3-inch loaf pan, greased
To make the starter: Mix together the flour and enough of the lukewarm water
in a small bowl to make a very thick batter. Cover with a damp dish towel and
let stand at room temperature, away from drafts, for three days, so it absorbs
the yeasts in the air. (Re-dampen the dish towel when necessary.) After three
days, the starter should be smelly, gray, and only slightly bubbly.
To make the sponge: Pour the starter into a large bowl. Then add the lukewarm
water, stirring to dissolve any lumps in the starter. Add the white bread
flour. Beat with your hand or a wooden spoon for about 1 minute to make a
thick batter. Cover with a damp dish towel and let stand at room temperature,
away from drafts, for 24 to 36 hours, or until it is spongy and slightly
bubbly. (Re-dampen the dish towel when necessary.) The longer you leave the
sponge, the more pronounced the sour taste will be.
To make the dough: Stir down the sponge. Beat in the lukewarm water and the
salt. Then mix in enough white bread flour, about one handful at a time, to
make a soft, but not sticky dough.
Turn out the dough onto a lightly floured work surface and knead for 10 minutes
until firm, smooth, and elastic, adding more flour as needed. Return the dough
to the bowl (no need to wash and oil the bowl). Cover with a damp dish towel
and let rise at room temperature, away from drafts, until almost doubled in
size, 8 to 12 hours.
Punch down the dough. Cut off 6 to 8 ounces of the dough (about 1 cup) and set
aside for making the next starter (see below). Shape the rest of the dough
into a ball and put into the cloth-lined basket, if using, or onto the prepared
baking sheet. (The basket gives the loaf a nice round shape.) Or shape into a
loaf to fit the prepared pan (see A Plain White Loaf, page 24). Cover with a
damp dish towel and let rise at room temperature, away from drafts, until
almost doubled in size, about 8 hours. Subsequent batches may take less time
to rise.
To bake: Heat the oven to 425F. If you used the basket, invert the loaf from
the basket onto the prepared baking sheet. Using a sharp knife or a razor
blade, slash the top of the loaf four times, or make two diagonal slashes
across the top if you are baking the loaf in a pan. Sprinkle with a little
white flour. Bake the loaf for 20 minutes. Then lower the oven temperature to
375F and bake for 35 to 45 minutes longer, or until the loaf sounds hollow when
tapped underneath. Transfer the loaf to a wire rack and cool completely.
TO KEEP A STARTER FOR THE NEXT BATCH: Put the reserved 6- to 8-ounce (about
1-cup) portion of dough into a greased plastic bag and store in the
refrigerator for up to three days. Or place the dough in a small bowl, covered
with a damp dish towel, and let stand at room temperature, away from drafts,
for up to two days. (To keep the starter longer, see page 160.) To use for
making a loaf, start at the sponging stage in the above recipe, and beat in a
little extra lukewarm water to make a thick batter. Proceed with the recipe.
Rose Kish
measurements. I went back to my copy (don't know which printing, prob. 1st
printing, 1999 edition) and indeed it has the tablespoon misprint and
different quantities altogether... your copy seems to be the revised
printing. I forgot I had Arthur Boehm's review (Amazon.com) tucked into the
book; Mr. Boehm notes that the book was "compromised by inaccurate quantity
conversions" (grams/cups, etc), likely referring to the 1st printing.
Having been in publishing, I would not be surprised if the task of
converting all these units of measurements had been left to a lonely ol'
assistant with a calculator ...! But still a very good instructive and
inspiring book to reference.
Rose
"Combat Lit" <comb...@aol.com> wrote in message
Alan Zelt
Like Clayton's, Reinhart's recipe is good, but I find that neither come
close to my tastes of the actual Poilane miches. To me the closest is
Patricia Well's version.
Graham
Paris and London is that it does not have a strong sourdough taste. Neither
do the pains aux levains from my two local French boulangeres. Admittedly,
there is some sour flavour but it is much more subtle than most of the
tooth-enamel-etching sourdoughs that one finds in some bakeries. As I have
mentioned before, my French friends find sourdough breads too strong for
their tastes.
The pain au levain produced by the Melmerby Bakery, (www.village-bakery.com)
apparently using old-world methods, and sold throughout the UK by the
Waitrose Supermarket chain, has a much stronger sour flavor than Poilane's.
This may be due to the fact that they use a fairly wet starter and this is
what concerned me when I read the Wells recipe and makes me reluctant to try
it. Ortiz and Reinhart use a firm levain which holds some of the sourness
at bay.
I maintain a firm, 60% hydration chef derived from organic wholewheat flour.
I have used this to produce a +/- 90% levain which I then develop into a 61%
levain before making the final dough a la Reinhart. The sourness is there
in the final bread but it is muted.
Alan, I'll try the Wells recipe to compare it. Would it be OK to kickstart
the starter with a bit of my chef?
Graham
"Alan Zelt" <alz...@worldnet.att.netFINNFAN> wrote in message
news:3E14C75A...@worldnet.att.netFINNFAN...
Alan Zelt
>
> I have yet to try the Wells version. My memories of Poilane bread in both
> Paris and London is that it does not have a strong sourdough taste. Neither
> do the pains aux levains from my two local French boulangeres. Admittedly,
> there is some sour flavour but it is much more subtle than most of the
> tooth-enamel-etching sourdoughs that one finds in some bakeries. As I have
> mentioned before, my French friends find sourdough breads too strong for
> their tastes.
>
> The pain au levain produced by the Melmerby Bakery, (www.village-bakery.com)
> apparently using old-world methods, and sold throughout the UK by the
> Waitrose Supermarket chain, has a much stronger sour flavor than Poilane's.
> This may be due to the fact that they use a fairly wet starter and this is
> what concerned me when I read the Wells recipe and makes me reluctant to try
> it. Ortiz and Reinhart use a firm levain which holds some of the sourness
> at bay.
>
> I maintain a firm, 60% hydration chef derived from organic wholewheat flour.
> I have used this to produce a +/- 90% levain which I then develop into a 61%
> levain before making the final dough a la Reinhart. The sourness is there
> in the final bread but it is muted.
>
> Alan, I'll try the Wells recipe to compare it. Would it be OK to kickstart
> the starter with a bit of my chef?
>
> Graham
>
of the French version of sourdough, which I, too, prefer to that of the
"San Francisco" version.