SC - Re: Funeral Feasts--Mostaccioli

[LrdRas@aol.com]

>
><< I know that I generally do 1 rise, and have a
>  rather nice loaf.
>  margali >>
>
>I do 2 rises and have  a rather nicer loaf. :-)
>
>Ras

I usually do three, if you count the sponge rise.

My breadmaking is an overnight process.  Before bed, take about a third of 
the flour and the water or milk, and about a third the yeast and any sugar 
and mix to a thick batter.  Leave this on the counter overnight. Sometime 
the next day, add rest of the liquid to the foamy batter, then the rest of 
the dry ingredients, knead and let rise.  Shape and let rise, then bake.  
The bread just seems better to me if I give a minimal amount of yeast the 
maximum opportunity to do it's thing.  A lot of "try it, it's not so hard" 
type bread recipes include  much yeast to ensure an instant and impressive 
single rise with plain flour and the crust is too crispy and the loaf too 
soft.  We prefer a firmer loaf with whole grain or multi-grain flour and 
this technique is what I've worked out for us.

If I'm making a multi-loaf batch, I bake over several days and so do the 
un-shaped rises in the refrigerator to control the process better. The later 
loaves are not any different in texture though they have each had two more 
rises than the previous loaf. The loaves get more and more sour dough like 
in taste.

Bonne



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