[Sca-cooks] Bread-baking with a biga

[Robin Carroll-Mann]

On 14 Dec 2002, at 8:14, Terry Decker wrote:

> It is a lot, but it works.  Most bread recipes are written for home bakers
> who want results fast.  If you are willing to take the time, you can use far
> less yeast and the bread will be better for the longer rise.  I might use 2
> teaspoons (or less) with a sponge for 8 pounds of bread, but have the whole
> process take 36 hours.

Last night I went ahead with this recipe, multiplied by three:
http://www.amysbread.com/news_cucinaaug01.htm#rustic

So I've used 1 tablespoon of yeast for ~18 cups of flour.
The "sponge" was more like a very slack dough than the pancake
batter texture I'm used to, and it had some mighty strands of gluten
in it.  My dough now awaits its second kneading.  Pray for me.



Brighid ni Chiarain *** mka Robin Carroll-Mann
Barony of Settmour Swamp, East Kingdom
rcmann4 at earthlink.net