Baking by Hand by Andy King Read Free Book Online Page A

the cast-iron pan and close the door. After 5 minutes, quickly open the door and spray the interior of the oven with water. Continue baking until the loaves are evenly browned, about 25 minutes, and have a nice hollow thump when you tap it on the bottom. Let cool for at least 3 hours before cutting.

    POACHED GARLIC
    1 cup/160 g garlic cloves, peeled
Canola oil to cover
    Preheat the oven to 350°F/180°C. Place the cloves in a heavy-bottom saucepan and cover with the canola oil. Roast until they are very, very soft, about 1 hour.
    Strain the oil out and let the garlic cool before using. The oil can be used for salad dressings, sautéing or anything else that might be enhanced by garlic-flavored oil.
TOASTED WALNUTS
    10.75 oz/300 g walnut pieces
    Preheat the oven to 375°F/190°C. Spread the walnut pieces on a sheet pan and toast for 10 minutes or until crispy and fragrant.
    PAIN AU LEVAIN
    THE SOURDOUGH LOVER’S SOURDOUGH
    If there is a “most French” French bread that we bake here, the Pain au Levain is it. The translation of its name is “bread made from sourdough starter,” and we call it the “baker’s bread” because cooks in the know tend to be drawn to it. We make a 1 ¼-pound/550-g batard and a hefty 3-pound/1.5-kg round at the bakery; you can make an even bigger 5-pound/2-kg loaf from this recipe, provided you have the banneton and oven space to contain it. Making this bread takes an extra step than the North Shore Sourdough, as we’re using the Liquid Sourdough Starter to make a rye-laden stiff starter—the Levain. So, give yourself an extra 12 hours for this one.
OVERVIEW
    • Yield: Four 1 lb 4 oz/550-g loaves or one large, 5-lb/2-kg loaf
    • Desired Dough Temperature: 85°F/30°C
    • Mixing Time: 40 minutes
    • Bulk Fermentation: ~3 hours
    • Proofing Time: ~2 hours
    • Baking Time: ~25 minutes
    • Cooling Time: ~3 hours
12 HOURS BEFORE THE BAKE
    Mix your levain (see here ). This will be enough for the bread formula, plus some extra to carry on the starter.
    5.75 oz/160 ml 75°F/20°C water
    2 oz/40 ml liquid sourdough
    9.5 oz/270 g white bread flour
    0.75 oz/20 g whole rye flour
BAKING DAY
    1 lb 15.25 oz/885 g white bread flour
    2.25 oz/60 g whole wheat flour
    1.5 oz/40 g whole rye flour
    1 lb 1.5 oz/500 g levain
    1 lb 10.5 oz/750 ml 95°F/35°C water
    3 ¾ tsp/26 g fine sea salt
    Combine all three flours into your large mixing bowl. In another bowl, combine your levain and water, and remember to keep that water warm to give your wild yeast a comfortable atmosphere to grow. (You should pull your levain apart with your fingers when adding it to the water, so it incorporates into the rest of the ingredients more easily.) Then, dump the flours on top of the liquid ingredients, and mix it by hand for about 30 seconds, until it comes together in a shaggy mass. Don’t forget to scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl regularly; you want all of that flour hydrated and don’t want to see any dry spots. Set aside in a warm place, at least 80°F/25°C, for 30 minutes. If you’re having trouble finding your warm place, it’s time to use your trusty heat lamp.

    Sprinkle the salt on top of the dough and grab a four-finger pinch of the dough and pull. It should stretch out like chunky taffy rather than just tear off. Incorporate the salt into the dough, continuously pushing the sides of the dough into the middle while turning the bowl. After a minute of this, the dough should be pulling away from the sides of the bowl and developing a bit of a sheen, and you shouldn’t feel any crunchy salt crystals. Cover the bowl, and put it in your warm place for 30 minutes.
    Turn your dough onto a lightly floured surface and give it your four-fold (see here ). It should make a tight little package—and after every fold the dough’s volume should increase. It should consistently feel warm and active. Roll the dough over and place it, seam side down, back into the bowl. Repeat every 30 minutes for the first 2 hours