Comments on: “How do you make that bread with the big holes?” Secrets of ciabatta revealed. http://blog.kingarthurflour.com/2008/09/22/%e2%80%9chow-do-you-make-that-bread-with-the-big-holes%e2%80%9d-secrets-of-ciabatta-revealed/ Hot Stuff from King Arthur's Hearth Sat, 21 Nov 2009 10:28:35 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.3.1 By: Shiyiya http://blog.kingarthurflour.com/2008/09/22/%e2%80%9chow-do-you-make-that-bread-with-the-big-holes%e2%80%9d-secrets-of-ciabatta-revealed/#comment-18264 Shiyiya Fri, 07 Aug 2009 13:46:30 +0000 http://blog.kingarthurflour.com/2008/09/22/%e2%80%9chow-do-you-make-that-bread-with-the-big-holes%e2%80%9d-secrets-of-ciabatta-revealed/#comment-18264 I've made this several times for me and my parents, letting the starter go for up to 24 hours (I likes the yeasty flavour!), and it was wonderful. My dad said the first batch I made was the best ciabatta he'd ever had ^_________^ It's really fascinating how you mix the ingredients into a wet batter, let the kitchenaid work for ten minutes, and have a coherent (and very sticky) dough! Gluten is cool. <strong>Gluten does indeed ROCK. PJH</strong> I’ve made this several times for me and my parents, letting the starter go for up to 24 hours (I likes the yeasty flavour!), and it was wonderful. My dad said the first batch I made was the best ciabatta he’d ever had ^_________^

It’s really fascinating how you mix the ingredients into a wet batter, let the kitchenaid work for ten minutes, and have a coherent (and very sticky) dough! Gluten is cool.

Gluten does indeed ROCK. PJH

]]> By: Lynne Wesolowski http://blog.kingarthurflour.com/2008/09/22/%e2%80%9chow-do-you-make-that-bread-with-the-big-holes%e2%80%9d-secrets-of-ciabatta-revealed/#comment-14168 Lynne Wesolowski Tue, 26 May 2009 22:47:16 +0000 http://blog.kingarthurflour.com/2008/09/22/%e2%80%9chow-do-you-make-that-bread-with-the-big-holes%e2%80%9d-secrets-of-ciabatta-revealed/#comment-14168 In general, my hearth-style breads never get as golden as I'd like, even when they are completely baked. They look anemic and unappealing. Somewhere in K-A's website I once came across tips to get that golden color for these loaves. Can you bring them back for me? Thanks! <strong>Sorry, Lynne, don't quite know what you're talking about - try our <a href="http://www.kingarthurflour.com/tips/" rel="nofollow">baking tips</a> section, see if that's what you remember. Could be you're letting the dough rise too long; if it rises too long (total - in the bowl, and once shaped), the yeast consumes all of the sugar; and since sugar is what helps crust brown, the crust won't brown well. Try for a shorter amount of rising time; or bake at a higher temperature. You can also try brushing the crust with milk or oil before baking, or even a beaten egg... PJH</strong> In general, my hearth-style breads never get as golden as I’d like, even when they are completely baked. They look anemic and unappealing.

Somewhere in K-A’s website I once came across tips to get that golden color for these loaves. Can you bring them back for me? Thanks!

Sorry, Lynne, don’t quite know what you’re talking about - try our baking tips section, see if that’s what you remember. Could be you’re letting the dough rise too long; if it rises too long (total - in the bowl, and once shaped), the yeast consumes all of the sugar; and since sugar is what helps crust brown, the crust won’t brown well. Try for a shorter amount of rising time; or bake at a higher temperature. You can also try brushing the crust with milk or oil before baking, or even a beaten egg… PJH

]]> By: Kelly http://blog.kingarthurflour.com/2008/09/22/%e2%80%9chow-do-you-make-that-bread-with-the-big-holes%e2%80%9d-secrets-of-ciabatta-revealed/#comment-13646 Kelly Fri, 01 May 2009 19:01:18 +0000 http://blog.kingarthurflour.com/2008/09/22/%e2%80%9chow-do-you-make-that-bread-with-the-big-holes%e2%80%9d-secrets-of-ciabatta-revealed/#comment-13646 This may be a silly question. But the recipe says mix at medium speed in a kitchenaid. What would be medium? Mine goes up to 10, but I don't think I have ever used it over 4 because speed 4 is pretty fast. Thanks for the help! <strong>Kelly, I consider medium the next speed up from slow, if you have a fairly modern KitchenAid. If you have an old model with the ultra-slow first speed, medium would be two speeds up from slow. Hope that helps - PJH</strong> This may be a silly question. But the recipe says mix at medium speed in a kitchenaid. What would be medium? Mine goes up to 10, but I don’t think I have ever used it over 4 because speed 4 is pretty fast. Thanks for the help!

Kelly, I consider medium the next speed up from slow, if you have a fairly modern KitchenAid. If you have an old model with the ultra-slow first speed, medium would be two speeds up from slow. Hope that helps - PJH

]]> By: Bonnie http://blog.kingarthurflour.com/2008/09/22/%e2%80%9chow-do-you-make-that-bread-with-the-big-holes%e2%80%9d-secrets-of-ciabatta-revealed/#comment-11812 Bonnie Sat, 14 Mar 2009 20:51:39 +0000 http://blog.kingarthurflour.com/2008/09/22/%e2%80%9chow-do-you-make-that-bread-with-the-big-holes%e2%80%9d-secrets-of-ciabatta-revealed/#comment-11812 I just finished reading all the tips from you and fellow bloggers. I tried this once and produced inch high tasty loaves. Now I'm armed with collective knowledge and will try for higher loaves - thanks for the parchment collar and Italian bread pan ideas. I've been waiting for the courage to try again, armed with my KAF Artisan Flour. Thanks for the pictures and info! <strong>Good luck, Bonnie - you can do it! PJH</strong> I just finished reading all the tips from you and fellow bloggers. I tried this once and produced inch high tasty loaves. Now I’m armed with collective knowledge and will try for higher loaves - thanks for the parchment collar and Italian bread pan ideas. I’ve been waiting for the courage to try again, armed with my KAF Artisan Flour. Thanks for the pictures and info!

Good luck, Bonnie - you can do it! PJH

]]> By: kevin http://blog.kingarthurflour.com/2008/09/22/%e2%80%9chow-do-you-make-that-bread-with-the-big-holes%e2%80%9d-secrets-of-ciabatta-revealed/#comment-11442 kevin Fri, 06 Mar 2009 16:40:39 +0000 http://blog.kingarthurflour.com/2008/09/22/%e2%80%9chow-do-you-make-that-bread-with-the-big-holes%e2%80%9d-secrets-of-ciabatta-revealed/#comment-11442 thanks, worked great thanks, worked great

]]> By: kevin http://blog.kingarthurflour.com/2008/09/22/%e2%80%9chow-do-you-make-that-bread-with-the-big-holes%e2%80%9d-secrets-of-ciabatta-revealed/#comment-10898 kevin Thu, 26 Feb 2009 02:51:31 +0000 http://blog.kingarthurflour.com/2008/09/22/%e2%80%9chow-do-you-make-that-bread-with-the-big-holes%e2%80%9d-secrets-of-ciabatta-revealed/#comment-10898 my ciabatta comes out of the oven crisp with great crumb, but as it cools the crusts gets soft. any ideas? thanks <strong>Kevin, when it's done, turn off the oven, take the ciabatta off its pan, put it on the oven rack, and prop the oven door open with a potholder an inch or so. Let the ciabatta cool right in the oven. This won't keep it oven-fresh and crisp endlessly, but it'll definitely stay crisp longer. What's happening is the moisture inside the ciabatta, when it's done, is migrating out to the crust, where it hits the cool air of your kitchen, condenses, and turns to water, making the crust soft. If you leave the ciabatta in the cooling oven, the water migrates out and evaporates in the hot oven air, rather than condensing. Give it a try - you'll see some improvement. PJH</strong> my ciabatta comes out of the oven crisp with great crumb, but as it cools the crusts gets soft. any ideas? thanks

Kevin, when it’s done, turn off the oven, take the ciabatta off its pan, put it on the oven rack, and prop the oven door open with a potholder an inch or so. Let the ciabatta cool right in the oven. This won’t keep it oven-fresh and crisp endlessly, but it’ll definitely stay crisp longer. What’s happening is the moisture inside the ciabatta, when it’s done, is migrating out to the crust, where it hits the cool air of your kitchen, condenses, and turns to water, making the crust soft. If you leave the ciabatta in the cooling oven, the water migrates out and evaporates in the hot oven air, rather than condensing. Give it a try - you’ll see some improvement. PJH

]]> By: Melanie http://blog.kingarthurflour.com/2008/09/22/%e2%80%9chow-do-you-make-that-bread-with-the-big-holes%e2%80%9d-secrets-of-ciabatta-revealed/#comment-10346 Melanie Sun, 15 Feb 2009 00:04:08 +0000 http://blog.kingarthurflour.com/2008/09/22/%e2%80%9chow-do-you-make-that-bread-with-the-big-holes%e2%80%9d-secrets-of-ciabatta-revealed/#comment-10346 If at first you don't succeed try, try again. Third time was the charm for me! I ended up having to add about one quarter cup additional flour and it finally worked! I also used about one cup white whole wheat flour. Delicious and a perfect rise, finally! Making the perfect loaf really does take some trial and error. <b>Thank you so much for your comments and suggestions. Often we expect stellar results from our first try - your comment helps us all to understand that working out a recipe to find what really works for you is worth the trial and effort....and ends with major reward! Be sure you write down those adjustments on your recipe so you will remember them for future baking. Irene at KAF</b> If at first you don’t succeed try, try again. Third time was the charm for me! I ended up having to add about one quarter cup additional flour and it finally worked! I also used about one cup white whole wheat flour. Delicious and a perfect rise, finally! Making the perfect loaf really does take some trial and error.

Thank you so much for your comments and suggestions. Often we expect stellar results from our first try - your comment helps us all to understand that working out a recipe to find what really works for you is worth the trial and effort….and ends with major reward! Be sure you write down those adjustments on your recipe so you will remember them for future baking. Irene at KAF

]]> By: bunny http://blog.kingarthurflour.com/2008/09/22/%e2%80%9chow-do-you-make-that-bread-with-the-big-holes%e2%80%9d-secrets-of-ciabatta-revealed/#comment-8908 bunny Sun, 11 Jan 2009 21:56:50 +0000 http://blog.kingarthurflour.com/2008/09/22/%e2%80%9chow-do-you-make-that-bread-with-the-big-holes%e2%80%9d-secrets-of-ciabatta-revealed/#comment-8908 Forgot to ask...why not make a collar out of parchment paper to coax the bread to rise up instead of spread out? <strong>Because ciabatta is supposed to be flattish - it's not a tall bread. Ciabatta means "slipper" in Italian, so it's supposed to be oval and rather flat. But if you want a taller bread, you could certainly "collar" it with parchment, or even put it in an Italian bread pan (looks like a fatter baguette pan). PJH </strong> Forgot to ask…why not make a collar out of parchment paper to coax the bread to rise up instead of spread out?

Because ciabatta is supposed to be flattish - it’s not a tall bread. Ciabatta means “slipper” in Italian, so it’s supposed to be oval and rather flat. But if you want a taller bread, you could certainly “collar” it with parchment, or even put it in an Italian bread pan (looks like a fatter baguette pan). PJH

]]> By: Bunny http://blog.kingarthurflour.com/2008/09/22/%e2%80%9chow-do-you-make-that-bread-with-the-big-holes%e2%80%9d-secrets-of-ciabatta-revealed/#comment-8906 Bunny Sun, 11 Jan 2009 21:40:46 +0000 http://blog.kingarthurflour.com/2008/09/22/%e2%80%9chow-do-you-make-that-bread-with-the-big-holes%e2%80%9d-secrets-of-ciabatta-revealed/#comment-8906 Can this bread be baked on a oven stone or will it make the bottom crust too crisp? <strong>Yes, it will be wonderful on an oven stone - go for it! I suggest shaping it on parchment and sliding it, parchment and all, onto the stone. PJH</strong> Can this bread be baked on a oven stone or will it make the bottom crust too crisp?

Yes, it will be wonderful on an oven stone - go for it! I suggest shaping it on parchment and sliding it, parchment and all, onto the stone. PJH

]]> By: chevron http://blog.kingarthurflour.com/2008/09/22/%e2%80%9chow-do-you-make-that-bread-with-the-big-holes%e2%80%9d-secrets-of-ciabatta-revealed/#comment-8818 chevron Fri, 09 Jan 2009 18:52:11 +0000 http://blog.kingarthurflour.com/2008/09/22/%e2%80%9chow-do-you-make-that-bread-with-the-big-holes%e2%80%9d-secrets-of-ciabatta-revealed/#comment-8818 I might be misinformed,but to me, ciabatta has larger more clearly defined holes. Are you sure you mix this bread that long? It appears from the pictures, the bread is more textured and not that chewy. <strong>To each his own, as far as holes go. I don't think there's any definition, that I've ever seen, of how large or regularly/irregularly spaced the holes in ciabatta should be. After all, yeast is a living thing; hard to predict how it'll react in your kitchen, under your hand. I think if you LIKE whatever you make, it's right; never mind how it's "supposed" to be... PJH</strong> I might be misinformed,but to me, ciabatta has larger more clearly defined holes. Are you sure you mix this bread that long? It appears from the pictures, the bread is more textured and not that chewy.

To each his own, as far as holes go. I don’t think there’s any definition, that I’ve ever seen, of how large or regularly/irregularly spaced the holes in ciabatta should be. After all, yeast is a living thing; hard to predict how it’ll react in your kitchen, under your hand. I think if you LIKE whatever you make, it’s right; never mind how it’s “supposed” to be… PJH

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