100% Biga Ciabatta

Those words alone make me curious. This slow fermented ciabatta is packed with flavour. Normally when we make bread, we preferment part of the total flour. This on the other hand is fully made of preferment giving it an extra flavour punch. I came up with this when I was making a 100% biga pizza for which you can find a recipe here. And come to think of it many breads can be made this way. I will surely add some more to the 100% preferment recipe list in the future.

That is the beauty of bread making – there is always something interesting to discover. A lot of methods can be adapted to be used in different recipes.

I hope that it’s the reason you are here. We don’t concentrate only on recipes, but we try and understand the principles behind them.

The method for this recipe is super simple. Make the biga, proof it for up to 24 hours, add some water, yeast, salt & olive oil. Knead it to bring it all together. From there it’s just a regular ciabatta.

This recipe makes 4 large ciabattas. To make more simply multiply the amount of ingredients.

Watch the video down below for detailed instructions.

Ingredients

For the biga –

290g (10.2oz) strong white bread flour

10g (0.35oz) wholemeal flour

Tiny pinch of yeast

150g (5.3oz) water at around 14C (57F) if your kitchen is around 22C (72F). *You don’t want the biga to be too warm as it may over ferment. If your kitchen is warm, then place the biga in a cooler spot or cut down the fermentation time.

To learn more about dough temperature control click here.

For the main dough –

40g (1.4oz) cold water

1g (0.03oz) instant dry yeast or 3g (0.1oz) fresh yeast or 1.2g (0.04oz) active dry yeast

6g (0.2oz) salt

20g (0.7oz) olive oil

Method

1. Make the biga. In a bowl combine the water and yeast. Mix to disperse. Add the flours and mix to a dough. Knead the dough until there is no more dry flour left. This is a slightly dry biga at just 50% hydration. Cover it and ferment for 18 – 24 hours.
2. Add the remaining yeast to the remaining water and let it hydrate for a minute. Add the yeast water to the biga. Pour in the olive oil and sprinkle over the salt.
3. With a wet hand work the ingredients together. Squeeze the dough until everything is well combined.
4. Tip the dough out on your table and knead it using the stretch & fold method for around 8 minutes. *Desired dough temperature 24-25C (75-77F). If your dough is warmer, then it will ferment more rapidly. If it is cooler, then it will take longer. Adjust proofing time accordingly. If your dough is too cool after kneading, then simply knead it for longer until it comes up to the correct temperature.
5. Cover and proof 1 hour.
6. Fold .
7. Proof for 1 hour.
8. Fold.
9. Proof for 1 hour.
10. Flatten the dough out on a well-floured surface. Using your dough scraper divide it into 4 equal pieces. Place the ciabattas on a floured ‘couche’ or use parchment paper like I did.
11. Final proof 1.5 – 2 hours. During this time preheat your oven to 240C (465F) fan off. Preheat your baking vessel during this time too, if you are using one. *If your dough or kitchen are warmer it may be fully fermented in as little as 45 – 60 minutes.
12. Bake the ciabattas for 15 – 17 minutes until puffed up and golden brown all over.

Let them cool down a little before tucking in! Enjoy.

Keep in mind that the conditions in each kitchen are different, so fermentation times may vary for you. It is up to the baker to control the bread and react accordingly.

Crescione is, as the name suggests, a crescent shaped bread.

This simple Italian flatbread is so easy to make, and the best part is that you can customize it with various fillings. You could fill it with mozzarella and tomato sauce and have yourself a little pizza pocket or you could go all out with different kinds of cheese for a gooey stretchy and super tasty treat.

They can be fried in a pan with a little bit of oil or dry, if you don’t want the fat content. Alternatively, you can bake them in the oven, but then they will not have that nice char on the surface. But that is the beauty of bread making, you can change things and there is always more than one way of doing something.

With this dough you can make 4 large crescione. If you want to make more simply multiply the amount of ingredients.

Watch the video down below for detailed instructions.

Ingredients

For the dough –

250g (8.8oz) strong white bread flour

5g (0.17oz) salt

3g (0.1oz) instant dry yeast or 3.6g (0.12oz) active dry yeast or 9g (0.3oz) fresh yeast

20g (0.7oz) olive oil

145g (5.1oz) water at around 5C (41F), if your kitchen is around 23C (73F).

To learn more about dough temperature control click here.

For the filling –

250g (8.8oz) ricotta

250g (8.8oz) fresh spinach, blanched and sliced. *See video.

100g (3.5oz) mozzarella

Salt & pepper to season

Olive oil for frying

Method

1. In a bowl combine the water, yeast, salt & olive oil. Mix well to dissolve any large salt crystals and to hydrate the yeast. Add the flour and mix to a dough.
2. Tip the dough out on your table and knead it for around 6 minutes. *Desired dough temperature 25-26C (77-79F). If your dough is warmer, then it will ferment more rapidly. If it is cooler, then it will take longer. Adjust proofing time accordingly. If your dough came out really cold, then simply knead it for longer to bring it up to the right temperature.
3. Cover and ferment for 1.5 – 2 hours or until almost doubled in size.
4. Divide the dough into 4 equal pieces. Shape into tight balls.
5. Cover & ferment for 1 hour or until almost doubled. Again, if your dough is warmer, the final proof may take less time. Keep an eye on it.
6. Roll the dough balls out to around 2mm (in) thick. The thinner the better basically. Just make sure they will fit your pan. Fill each dough disc with a quarter of the filling and seal up. Press any air out as you are sealing the dough. Crimp the edge with a fork and optionally trim it with a pizza cutter to make it nice and neat although that does not change the taste lol.
7. Cook in a pan with a bit of oil on medium heat for around 6 minutes per side or until nicely coloured all over. You don’t want the heat too high as the dough will not cook before it gets too dark. Be careful when flipping them as the side can tear. Handle it from the crimped edge.

Let them cool down a bit and enjoy!

Keep in mind that the conditions in each kitchen are different, so fermentation times may vary for you. It is up to the baker to control the bread and react accordingly.

Gubana is a traditional Italian Easter bread.

Sweet, enriched dough filled with a delicious mix of citrus, nuts, dried fruit, candied peel, and cocoa. It has a complex flavour and a great texture. While it may look daunting, it is quite easy to make. If you have ever made cinnamon buns, then you will be familiar with the method.

This bread was recommended to me by one of my viewers on youtube. It turns out that it is quite like a Russian Christmas bread called Krendl which I baked for my Christmas special in 2020. The flavour is different, but the method and the look are very similar. I love both, of course.

Make sure you leave this to proof well before baking. The times given in a recipe are to be taken with a grain of salt as the conditions in every kitchen are different. Yours might be cooler. If the dough has not risen well before baking, then it will be dense in the middle and it will take a long time to bake.

Watch the video down below for detailed instructions.

Ingredients

For the dough –

300g (10.6oz) strong white bread flour

50g (1.75oz) soft butter

6g (0.2oz) salt

4g (0.15oz) dry yeast or 3x the amount of fresh yeast

30g (1oz) sugar

4g (0.15oz) vanilla paste

1 orange worth of zest

2 egg yolks (around 30g (1oz) in total), cold from the fridge

145g (5.1oz) cold milk. The weight of the milk and egg yolks should be a total of 175g (6.2oz). First weigh the yolks, then add enough milk to make up the difference.

To learn more about dough temperature control click here.

For the filling –

40g (1.5oz) toasted, crushed walnuts

40g (1.5oz) toasted, crushed hazelnuts

40g (1.5oz) toasted, crushed pine nuts

40g (1.5oz) raisins or currants

40g (1.5oz) candied mixed peel

40g (1.5oz) sugar

5g (0.17oz) cocoa powder

3g (0.1oz) cinnamon

1 lemon worth of zest

70g (2.5oz) madeira, but any sweet red wine will do. A non-alcoholic alternative could be grape juice.

For glazing –

1 egg yolk mixed with 1 teaspoon of milk

Method

1. Make the filling. In a small pan combine the wine, lemon zest, cinnamon, cocoa powder & sugar. Bring that up to a simmer. Add the rest of the ingredients and continue cooking on low heat for another 2 minutes. Place into a bowl and leave on the side to cool down completely.
2. In a bowl combine the milk, egg yolks, yeast, salt, sugar, vanilla paste & orange zest. Mix to dissolve any large salt & sugar crystals and hydrate the yeast. Add the flour and mix to a dough.
3. Knead for 3 minutes. Tear in the butter. Keep kneading for another 4 minutes. Desired dough temperature around 25-26C (77-79F). If your dough is warmer, then it will ferment more rapidly. If it is cooler, then it will take longer. Adjust proofing time accordingly.
4. Cover & ferment for 1.5 hours.
5. Fold.
6. Ferment for 1.5 more hours.
7. Roll the dough out. Spread the filling all over. If the filling feels a bit stiff, then add 10g (0.3oz) water. Roll the loaf up & seal it. Twist it into shape.
8. Place on a parchment paper lined tray & ferment for 1.5 – 2 hours. During the final hour of fermentation preheat your oven to 160C (320F) FAN ON.
9. Brush the loaf with the egg & milk glaze.
10. Bake for 50 minutes or until the inner temperature reads above 94C (200F).

Pane di pasqua is an Italian Easter bread.

Sweet, soft enriched dough decorated with colourful sugar pieces. Flavoured with orange and star anise, they will make your house smell festive all day. The buns are great, but what really makes these special is the obvious whole egg nestled in the middle. It is a raw egg that gets fully cooked in the oven along with the buns. I have seen versions which are made using died eggs, but for me the plain one is good enough. This recipe makes 4 rather large buns. To make more multiply the amount of ingredients.

Watch the video down below for detailed instructions.

Ingredients

250g (8.8oz) strong white bread flour

3g (0.1oz) dry yeast or 3x the amount of fresh yeast

5g (0.17oz) salt

20g (0.7oz) sugar

20g (0.7oz) soft butter

1 orange worth of zest

2g (0.07oz) ground star anise

1 whole egg, approximately 50g (1.75oz), cold from the fridge

100g (3.5oz) milk, cold from the fridge, around 6C (42F)

Your egg and milk should come to a combined weight of 150g (5.3oz). First weigh the egg and then add enough milk to make up the difference.

To learn more about dough temperature control click here.

1 egg for brushing

100’s & 1000’s for sprinkling

4 raw eggs in the shell at room temperature to nestle in the buns. Wash them before use!

Method

1. In a bowl combine the egg, milk, yeast, salt, sugar, butter, orange zest & star anise. Mix well.
2. Add the flour and mix to a dough.
3. Knead for 5 minutes. Desired dough temperature 25 – 26C (77-79F). If your dough is warmer, then it will ferment more rapidly. If it is cooler, then it will take longer. Adjust proofing time accordingly.
4. Cover and ferment for 45 minutes.
5. Fold.
6. Ferment for 45 more minutes.
7. Divide the dough into 8 equal pieces. Preshape into cylinders.
8. Rest for 15 minutes.
9. Roll out two dough pieces at a time. Twist them around each other to form the bun.
10. Place on a parchment paper lined tray. At this point preheat your oven to 160C (320F) fan on.
11. Cover the buns and ferment for 45 minutes.
12. Brush with the egg, sprinkle with the 100’s & 1000’s all over. Neste an egg in each bun.
13. Bake for 25 minutes.
14. Brush with oil once they come out the oven.

Panettone is an Italian Christmas bread.

This version is quite simple and basic in comparison to the real deal. Although we are using a preferment, the proper one is made with sourdough and fermented for much longer. Nevertheless, this is a decent panettone. It is sweet, soft, and fragrant and quite simple to make. I will make a video on the proper one next Christmas so you can choose which one is best for you.

This is ideal for a beginner or when you do not want to spend too much time and effort making it. The effort to result ratio is not bad at all! 

Time is extremely important for this bake. Although it takes relatively few hours, it does take a whole day. So, plan your schedule around this bake. Start making it in the morning. And let it ferment properly or else it will be dense. 

Watch the video down below for detailed instructions.

Ingredients

For the preferment –

65g (2.3oz) strong white bread flour

60g (2.1oz) cold water

Pinch of yeast

For the main dough –

210g (7.4oz) strong white bread flour *Cold from the fridge.

45g (1.6oz) cold water

1 whole egg

5g (0.2oz) dry yeast or 3x the amount of fresh yeast

50g (1.75oz) soft butter

3g (0.1oz) vanilla syrup

3g (0.1oz) orange oil

5g (0.2oz) salt

40g (1.4oz) sugar

200g (7oz) dry mixed fruit & peel *This should also be refrigerated

2 oranges worth of zest

To learn more about dough temperature control click here.

1 egg yolk mixed with a teaspoon of milk for glazing

Sugar nibs to sprinkle on top

Method

1. Make the preferment by mixing the water, pinch of yeast & flour. Ferment for 8 – 12 hours or until doubled and bubbly.
2. Refrigerate the flour, water, egg & dried fruit. Ingredients must be cold because the kneading process will be long, and the dough will warm up quite a bit.
3. In a bowl add the water, egg, vanilla, yeast, orange oil, salt, sugar, orange zest & the preferment. Mix well. Add the flour and mix to a dough.
4. Knead for 3 minutes. Add the butter and continue kneading for another 6 minutes. Add the dried fruit and knead for another 5 minutes. Desired dough temperature 26 – 27C (79-80F).
5. Cover and ferment for 3 hours.
6. Shape into a round and place in a cake tin lined with parchment paper. Alternatively use a panettone case or divide into more smaller ones. I used a 16cm (6.3in) cake tin.
7. Cover & ferment for 3 – 4 hours. During the final hour of fermentation preheat your oven to 160C (320F) fan on. If you have a thick tray or cast-iron skillet then use that as a base. But if you do not that is fine; it will work anyway.
8. Glaze the panettone & sprinkle with the sugar nibs.
9. Bake for 60 – 70 minutes. Or until the internal temperature reads above 94C (200F). If the top of the loaf is getting too dark early in the bake, then cover it with a piece of foil.

Let it cool down completely before cutting.

I don’t know about you, but I love a giant sandwich. And it does not get much better than this. The Italians are great bakers, and the food is world class. And this is up there with any other great bread.

The bread itself comes from Sicily but the sandwich originated among Italian immigrants in New Orleans. This muffuletta will easily feed four people. A really long fermentation gives this bread a very distinct flavour. And when I say long fermentation, I mean a very long fermentation.

We are using a preferment in this recipe which takes around 10 hours to proof, and then we are cold proofing the dough itself for up to 24 hours. The result is a super airy, light and tangy bread.

I was actually tempted to turn this into a giant burger, but I had to control myself ha-ha!

Watch the video down below for detailed instructions.

Ingredients

For the preferment (poolish) –

60g (2.1oz) strong white bread flour

60g (2.1oz) cold water

Tiny pinch of yeast

For the main dough –

200g (7oz) strong white bread flour

5g (0.2oz) salt

0.5g (0.02oz) dry yeast or 3x the amount of fresh yeast

20g (0.7oz) olive oil

100g (3.5oz) cold water, if your kitchen is warm

 To learn more about dough temperature when using a preferment click here.

1 egg yolk mixed with 1 teaspoon of milk for glazing

Sesame seeds to sprinkle on top

For the filling –

Mortadella

Smoked ham

Salad leaves

Tomatoes

Cheese

Pesto

Chopped black olives. Of course, you can fill this bread with whatever you like.

Method

1. To make the poolish mix the water, pinch of yeast and flour. Ferment for 8 – 10 hours until nicely puffed up. If for some reason the poolish is ready, but you are not, then you can pop it in the fridge to slow down the fermentation. Do whatever you have to do and then come back to it.
2. Once you are ready to make the dough, in a bowl add the remaining water, salt, yeast, oil and the poolish. Mix to combine.
3. Add the rest of the flour and mix to a dough.
4. Tip it out on the table and knead for around 5 minutes. Desired dough temperature 24 – 25C (75 – 77F). If your dough is warmer, then it will ferment more rapidly. If it is cooler, then it will take longer. Adjust the proofing times up or down accordingly. 
5. Ferment for 1 hour.
6. Fold.
7. Ferment for 1 more hour.
8. Shape the dough in a flat disc. Place it on a parchment covered tray and cover with a greased piece of clingfilm.
9. Refrigerate for 18 – 24 hours. One hour before baking preheat your oven to 160C (320F) with the fan on.
10. Brush the dough with the egg yolk & milk glaze. Let it dry for 5 minutes, then brush again and sprinkle with sesame seeds.
11. Bake for 30 minutes.

Let it cool down. Then slice in half and spread both sides with the black olives and pesto and layer on the meats, cheese, tomatoes & salad. Enjoy!