you can make Biga: www.6park.com

2 1/2 cup bread flour
1/2 tsp instand yeast
3/4 cup water www.6park.com

mix them together and keep the dough in room temp for 2-4 hours, degas the dough,  keep this dough wrapped in refrigerator overnight, or up to 3-days.

If you use the starter, you may need to hold back the water, so run your mixer while adding the water slowly.


Q&A:

Q:
昨天做了biga, 严格按你的方子来：2 1/2 cup bread flour；1/2 tsp instand yeast；3/4 cup water。　混合后，感觉水少，面是散的，所以自作主张加了点水，然后放一不绣钢盆里发面。然后就去睡觉了，忘了ｄｅｇａｓ面团。今天早上起来一看，面发了３倍大，就连盆塞冰箱了，也忘了揉一下。不知道这么搞出来的Ｂｉｇａ对不对？而且我做的这个是面团，到时候怎么量１．２５杯出来？还是就称重量７盎司就好了？

A:
没问题,  面粉的牌子不同, 吸水也不同,  可以用, 我是用king arthur unbleached bread flour.
 
对,  把面种用称量7oz,  用剪刀剪成小块后跟其它的料一起用搅面机搅,  要搅大约10-15分钟, 面团要能拉出膜来,  在搅拌过程中可以调整面团的湿度, 太干就补水, 太湿就补粉,  等面团的边园离面盘是光滑的, 但面团的底部还是粘在盆底的, 就湿度正好,  停止加面或水, 就一直搅到起膜,
 
起膜就是取一小块面团, 象饺子皮一样大, 用手把面团撑开, 能够象纸一样透明不会断,就是起膜了, 做面包都要揉到这个地部就好了.  然后就放盘里抹点油, 盖好, 我用旅馆里没用过的浴帽盖盘上, 不完全密封, 有透气, 但不会让面团发干.
 
在大约 72F的室温里2小时, 会发到2倍大, 就排气整型,   圆的, 长的, 都行, 可以做两个, 
或一个大的面包.   整完型后, 可以放烤盘里再第二次发酵,  室温里1小时就够了, 这时会是1.5倍大.  烤箱预热400F,  烤架放在烤箱的中间. 
 
进烤箱前, 可刷橄榄油, 或牛奶, 或蛋液, 也可以不刷任何东西,   还可以撒点籽和香料在上面,  看你喜欢哪样的外表.  可以用刀画痕,  也可以不划.
 
 
可用普通的baking sheet, 或用pizza stone 来烤, 后者烤出来的外皮会脆点, 看你喜欢哪样. 我都做过.   如果要移动面团的话, 成型后的面团下面用烤纸垫(parchment paper), 或撒玉米面(corn meal), 方便把面团推进烤盘或石板的.



More Q & A

1. 成分里的土豆泥，你是怎么调的？你有放奶油，牛奶和盐之类的吗？
 
A: Since I made this bread so many times, it becomes my staple now, as you know I never stick to one method when it comes to cooking, however for baking, I do follow the recipe closely, maybe bread is another story.   Anyways, I have used actual leftover mashed potatoes, it normally has butter, salt, pepper and sour cream added for flavor as well as for richness; I've also used instant mash potato mix from Costco and Trader Joe's;  many times, I just boiled or microwaved the fresh potatoes and then mash them with a folk;  my most recent one, I've even used yam from my leftover dinner;   Another time I used some potato flour from King Arthur Flour.   They all came out so good.  I think the potato starch really gives the bread the soft and moist texture, it also adds shelf life to the bread.  The salt , pepper and butter just make the bread taste better in flavor, I guess.
 
 

2. 面团里你有放黑胡椒粒和roasted garlic吗？我问XX，她说好像没吃到garlic的味道。
 
A: yes, I did add coarsly ground black pepper and garlic, talk about garlic, I also did many different ways, I cut the garlic bulb in half and drizzle some olive oil, wrap them in foil and roasted in my toaster oven for 30 minutes to get the creamy garlic pulp.  I did the same thing wrap them up in a moist paper towel, using microwave to cook the garlic for only 5 minutes.  I also used granulated garlic powder and dried garlic flakes... again the garlic is just there for flavor.  Of cause, the oven roasted garlic is the best.
 

3. 看XX照的面包相片，你好像在面包表面揉进了其他的香料，好像茴香籽之类的？
 
A: Yes, I sprinkled some store bought bread topping, you can find them in supermarkets, or KingArthurFlour.com, or you can make your own.  It is a mixture of cumin seeds, poppy seed, sesame seeds, fennel seeds,
 

4. 你是放在椭圆形的发面篮子里发的面团？发好后再反扣面团在石板上烤的吗？我跟了你所有的面包贴子，知道你用过不同的烤具来烤这个面包（clay pot, 镕铁锅，石板还有baking sheet）,你觉得效果最好的是用什么来烤这个面包？
 
A: Again, I did many ways for the looks of the bread.  I made round, oval, loaf, small rolls for shapes, I did different glaze for the crust, egg wash, olive oil, seeds, plain flour.  Some of them I scored the top with knife, some of them I left them whole. Using my proofing basket is one way to get the mark I like just for fun.  By the way, the proofing basket actually do help the bread rise better and have more chewy crust, because it allows the moisture to be absorbed by the basket.    Yes, I used different baking vessels too, I like to use the pizza stone the best, it gives crispier crust.  If you use a pizza stone, you will need to use a pizza peel for final proofing, so it will be easily slide over to your hot pizza stone. 
 
5. 用石板烤的话，是不是一次只能烤一个面团？
 
A: I use my pizza stone if I bake one 2-LB large bread.  I use my baking sheet to bake two 1-LB bread.

6. 方子说用35到45分钟，400度中层烤。你是烤了多少分钟就达到内部温度195度呢？
 
A:  For one large bread, I check the temp after 40 min, for two smaller bread, I check after 35 min.  If you bake small rolls, use 350F for baking  rather than 400F.
 
 

7. 我有一个圆型的发面蓝子，附有lining。还没用过发面篮子。假如我不铺那lining的话，是不是要放些面粉在篮子里，以防面团沾啊？
 
A: I use the fabric lining only for very wet dough, otherwise, you can not release the dough from the basket after proofing.  I sprinkle flour or some time I spray oil then dust with bran or oats.

8. 玻璃瓶里你的自做橄榄油沾汁，是怎么调浸的呢？
 
A: I add the bruised rosemary, thyme, crushed garlic with the peel, chili pepper, black pepper corn to my extra virgin olive oil for dipping.
 
OK, I got to run,  please feel free to email me with any questions.