Peasant Bread Made with Sponge Recipe

Peasant Bread Made with Sponge Recipe

Ingredients:

For the Sponge:
1.5 c of water (110 degrees Fahrenheit)
1/2 tsp of yeast (active & dry)
3.5 c of flour (bread)

For the Bread:
2 c of & 1 Tbsp of water (110 degrees Fahrenheit)
1 & 1/4 tsps of yeast (active & dry)
1 c of bread sponge (small pieces)
6 c of flour (bread)
1/2 c of rye flour (white, medium or light)
1 Tbsp of salt

Instructions:

To make the bread sponge, combine yeast and 1/4 c of water using an electricity-operated mixer. Allow the mixture to stand ’til yeast becomes creamy (approximately 10 minutes).

Add the rest of warm water with the flour, while mixing with speed set to Low for two minutes.

Put dough in bowl, oiled lightly. Cover using damp towel and allow to stand for a day (room temperature). However, if dough has been frozen or refrigerated, allow to stand (room temperature) prior to using it.

To make the bread, preheat your oven (450 degrees F). Combine yeast and 1/4 c of water using an electricity-operated mixer. Allow the mixture to stand ’til yeast becomes creamy (approximately 10 minutes).

Pour 1/2 c of additional water as well as 1 c of sponge that are torn into pieces then mix (2 minutes) with the help of paddle attached to mixer with speed set at Low.

Pour the rest of water, flour as well as salt then mix for another minute. Using hook for dough attached to mixer, process dough using moderate-low speed, ’til dough becomes soft as well as sticky to the fingers if squeezed.

Instead of mixer, you can also knead the dough using hands (15-20 minutes).

Flour your kneading area and create balls from dough then place on bowl that has been oiled lightly. Cover dough using cling wrap and allow it to grow thrice its size (approximately 3 hours).

Arrange dough above kneading surface and drizzle flour on top. Cut dough to half then roll per piece up lengthwise, then flatten it a bit then roll it lengthwise once again.

In another surface that has not been floured, cup (using hands) dough then move around to make rounded top with smooth bottom. Place each piece above floured parchment paper and then loosely cover it with cling wrap (oiled) and towel.

Do process again with another dough. Allow the pieces to increase in size to double (approximately 50 minutes).

Halfway before final dough rising is done, prepare cookie sheet into oven then place empty bread pan into lowest oven shelf. Heat your oven then sprinkle flour on dough; create depression on top using fingertips. Allow the dough to rise ten more minutes.

Slide dough including parchment into cookie sheets and fill empty bread pan with 2 c of water (very hot), creating steam. Then bake (25-30 minutes) ’til deep gold-brown in color. Transfer bread to rack and allow to be cooled (30 minutes) prior to slicing.

>> Peasant Bread Made with Sponge Recipe