Overnight Sponge Method

[minesamojito]

I’m passionate about the food my family eats, and bread is a daily staple where I think homemade blows away any other product if done right, and to make beautiful artisan breads is easier than you would think, this is one recipe I urge you to give a go.
I love nothing better than having a play with different flours to get different tastes in my bread, and was very excited when I got some Doves Farm Organic, Einkorn Flour, which is an ancient form of wheat, and makes a beautiful nutty wholegrain loaf with a wonderful crumb and crust.
I’ve posted this recipe previously, but use it so often I want to encourage you to give it a go again.
Overnight Sponge Bread
Per loaf
250g strong white bread flour
5g fast action yeast
325g tepid water
Stir these ingredients together to make the sponge, and leave overnight covered away from any draughts.
The next day add a further 250g bread flour, I often use 100g white/150g wholegrain and 10g fine sea salt, and a good splash of olive/rapeseed oil.
Mix thoroughly and then knead until silky smooth roughly 10 minutes. Then leave covered in a warm place for an hour until doubled in size.
Use a tucking action to fold the bread on itself to incorporate some air, and allow to prove for a further hour.
Pop onto a baking sheet in a preheated oven at maximum temperature for 15 minutes (splash a little water onto the base of the oven to create a little steam), and then bake at 200degC for a further 30 minutes until when tapped the base sounds hollow.
Leave to cool slightly and enjoy with copious amounts of good salted butter.

[rivergirl]

marcus i went back to blighty yesterday ( camping exh. at the excel ) went into Sainsbury and tesco but could not find this flour where did you get it from ? ) thanks lesley

[Happy Baker]

I quite often leave my first rise overnight. This gives the loaf a slightly stronger taste I think. I also make the bread in the same way I always do, not cutting down on the yeast.
I do leave it in the coldest room in the house though.

[benjibong]

Keeping the added yeast to a minimum improves flavours because it makes it easy for the dough to acquire natural yeast from the air and your hands. Then overnight rise will help those yeasts develop whereas packet yeast is tasteless.

[matt]

Thanks Marcus, this looks interesting - I'm going to make it this coming weekend.

Lesley you can get the Einkorn flour at Macknade farm shop just outside Faversham.

Matt

[bighairyal]

My experience as a baker extends back only a few weeks, but I feel qualified enough to declare this recipe both wonderfully simple and wonderfully tasty.

The steam trick certainly does seem to yield a chewy, rather than crunchy, crust. Thumbs up!

[Happy Baker]

Is the oil for taste or as a preservative?
Just interested as I gave up using it years ago ...

[minesamojito]

I find a little oil gives a slightly softer crumb, although I also believe it makes beautiful bread without, and quite often make it without adding any oil at all too.
Glad you like guys, look forward to seeing some photos of your bread.
Cheers
Marcus