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7 Understanding Artisan Breads

2. Artisan Breads
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Common Characteristics:
• Handmade.
• Use of pre-ferments and sourdough or culture
starters (a fermented dough or batter used to
provide leavening for a large batch of dough).
• No chemical additives or preservatives.
• Traditional production methods.
Understanding Artisan Breads

3. Yeast Pre-Ferments
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• Poolish: thin yeast tarter made with equal parts flour and
water plus commercial yeast.
• Biga : the Italian term for pre-ferment. It usually is a
stiff pre-ferment and made with two times the quantity of
yeast as a poolish.
• Levain-levure: French term for yeast pre-ferment.
(Levure means “yeast.” Levain means “sourdough.”)
• Pâte Fermentée : a piece of fermented bread dough
saved from a previous batch.
• Mixed fermentation: a straight dough in which both a pre-
ferment and a fresh addition of yeast are used for
leavening.
Understanding Artisan Breads

4. Sourdough Starters
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A dough or batter that contains wild yeasts and
bacteria.
•It has a noticeable acidity as a result of fermentation.
•The wild yeasts in sourdough starters are not the same as
commercial yeasts.
•Wild yeasts can tolerate and grow in higher levels of
acidity.
Understanding Artisan Breads

5. Bacterial Fermentation
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• Sourdough starters contain bacteria as well as
yeast. The most important bacteria are from the
group Lactobaccilli.
• Two kinds of acid are created by bacteria, lactic
acid and acetic acid.
Understanding Artisan Breads

6. Refreshing the Starter
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• After the initial fermentation has begun, the starter must
be refreshed or fed regularly so the yeasts and bacteria
are nourished and will multiply until they are strong.
• The basic procedure is to combine a portion of the
fermenting starter with additional flour and water.
Understanding Artisan Breads

7. Autolyse
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Artisan bakers may take an extra step during
mixing called autolyse.
•Autolyse is to first combine the flour and water and mix at
low speed just until the flour is moistened and a dough is
formed. Let stand 30 minutes.
•During the autolyse, the flour hydrates fully.
Understanding Artisan Breads

8. Fermentation
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• Artisan breads are fermented at lower
temperatures.
• Sourdoughs ferment more slowly.
Understanding Artisan Breads

9. Baking
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• Artisan breads are usually baked as “hearth
breads.”
• If baked on pans, perforated pans are best.
• Steam should be injected for the first 15
minutes. Most lean hearth breads are best
baked in a hot oven, 425° to 450°F (218° to
232°C).
Understanding Artisan Breads

10. French, Italian, and Vienna Loaves
Make up Techniques

11. •Flatten the rounded, relaxed dough into a circle. Fold
the sides over the center, then round again.
•Shape the dough into a seam-free ball.
•Place on prepared pans. Proof, wash with water, and
slash in a crosshatch pattern. Bake with steam.

12. •Flatten the rounded, relaxed dough into a circle. Fold
the sides over the center, then round again. Roll the
dough under the palms of the hands into a smooth oval
loaf.
•Place on pans sprinkled with cornmeal or flour. Proof,
wash with water, and dredge with flour. Score.