Poolish Bread

[Coach JoeQB]

So here's my Poolish bread recipe and how I make it. When I was making Sourdough bread was a 3 day process and lots of labor. I started making this loaf and ditched the starter with great results.

Poolish
150 G Water ( I prefer bottled spring water, but I have used tap water that I leave out at least 24 hours)
150 G Flour ( I use King Arthur)
Pinch of Instant Dry Yeast ( If you have to measure an 1/8 tsp)

Yeast goes in first then water, swirl it around to mix. Add the flour and quickly mix, it will look like a shaggy mess. My sweet spot is 12 hours left out on the counter.

Bread

All of the Poolish
285 G Water
3 G Instant dry yeast

A quick mix to incorporate the poolish.

350 G AP flour
50 G Whole Wheat flour
11 G Dry Malt Powder (optional but I really love the results)
12 G Salt ( I use fine sea salt)

Mix slowly until it comes together then on High until the dough pulls away from the bowl and has nice shiny surface. Using the C hook it was 8 minutes, with the spiral hook 4. I use my oven with the oven light on as my proofing box. At this point a do some stretch and folds and finish with 10-2 rounding motion.

30 minutes another stretch and fold and the 10-2 rounding
30 minutes repeat above
1 hour final bulk fermentation

Shaping

I use a 9 inch round banneton if using oval this recipe makes 2. I know everyone uses Rice flour to flour the banneton, I ran out so I tried corn starch ( winner winner chicken dinner).

I turn the dough out on a floured surface gently pull each side to the middle then lace like shoe laces flour the top and flip seam down. Using a dough scraper I round as best I can. When the top is nice and tight I scoop and flip into the banneton.

Preheat my oven with a Dutch Oven inside to 550. Final rise is 1 hour. I sprinkle corn meal on the dough and place a piece of parchment paper over the top. Gently flip the dough over. I spray with water and add toppings then score. Place the dough in the Dutch Oven and cover, return to oven and lower the temp to 485. 18 minutes later I remove the loaf from the Dutch Oven using the parchment as a sling and place directly on a rack. Lower the oven to 450. 18 minutes later turn the oven off. The bread is done when you like the crust color.

Joe

 

[halleoneagain]

Great looking bread, I think I catch the scent of it here! And thanks for the directions, too. I've been waffling on incubating a sourdough starter, but poolish seems like an easier way to go, and it doesn't have to be stored/fed. Now, cut me a slice, I've got a killer jam to go on top of it.....

 

[Coach JoeQB]

Jam , YUM

Here's the thing it's not that the sourdough doesn't come out good. It's just temperamental. One day great oven spring and ears, the next mediocre. Instead of 3 days and a cold ferment this bread comes out the same every time.

Joe

 

[pushok2018]

Thank you for sharing your recipe, Joe! I will definitely try it next week....

 

[Coach JoeQB]

Making a loaf today, I will post pics.

 

[halleoneagain]

Very much looking forward to it. Still got that jam waiting.

 

[JLeonard]

I got the bread knife and butter to go with halleoneagain 's jam!
Looks mighty good.

Jim

 

[Coach JoeQB]

Making the last stretch and fold now!

 

[halleoneagain]

 

[Coach JoeQB]

Slightly under proofed so no ears, very tasty though!

 

[halleoneagain]

I changed my mind, I think dipping it in a bowl of stew is a better idea! Looking very good....

 

[kelbro]

I really like poolish bread.

Have you tried simple sourdough?

I have a pretty good starter that is kept in the fridge. I pull it out and feed it before bed. First thing the next morning, I mix about 2/3 of it with my flour-water-salt for a few minutes in the mixer. Sits in the bowl on the counter for a couple of hours until it rises 20-40% depending on the season. Cover and pop in the fridge until ready to bake (12-36 hrs). Shape it and drop it into a loaf pan or hot dutch oven and cook at 450 for 20 mins with the lid on and 25 mins with the lid off. Great flavor and really good crumb. Literally less than 15 mins touch time. It is about the easiest bread that I make next to a yeast no-knead loaf.

 

[Coach JoeQB]

I have tried Sourdough probably 6-7 times over the last 15 years. Each starter has gotten better, even so the results tend to be rather inconsistent. I get the thrill of having a decent starter but the constant up keep and wasting so much discard just doesn't sit right with me. I know there a ton of discard recipes but none ever pleased me or my family. Worst ever was discard brownies.

Joe

 

[kelbro]

I have tried Sourdough probably 6-7 times over the last 15 years. Each starter has gotten better, even so the results tend to be rather inconsistent. I get the thrill of having a decent starter but the constant up keep and wasting so much discard just doesn't sit right with me. I know there a ton of discard recipes but none ever pleased me or my family. Worst ever was discard brownies.

Joe

Got it. I never discard. I have a pint jar of starter. I keep it about 1/4 full. When I feed it, I use all but the 1/4 jar full and put that back in the fridge. I may make a loaf every two or three weeks. No starter maintenance in between. My starter is about ten yrs old and it's gone two months between uses before without any issues.

I see so many things that try to make SD bread baking out to be so precise and complicated. It's such a basic and mature bread type that was made long before people had scales and proofing boxes and all the other stuff. I think that a lot of the 'process' stuff is people just trying to sell books and devices. My grandmother taught me and she was too busy and too poor to mess with all of that. :)

 

[gmc2003]

Nice job on the bread Joe. It looks fantastic.

Point for sure
Chris

 

[Coach JoeQB]

Chris

Even when I screw up (I was in a hurry and under proofed it) it comes out really good. Sue and I ate almost 1/2 of the loaf.

Joe