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I love making Sourdough Ciabatta as my hubby really likes it. For this recipe, I used "OO flour" instead of Japan High Gluten flour as I remembered Maya (from Xbaker) saying that OO flour yields a crispier crust. I have experimented with both bread flour and OO flour and true enough, OO flour does indeed yield the crispier crust. Would love to hear your opinion if you try it.

If you prefer basic recipe, please click here for the basic Sourdough Ciabatta.

If you have any questions regarding this recipe or any other post, please leave me a comment in the “LEAVE A COMMENT” link and I will reply you as soon as possible. Do tag me on Instagram @Bakewithpaws if you attempt on this recipe.

How To Make Sourdough Ciabatta with Poppy Seed

Yields: 4 Small Loaves

270g Granoro"OO" flour - 90% (can be replaced with bread flour)
30g whole wheat flour - 10%

1 Tbsp poppy seeds (can be replaced with chia seeds or sesame seeds)

75g active sourdough starter/levain (100% hydration) – 25%
240g water - 82.2% (final hydration)
6g salt - 2%
6g olive oil - 2%

Please refresh your starter several times before baking day in order to get a better result if you do not feed your starter daily or regularly.
Please reserve some liquid and not add it all in one go as each flour absorbs water and hydrates differently

Ambient Temperature: approx. 26C - 27C

Total Bulk Fermentation: 4 hours

METHOD: Please click "Charcoal Sourdough Ciabatta" to see the diagram

Feed starter:-

Feed your starter at the ratio that fit your schedule as long as the starter is at its peak when use. Please click here for here "Sourdough Starter Recipe"

Autolyse:-

Mix flour and water, stir until there is no more dry flour with a spatula. Or use a stand mixer with paddle attachment for 2-3 minutes at low speed. Cover and leave for 1 - 2 hours at room temperature (28C).

Add In Levain, Salt, Olive Oil and Poppy Seed:-

Add in levain, salt and poppy seed. Mix with paddle attachment for about 3 - 4 minutes at speed 2 (KA mixer) and slowly turn to speed 4 or until the dough turns smooth, comes together and away from the sides of the bowl.
Add in olive oil and mix for another minute. You should reach window pane stage at this time.
Transfer the dough into a greased square pyrex dish. Cover and rest for 30 minutes.

Coil Fold:-

Coil Fold 1 - Fold the dough in the dish. Cover and rest for about 30 - 45 minutes or until the dough spread.
Coil Fold 2 - Fold the dough in the dish. Cover and rest for about 45 minutes or until the dough spread.
Coil Fold 3 - Fold the dough in the dish. Cover and rest for about 90 minutes to 120 hours or until the dough puffy.

Cold Retard:-

Then retard overnight in the fridge (4C) for 12 - 16 hours.

Divide:-

Transfer to a heavy floured counter top. Dust the dough with some flour and cut into 2 or 4 equal portions with a scrapper.
Transfer dough to a parchment paper with 2 scrappers. Let the dough proof on the couche for another 45 - 60 minutes or until puff up in room temperature @ 28C - 30C.

Baking:-

Preheat oven with baking stone and lava rocks (below the baking stone) at 250C (top and bottom heat) for 60 minutes before baking.
Open the oven door, slide dough (together with parchment paper) on baking stone.
Pour 1 cup of hot water into the lava stone. Close the oven door immediately. Too much hot water will create excess steam and this may result in a crust that is too hard.
Bake with steam for 10 minutes.
Remove the lava rocks.
Lower the temperature to 220C and continue baking for another 10 - 12 minutes.
Remove ciabatta from oven. Let it cool on the rack.

GENERAL NOTES

SOURDOUGH STARTER

Please click this link for "How To Make Sourdough Starter" and "Sourdough Maintenance"

A healthy starter is very crucial as advised by Baking with Gina. It is advisable to feed your starter regularly if you want your bread to rise nicely and to use the starter (levain) at its peak. A starter that is fed regularly will be more active in general. If the mother starter is not strong, the bread dough will not rise a lot even though the starter is used at its peak.

HYDRATION

The liquid measurement given is also a guide. It is advisable to always reserve some liquid and not add it all in one go. This would give you the opportunity to adjust if necessary. If dough is too dry, add the reserve liquid one tablespoon at a time until the right consistency. This is because each flour absorbs water and hydrates differently.

BULK FERMENTATION

Bulk fermentation starts when you add in levain to the dough and ends when the dough is ready for shaping.

TEMPERATURE DURING BULK FERMENTATION

Ambient temperature plays a very important part in sourdough baking. It will affect the dough temperature and eventually affect your fermentation time. The cooler ambient temperature will extend the fermentation time. The greater degree of proof, the stronger the dough will be as explained by Trevor J. Wilson.

The ambient temperature that worked for me is between 25C - 26C and bulk fermentation time is between 4.5 hours to 5.5 hours. At the end of bulk fermentation, my dough would have increased 50% in volume. The dough should look puffy. It should jiggling when you slightly shake it. This is the end of bulk fermentation.

But, my kitchen ambient temperature (without air-conditioner) was 29C - 30C. So, I have to bring down the temperature.

How to bring down ambient temperature?

Air-conditioner room - Rest the dough in air-conditioner room during bulk fermentation. I used this option sometimes. I turned on my air-conditioner when I added in levain and try to maintain temperature between 25C - 26C.
Home oven (that's turned off) - Place ice cooler packs inside along with an ambient temperature thermometer. Then place your dough during bulk fermentation in the oven. Keep an eye on that thermometer and try to keep between 25C - 26C.

DOUGH STRENGTH AND EXTENSIBILITY

Too strong (tension or elastic) dough will take a longer time to increase (proof) in volume. So too strong dough may not have good oven spring and open crumb. While too weak dough (extensibility) dough may not hold it shape and rise with good oven spring too.

So over-working the dough (too strong dough) or under-working (weak dough) may affect the crumb structure and oven spring.

The number of coil folds is not fixed and very much depends on the strength and extensibility of the dough.

As demonstrated in an experiment by Kristen (Full Proof Baking) the over-worked dough rose super tall but was smaller in overall size and had a more dense crumb while the control dough rose tall during the oven spring and had a better overall result.

How do we know when it is enough and no more coil folds are needed?

We usually do 3 coil folds for this method. However, if by the second coil fold the dough is strong with less extensibility as you lift up a part of the dough then it should be the last coil fold, or just do a half coil folds instead of full. The resistance of the dough to being folded should be an indication to refrain from folding further.

How do we know when to do the next coil fold or stretch & fold?

When the dough spreads. Please do not rely on the time given in the recipe as it is just a guideline. Please watch your dough and not the clock.

Comments

Cape Cod MarkFebruary 10, 2022 at 6:16 AM
Would you further explain how you shape the dough into the four breads?
Henny AugustienApril 1, 2022 at 5:37 PM
Hi ! Just made the ciabatta last night, it turned out soooo good! The inside is soft and chewy. Thanks so much for your recipe! This is my first time baking ciabatta. A bit nervous that made me forgot to add poppy seeds :D