Traditional English Overnight Dough
The over night is one of the simplest breads to make and yet in my opinion one of the most rewarding from an eating experience and it was the way our breads would have been made through the late 1800 to the early 1900 then as bakery started to get larger they would have moved through to the sponge and dough method to produce larger volumes in a shorter production time.
The bread it self will be denser in texture and will have a thicker crust but the flavour will be intense and although it may be inclined to stale quicker the flavours will improve with keeping especially if toasted a week after production.
The recipe will be as for the Sponge you set for the sponge and dough method but if you choose to make a wholemeal version then you would need to reduce the yeast level by 50% as you will find you get a lot of activity from the natural yeasts present on the bran in the wholemeal flour.
Your choice of flour will be more important with this product than the sponge and dough method and the higher proteins are better suited say a 12% rather than a 10 % the 10% can be used and will add a flavours of there own but need to have more tolerance's built in so start out with the 12% until you perfect the product
Recipe
| Ingredients |
% | grms |
wholemeal (grms) |
| White flour strong | 100 | 500 | 500 |
| Salt | 2 | 10 | 10 |
| Fresh yeast | 0.5 | 2.5 | 1.25 |
| Water | 56 | 280 | 340 |
Finish dough temperature 21oc
Mix to a clear silky dough consistency and the dough will appear to be tight but it will slacken off through the fermentation process.
When the dough has been developed place it into a bowl at least twice the volume as the dough piece and cover with a plastic bag to keep all the moisture in. This moisture will be holding a lot of the flavours and converted sugars, so you need to retain it. Place it in the corner of the kitchen for at least 16 hours before looking at it. You will be tempted to prod and feel it but refrain save it for later. Don't put on a radiator or over the cooker it is in no hurry.
Although the recipe is set for a 16 hour fermentation this would be the minimum because the dough will be moving so slowly you will have a wider range on the tolerance and you will have at least a 4 hour window after this set time so experiment and experience the different flavours and textures that can be obtained with time.
When the bulk fermentation has taken place choose your required weigh or if using the recipe above and a large loaf is required use all the dough and mould into your chosen shape creating a tight uniformed shape with out taring the outer skin.
This type of bread lends it self to oven bottom breads better than a tin loaf but the choice is yours. If oven bottom then place onto a tray dusted liberal with a wheat semolina or a ground rice. This will not only add texture to the loaf but it will work as little ball barrings when you slide the loaf into the oven after the final proof.
When you are happy with your final mould place the dough piece onto the semolina in the centre of the tray and cover once again with your plastic bag but now you need to form a cosy dome above the dough piece to avoid the dough sticking to the bag whilst proving. Once again this will create valuable moisture's that you need to retain on the surface skin of the dough.
This will now need to stand in the corner of the kitchen for 1.5 to 2 hours depending on the ambient temperature of your kitchen. To test if you just lift the bag and push your finger gently into the side of the dough piece it will form an indentation you need this to return slowly to its former shape if it returns too fast the dough will be under proved and this will cause unpredictable oven spring. If it doesn't return, then the product will be over proved and this will create a pail crust with little oven spring and will want to flow out when baked on the sole of the oven.
Baking
My advice is, place a thick baking tray one third up from the bottom and a small baking dish on the base of the oven when you first turn the oven on and set the temparature hot, say 220oc. This will make sure the trays are hot when you load the loaf into the chamber. (NB - Every oven will be differant and you will know your oven, so adjust as you see fit!)
Before you need to set the loaf in the oven, turn the oven to maximum heat for an extra blast and get an egg cup full of water ready by the side of the oven..
This is the exciting bit that you have been building up to and everything must come together!
Take the plastic off of your dough piece with out it touching the damp surface. Give the top of the loaf a very light dusting of flour and then with a sharp knife slash the surface of the loaf a couple of times in a quick and deliberate action to form a clean cut that should start to open slightly if the dough is happy. This is not only for the appearance of the loaf but it will encourage the pent up activity to spring where you ask it to.
If you have a slip then place the dough piece onto the slip, if not open the oven door and quickly pick up the dough piece and place straight onto the hot tray one third up from the bottom. Then quickly throw the water onto the baking dish at the bottom of the oven. This will create an important burst of steam needed to gelatinise the surface starches you have preserved through out the process. Close the door quickly and turn the heat down to 210oc.
The reason for setting onto a hot surface is to seal the base of the loaf first. The moisture created by the steam you have added to the chamber will not only create a better crust but will keep the surface supple for longer. As the base of the loaf is sealed on the hot surface, there is only one place for the spring to come out and that will be where you have asked it to with the slashing of the surface.
The loaf will be baked through in 30 mins but after this it will be a mater of personal choice of how you like your crust to be. It may help to open the door for a couple of minutes after the first 30 to draw off some of the excess steam and then close it while you fine tune your crust.
A point worth mentioning on the baking. If you are lucky enough to have a dough thermometer then if you probe the centre of the loaf and you reach the temperature of 96oc the loaf will be fully baked the rest of the crust will be cosmetic and a mater of personal preference.
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