October 15, 2009 - 8:39pm
water measurement
I'm new to bread baking. I'm about to make a bread from the Leader "Local Breads" book....the Genzano bread. I've read posts here that some of his recipe ingredients are innacurate but I think I should be okay because I have a good triple beam scale and I'm going to be using his gram measurements vs. ounces/cups. But here's my question. When the recipe states 300 grams water does that mean I should actually weigh the water and use 300 grams in weight of water??
Share
Yes
Hi, Tony.
You got your answer.
The San Genzano bread is delicious, but it's a challenge to a beginning baker. It's an extremely slack (wet), sticky dough. I tell you this not to discourage you but to let you know that's how it's supposed to be so you won't think you made some terrible measuring error and add a lot of extra flour.
On the other hand, you absolutely need a banneton to make this bread, and be advised to follow Leader's instructions to dust it heavily with bran to prevent the dough from sticking permanently to the liner. If you don't have a banneton, I suppose you could make it in a huge enameled cast iron Dutch oven.
Let us know how it turns out for you.
David
Sorry - double posted here ....
David, I'm not acquainted with San Genzano bread. Is this a type of focaccia or, from a Dutch oven, a boule? I asuume "Leader" is Daniel Leader but I don't have any of his books. Is the formula available through any other source? I truly enjoy making bread from a slack dough using my cast iron Dutch oven.