Panettone - pursuing lightness and open crumb
This batch of caramel apple penettone is the most successful to date - 18 cm high, 1000g exactly. This is the Roy recipe, which is a lower egg yolk formula. My lievito madre has been out of storage for about two weeks.
For the first week, I fed the LM only once a day at 1:1:.40, keeping it at room temp for 12 hours and refrigerated for 12 hours. I found that this had the tendency to increase acidity very slowly, moving me toward target.
For the second week, I fed twice a day, with a 1:1:.40 morning feeding stored at 83F, then an evening feeding of 1:1.25:.40, stored at 18C for around 16 hours. This gradually and visibly increased activity and loft in the LM.
On the mix day, I did two refreshes at 1:1:.47, stored at 85F, duration 4.5 and 5.5 hours respectively. Finishing pH was 4.13 going into the mix.
One key aspect of the mix was a 90 minute autolyse for the flour and water. I remove this from the mixer and put it in a plastic bag so that it doesn't dry on top.
I go for full gluten development after that when adding the LM. I believe that many people have failed impastos because of incomplete mixing at this point.
My first dough pH after 12 hours rising was 4.6. Last time it was 4.7, and today's panettone was far superior, so it is perhaps something to keep in mind as a factor, but not the only important one if it stays above a certain value.
I had plenty of gluten after the first rise, and plenty of gluten after completing the second impasto.
The first step of the second impasto is important also, to develop the gluten of the flour added at this point.
The dough should rest for 1 hour before preshaping, to give the fermentation a chance to get going. Rest in a warm place. Preshape very briefly and gently and then let it rest another 30 minutes.
Final shaping should be very gentle and brief also, to permit gas to remain in the dough.
I let the loaves rise for 4 hours and 10 minutes on this batch, at 31C.
If using glaze, make it thin enough to spread and use a scaper to make a thin coating, leaving an inch all around the edge. I sprinkle with pearl sugar.
I've gone back to baking in a static oven, starting out hot for the first few minutes then turning it right down to lower heat. I bake until internal temp is 92C.
The resulting panettone rose very well, is exceptionally light and moist, and has great shreddability.
Comments
Wow those are incredible Sue, you must be so pleased.
Benny