Panettone classico (ricetta per casa - home-baking recipe)

Buonasera a tutti ! Giusto in tempo per le festività natalizie, finalmente riesco a postare la ricetta del Panettone classico fatto in casa :)
Senza troppi preamboli, vi dico subito che questa ricetta è la mia versione ed è stata sviluppata per essere fatta con pochi essenziali strumenti. Basta avere una planetaria basica come Kitchen aid o Kenwood (io ho usato quest' ultima).
Il procedimento è molto più immediato di quelli soliti che girano in rete ma non per questo meno effettivo.. anzi ! Con questo metodo, risparmieremo tempo, avremo una maglia glutinica migliore e non incorreremo nel rischio di surriscaldare il nostro impasto.

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Good evening ! Right in time for Christmas's holidays, finally I am able to post the Panettone classico recipe for home bakers :)
Without speaking too much, I tell you that this recipe is my version and has been developed to perform great with few essential instruments. Just a basic planetary mixer like Kitchen aid or Kenwood (I did use this one) will do the job.
The method is simpler than usual ones you can find in internet, but not for this reason less effective...
With this method, we get a faster mixing, with a better gluten development and with no heating of the dough.
To avoid a very big post, I will write the recipe in italian, with just the method translated, I hope you can understand the simpler things :)




Bene, detto questo ecco la ricetta per due panettoni da 1kg circa - Good, that said here is the recipe for two panettoni of 1kg size.



I giorno (Messa in forza della pasta madre) - pasta madre refreshings

Al mattino, rinfreschiamo la nostra pasta madre con la proporzione 1:1 (pasta madre:farina) al 45% di acqua. (Se acida prevedere un bagnetto). Fermentare 3/4 ore a 26c

Ripetere per altre due volte i rinfreschi, ottenendo alla sera il lievito pronto per andare nell' impasto.


                                                                             ***

In the morning, refresh our pasta madre with the proportion 1:1 (pasta madre:flour) at 45% hydration. (if it's acid do the bagnetto). Ferment it 3 to 4 hours at 26°C

Repeat 2 more times, so you get the sourdough ready in the evening for the first dough.




I giorno (Impasto della sera)


500 gr farina 0 bio forte (organic strong white flour)
140 gr tuorlo (yolks)
140 gr zucchero fine (fine sugar)
150 gr burro a temperatura ambiente (morbido)  -  pliable butter
250 gr acqua (water)
135 gr pasta madre



Mettere nell' ordine in macchina:
Acqua, zucchero, tuorlo, pasta madre e farina. Azionare la planetaria per 3 minuti su velocità 2 con la pala montata. Controllare che non ci siano residui di farina sui bordi, poi aumentare la velocità gradualmente ogni minuto fino ad arrivare alla 5. Lasciare lavorare circa 15 minuti o fino a che l' impasto inizia a staccarsi dai lati della vasca. Tornare sulla velocità 2 e aggiungere tutto il burro.
Quando il burro è stato incorporato, rovesciare su un piano unto con burro e dare due o tre pieghe. Mettere l' impasto in un mastello che lo possa contenere per il suo volume più il doppio (2+1). Porre a fermentare 12h a 28c o fino a triplicare.


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Put in the machine with the order:
Water, sugar, yolks, pasta madre, flour. Turn on for 3 minutes in vel2 with the shovel on. Control that all the flour have been incorporated, then augment speed every minutes until vel5. Leave it work 15 minutes more or less or until the dough starts to hang. Go back to vel2 and put in all the butter. When the butter is incorporated, turn the dough on the working plan (greased with butter) and do 3 to 4 s&f.
Put the dough in a container that can keep it 3 times its mass. (2+1). Leave to ferment 12h at 28°c or until triple in size.



I giorno (burro aromatico) - aromatic butter

Ammorbidire 150 gr di burro e mischiare con 30 gr di miele, scorza grattugiata di 1 arancia e di mezzo limone

Melt 150 gr of butter and mix with 30 gr of honey, 1 orange zest, half lemon zest



II giorno (impasto finale)

I impasto (tenuto per 30 minuti in frigorifero) - I dough kept 30 mins in the fridge
+
150 gr farina (flour)
150 gr tuorlo (yolks)
150 gr zucchero (sugar)
Tutto il burro aromatico (all the aromatic butter)
8 gr di sale (salt)

350 gr uvetta lavata (raisins washed)
300 gr di canditi a piacere (candies fruits)



Mettere nell' ordine in macchina:
Il primo impasto, la farina, il sale. lavorare qualche minuto a velocità 2, poi azionare la velocità 4 e mettere a filo le uova sbattute con lo zucchero. A maglia glutinica quasi formata (15 minuti circa) mettere il burro aromatico e, una volta incorporato, proseguire fino a che l ' impasto si stacca dalla ciotola.
Rovesciare su un piano unto con burro, porre al centro la frutta miscelata e dare un giro di pieghe.
Porre in mastello oliato a riposare per 30 minuti a 28c.
Dare un' altro giro di pieghe e lasciar fermentare fino al raddoppio.
Stagliare, pirlare delicatamente e riporre negli stampi.
Lievitare a 26c fino al raggiungimento dei 4/5 dello stampo. Praticare la Scarpatura ed infornare a 170°c per 50/55 minuti.
Per raffredare, infilzare due ferri alla base e capovolgere i panettoni.
Lasciar riposare almeno 24 ore prima di assaporare :)


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Put in the machine with the order:
The first dough, flour, salt. Work few minutes at vel2, then augment to vel4 and put little by little the yolks whipped with the sugar. When the gluten is almost ready (15 minutes more or less), put in the aromatic butter, and once incorporated, finish the mix until the dough hangs on.
Turn into the working plan (greased with butter), put in the center the fruits and do a turn.
Put into an oiled container, and rest 30 minutes at 28°c.
Give another set of turns and let it double.
Cut the dough and form it gently and put into the molds.
Proof at 26°C until it reaches the 4/5 of the mold. Practice the cuts and bake at 170°c for 50/55 minutes.
To cool it, pass with the irons the base and turn it upside down.
Let it rest at least 24 hours before tasting :)

Pirlatura della pasta madre

Secondo impasto

Scarpatura 

L' interno 

Grazie a tutti per seguirmi, spero che la ricetta vi piaccia e colgo l' occasione per farvi tanti auguri di buone feste e anno nuovo ! Che porti tanti giorni di lievitazioni naturali :)

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Thank you very much for following me, I hope you will like the recipe and I take the chance to say:

Merry christmas and happy new year ! Hoping it will bring many days of natural fermentations  :)

Bisciola della Valtellina - La ricetta (The recipe)

Bisciola della Valtellina

Buona domenica a tutti !

Dopo gli ultimi eventi che mi hanno visto impegnato nell' organizzare corsi e workshop di panificazione, sono riuscito a rimettermi a scrivere...

Approfitto, con questo post, per inaugurare il nuovo formato del blog. Dopo tante richieste, ho deciso finalmente, di scrivere gli articoli in due lingue, (italiano e inglese), dando la possibilità a tutti di poter capire meglio i contenuti.

E quale il miglior modo di iniziare col nuovo formato, se non scrivendo la ricetta originale di uno dei lievitati dolci più iconici delle mie zone?  L' anti-panettone, un dolce antico, quasi sacro, che veniva consumato con un rituale ben preciso a natale, ma che doveva anche essere, durante tutto l' inverno, fonte di energia per i manovali.

Anticamente, la Bisciola, veniva impastata una o due volte l' anno, data la complessità della lavorazione, a mano ed in grandi quantità, dalle vecchie signore, che custodivano gelosamente la ricetta. Ogni famiglia aveva le sue varianti, con più o meno burro, con farina di saraceno o (la maggior parte) di segale, con nocciole o altra frutta secca.

Questa ricetta che ho creato, partendo dalle mie ricerche e provando tutte le migliori "Bisciole" artigianali, è relativamente semplice e quindi adatta a tutti. (La mia ricetta per uso professionale tuttavia è ancora diversa).


...



Happy Sunday !

After the last tasks, which saw me involved in the organization of bread workshops and classes, I finally got the time to write again...
With this post, I want to share the recipe of the most iconic local leavened sweet, the anti-panettone, an ancient sweet, almost sacred, that were consumed with a precise ritual during christmas, but also that it had been an energy source during all the winter, for the workers.

In the old times, Bisciola, was kneaded by hands, one or two times per year, due to it's complexity, from the old ladies who kept secret the recipe. Every family had some variations, with more or less butter, with buckwheat flour or (the most) with rye flour, some used nuts or other dried fruits...

This recipe, which I developed from my researches, and trying all the best artisanal "Bisciola", is relatively simple, and so it is good for everyone, (hovewer, my professional recipe is different).

La pesa degli ingredienti - Scaling the ingredients

La Bisciola della Valtellina:

Ingredienti:

400 gr di farina 0 forte
100 gr di farina di segale integrale
150 gr acqua
100 gr di burro nostrano
100 gr di zucchero di canna fine
25 gr di miele
160 gr di uova intere
100 gr di pasta madre
4 gr di sale fine integrale
scorza d' arancia e limone

100 gr di uvetta
200 gr di noci di montagna
200 gr di fichi secchi chiari





Il procedimento:

Impastare tutti gli ingredienti tranne il burro e la frutta secca.
Ad impasto incordato, aggiungere il burro precedentemente portato a consistenza "pomata".
Una volta che il burro è stato assorbito del tutto, aggiungere delicatamente la frutta secca facendo attenzione a non impastare troppo per non rovinare la maglia glutinica.
rovesciare l' impasto in un mastello imburrato e mettere a lievitare, fino al raddoppio, a 28°c coperto con telo.
Spezzare del peso desiderato (125, 250, 350, 500 gr ecc) ed effettuare la pirlatura.
Disporre in teglie e mettere a lievitare fino quasi al raddoppio. praticare delle incisioni paralelle (2 o 3) per tutta la liunghezza delle palline. infornare  a 170°c in base alla pezzatura: circa 35 minuti 250gr, 45 minuti 500gr ecc...



...


La Bisciola della Valtellina:

Ingredients:

400 gr strong white
100 gr di whole rye
100 gr di artisanal butter
150 gr water
100 gr di brown sugar
25 gr di honey
160 gr di eggs
100 gr di pasta madre
4 gr di fine salt
orange and lemon zests

100 gr di raisins
200 gr di mountain walnuts
200 gr di dried white figs





The process:

Knead all the ingredients but the butter and the dried fruits.
When the dough is formed, add the butter previously heated to reach the cream consistency.
After that all the butter have been absorbed, add the dried fruits carefully, to not break the gluten too much.
Put the dough in a container and put it at 28°C to rise, until it doubles, covered.
cut the dough into desired pieces (125, 250, 350, 500 gr ecc) and shape it with pirlatura.
Put the rounds in a tray and proof them until they doubles. Make 2 or 3 parallel cuts throught all the lenght, cook it at 170°c depending on the weight: 35 mins for 250 gr, 45 mins 500 gr ecc...

Bisciola, impasto - Bisciola, dough

Il prodotto finale - The final product

Dough Folding

Hello everyone!
This article that will talk about a well known method every sourdough baker practice: Folding the dough.
Also known as s&f (stretch and fold) I prefer to call this important step just dough folding.

Now, let' s see why this passage is important in baking and even more in sourdough baking.

When we mix a dough, we always want to look for its final temperature, as well as its strenght and level of gluten development (where strenght is the relation between elasticity and extensibility, not absolute strenght).
We all know that those are important parameters to control (have a look to previous articles if you missed something).

Well, folding the dough affects those parameters quite a lot. Let' s see why:

Temperature:


When a dough is mixed, it's then stored in a food grade container, (usually plastic), which have a volume 3 to 4 times bigger than the dough itself. This is called bulk phase.
As the word says, the dough is here stored in big quantity to be able to develope the wanted charactheristics of flavour, strenght and volume.
Because most of the time we store the dough at a different Temperature from the room, doing folds during the bulk stage allows to create a uniform grade of T in the dough.
In a very close relationship with this, folding helps also to distribute gases and bacterias, scattering them through the dough.
This is also very helpfull to the fermentation.


Strenght:


Really important dough feature, it will estabilish how to process the dough in the shaping and proofing phase.
Meanwhile with commercial yeast, is hard to have to augment a dough strenght because the amount of gases produced by yeast during the proofing phase garantee a dough strenghtening; In sourdough baking is much more useful (and even more with high hydration doughs) because less gases are produced during fermentation stage.
Applying a number of fold/s during the bulk stage, at regular intervals, will give strenght to a dough.
Those foldings should be gentler as they are performed towards the end of this phase, to avoid gases loss (that will generate a loss of volume and flavours).
I will give a few but great tips for folding in the "secret" section next on!



Gluten development:


Very related to dough strenght (but not the only cause, gluten development is also a key element. It will state the dough capacity to retain gases and so, to augment volume during the proofing and cooking phase.
While folding our dough, gluten strands are gently stretched, and they create a more regular net to trap the gases.
The more foldings we do, the more regular and tight will be the gluten net, and therefore the crumb structure.

Understanding the flour

A balanced dough on the bench waiting  for scaling 

...

Autumn came, with the first snow and made everything quiter. The forest is getting coated by those beautiful colors, which every year amaze me. So beautiful is nature!

I got a beautiful smelling cup of grey tea with honey, so I can start write this piece.

...

Sometimes we want to replicate a bread recipe, or we want to try a well known one but using a new kind of flour and the result isn' t as expected. Maybe the dough comes out too stiff (in which case is easier to correct) or maybe it comes out almost batter-like. 

Altough can be many the factors that lead to a not-so-good result while execute a bread recipe, a missread of the flour used can be the most recurring (and most of the time a problem for the inexperienced baker).

Without writing down a copy of the many existant technical guides to flour's rheology; I want to share my personal opinion learnt throught the experience.

When a proper balance is estabilished within flour and other ingredients, also the shaped dough will be balanced. 

But, before that, I ll try to resume in a few words the most important flour carachteristics involved into the baking process.

1.Quality of proteins and level in percentage:

Two distinct aspects which are very important. I should say the most interesting of the two is proteins quality; When they are good, we can expect a nice development of the gluten net. 

Even if the proteins are low, but of a good kind, we are able to make a nice bread dough without many problems.

On the other hand, we can expect less water absorbtion.

Assuming we have the same protein quality, the flour which will have a higher percentage, will develope a stronger gluten net and will absporb more water.

2.Elasticity and extensibility of the gluten strands:

It' s strictly related to the proteins quality (another time we can see that the quality is very important).

A flour can produce gluten which is really elastic and not extensible as well as the opposite or a blend of the two characteristics in different rapport.

When we have a good protein quality, we will have a balanced rapport between elasticity and extensibility, making the dough easy to work with.

My opinion is that when we try a new flour, (in a empyric way, without having flour sheets) we have to carefully "read" it. 

The way it mix with water, how much liquid can absorb without a proper mixing, if when stretched we feel stiffness or a lack of resistance...

All of those little things we should feel and be able to understand. 

With this kind of knowledge, we will be able to decide if more water is needed (or maybe less water then the original recipe); If a fold or more are needed, which will be the amount of bulk fermentation time required and so on...

This is just a guideline, there are so many variables that it' s not possible to mention every possible scenery. 

However, I hope that I will give something to you to think about next time you mix a new dough.

Sincerly, 

Matteo

Liquid sourdough

One of the most used and easiest pre-ferment for breads. Basically a rough mix of water and flour in the same quantity (1:1) inoculated by a starter and let ripen over time.
Altough other percentages of water in relation of flour can be used, (sometimes raising water quantity around 200%), the most practical is 100%. Due to the high hydration, the acidity built by fermentation is more on the lactic side.
Here you have a few examples of liquid sourdough build:

Ratio:                                         Baker's math:

1 part water                               100%
1 part flour                                100%
1 part starter                              100%

or

2 parts water                             100%
2 parts flour                              100%
1 part starter                               50%

or

4 parts water                             100%
4 parts flour                              100%
1 part starter                               25%


As you can see the difference is into the starter ratio. We will see later what does it change.



About the flour:

As in the Pasta madre, you can use different flours. Usually the flour for this ferment should be white and with a good protein content (<11%).
However different kinds of flours can be used, from high extractions to whole wheats and of course flours from different kind of cereals.
Mind that higher the ash content, the faster the fermentation will be. Therefore ripen times will change accordingly.
Nowadays it s more and more used to make liquid sourdough from spelt (if baking spelt bread), barley, oat etc...


About time:

When a healty starter is used to build this ferment, it will ripen in 3 hours at 25°c. Time may vary using different flours and ratios as I mentioned before, as higher extractions flours tend to speed up the fermentation and shorten the ripen time; Meanwhile ratios will change ripen time and characteristics of the pre-ferment. Here is how:

The 1:1:1 ratio is the faster build and can be used to bake in 2 to 4 hours (25°c). Is the best way to refresh if you need a young sourdough.
The 2:2:1 takes 4 to 6 hours (25°c). It gives you more activity and therefore more acidity.
The 4:4:1 can take up to 12 h (25°c) and will give you the more complex flavours and acidity.

This recipe can be used as a stand alone pre-ferment as well as a proper culture that can be refreshed and stored.
If using different flours, (i.e. whole wheat, spelt etc..) this difference can be quite remarkable.
In the first case, you will have a pre-ferment which is strong and will rise your breads with ease but will lack specific characteristics of the used flour because the bacterias don't have the time to set a new balance in the new substrate.
In the second case, after a period of refreshings (from 1 month it will be noticeable) you will have a proper specific liquid sourdough, with a strong character which also lead to a more complex flavour and different textures in final products.


Considerations
If you want a mild lactic sour flavour, good keeping quality and very good volume, this sourdough is the one you want to use.

Pasta Madre

Pasta madre
Is the first natural ferment I did create myself. Here in Italy is the most well known sour ferment. Basically it's a stiff sourdough with 45% hydration which have a balance of yeasts and bacterias (lactobacillus) that tend to favor acetic acid production. Altough there are several ways to maintain this culture, we will see how to create it and store in the easiest way:

1 part of active starter
2 parts of water
2 parts of flour

So 1:2:2

Formula in baker' s math is:

100% flour
45% water
50% starter

About flour
Usually the flour for this ferment should be white and with a good protein content (<11%).
However different kinds of flours can be used, from high extractions to whole wheats and of course flours from different kind of cereals.
Mind that higher the ash content, faster the fermentation will be. Therefore ripen times will change accordingly.
Nowadays it s more and more used to make pasta madre from spelt (if baking spelt bread), barley, oat etc...


About time
When a healty starter is used to build this ferment, it will ripen in 3 hours at 25°c. Time may vary using different flours as I mentioned before, as higher extractions flours tend to speed up the fermentation and shorten the ripen time.
This recipe can be used as a stand alone pre-ferment as well as a proper culture that can be refreshed and stored.
In the first case, you will have a pre-ferment which is strong and will rise your breads with ease but will lack a bit of sourness because the bacterias don't have the time to set a new balance in the new substrate.
In the second case, after a period of refreshings (from 1 month it will be noticeable) you will have a proper pasta madre, with a strong acetic sourness which also lead to a more complex flavour and different textures in final products.
I don't think that very old pasta madre (many years old) are very different from a 3 months one. Infact, bacterias and yeasts balance quite quickly with proper refreshing and storage.

About storage
Ok, you have created your own pasta madre, it' s healty and strong. Now, how do you store it?
The most interesting way for home baking as well as little bakery is to keep it in a sealed jar.
Material can be glass or food grade plastic.
Basically I suggest to refresh the pasta madre, ripen it at 25°c for half the time (look for an increase of 50% volume) and then store sealed at 4°c

Considerations
If you want a good acetic sour flavour, very good keeping quality but little less volume, this sourdough is the one you want to use.

A journey into the baker's mind

Should start from ...the starters!
Sorry for the game of words, but it s true. Since usually (but not always, as we will see in the future) sourdough bread baking is based on starter quality and characteristics. You can thing of baking as a ride on a suspended line; Every step you take will move you forward to the end (which is the baked bread) but also every step will be easier or harder depending on the quality of the step before. If it was in balance, then also the next will be easy balanced. Therefore the most important thing is to start with the right step isn' t it?

Starter:
I refer as "Starter" for a balanced culture of bacterias and yeasts which, once inoculated, will start the fermentation process. I do believe that starter is different from sourdough. In which way, we will see next. As I said before, it' s vital that the starter is in perfect conditions. To achieve that, it' s important to keep a high grade of cleaning of the whole area we are going to use and of course of the instruments (hands included).
A starter should be kept in low quantity because we are not going to use it directly for baking and we don't want to waste flour. One of the best way to build a starter for me is this:

1 part white strong flour
1 part water (pure, medium hardness, 25°c)

Mix the ingredients and let rest in a closed jar at 25°c for 2 days (or until some bubbles show off)
Take the half of the mix and add same quantity of flour and water. Let it ferment 1 day.
Repeat this phase until you get a lot of bubbles (activity) in just 3 to 4 hours. Then it s ready to be stored in a fridge at 4°c
Enjoy !