Application Guide

Table Of Contents

The Next Step—Using a Starter:

SHEPHERD’S BREAD

The way of constructing a dough for this Shepherd’s Bread is known as the sponge

dough method. It is an old-fashioned technique used to create a bread with a more rus-

tic texture and crumb, more irregular holes, a slightly more acidic flavor from devel-

oped fermentation, and a slightly thicker crust than bread made by the plain dough

method. While this takes a bit more time, this bread is really loved for its exceptional

flavor.

A semi-liquid sponge starter, usually made from about a third of the

flour and water called for in the recipe along with some yeast, can double in volume in

thirty to forty-five minutes, but different recipes call for the sponge to sit for anywhere

from two to twelve hours before adding the rest of the dough ingredients and kneading.

This waiting step is comparable to the first kneading of a plain dough, since the gluten

begins to soften and become more supple. The traditional method for creating full-fla-

vored, long-rising, lean country loaves uses such yeast starters, prepared the same

way as this sponge, but referred to as a biga in Italian bread recipes and as a poolish

in French ones. The longer the starters ferment, the more the flavor develops and the

more irregular the inner crumb will be. Some sponges are allowed to just rise; others

to rise and fall back upon themselves. Salt is never added to a sponge starter, as it in-

hibits the growth of the yeast. Breads made by this method also have an increased shelf

life, and a starter is able to give a boost to low-gluten flours, producing light, high

loaves.

-POUND LOAF

For the sponge starter:

cup water

1 cup bread flour

teaspoon SAF or bread machine yeast

For the dough:

cup water

1 tablespoon sugar

1 tablespoon unsalted butter or margarine, cut into pieces

2 cups bread flour

1 tablespoon gluten

teaspoons salt