Glenn wrote:
> In my experience, an uneven, open texture of the crumb is a combination
> of ;
>
> - Oven spring. I don't believe you can get the kind of texture you want
> proofing (rising) your ciabatas for a long time. Great Oven spring can
> be optimized by;

Hi Glenn,

How do you think oven spring comes about? It seems you are suggesting
that it comes about by a few bubbles within the dough becoming large in
the oven. What stops them all from becoming equally large?
>
> * Well developed gluten networks.

What does that mean? It sounds like you're suggesting kneading the
dough well will increase the amount of large holes.

> * A well proofed dough with lots of bubbles.

Again, what does this mean? It sounds like you're contradicting your
earlier statement.

"I don't believe you can get the kind of texture you want
proofing (rising) your ciabatas for a long time."

> * Hot Hot Hot surface! Go all the way up to max temperature on your
> oven when heating the stone.

So you're saying that a hot oven will cause the dough to have more
large air bubbles.

> * Keeping the humidity during the first 10 minutes of baking is
> crucial to make sure the crust doesn't "set" too early as this will
> inhibid the oven spring.

It's been well discussed hear that if you proof your dough for longer
(not so long that you over proof, you need to know your culture) you
don't need to worry about oven spring. And if the oven isn't filled
with a vast reservoir of heat you don't need to worry about 'setting'
your crust. More to the point. Heat can only expand holes that are
already there. It won't make any new ones. A bit like the adage
"garbage in garbage out"

> * How you cut your loaf. Don't inflate it,
So put your bike pumps away. : -)


> the goal of slashing is
> making room for rise, Be carefull. If you do it violently, it will
> deflate.

Since when do you slash ciabatta?


> - Weak flour. Flour with lots of gluten has a tendency to produce an
> even texture. At last that's my experience from adding gluten powder to
> my recipes.
Italians use 13.5% protein for ciabatta the W value should be about 290
and the P/L value about 0.5 according to my family's supplier.

> - Wet dough (As mentioned in other posts). I have never had the need to
> go beyond 68% hydration to get the results I want. Ciabata's are wet
> though. I think most recipes are > 70%.

The hydration of the dough isn't about getting holes. You can get
really holey bread at 60-65% if you're lazy with the needing and don't
bang the dough about.

> Remember to compensaste for
> the vaporisation of water from your sponge.

Vaporisation? I tend to keep my Phaser away from the dough, so I've not
had this problem. : -) But I usually stop evaporation by covering the
dough with cling-film. I find this works wonderfully.

> (I usually make a sponge
> overnight, using 100g water/100g flour/20g home made refrigerated
> culture. In the morning, this mix only weighs about 180g due to
> vaporisation of the water. Remember to add the 20g to the liquid!
> -
>
> Here's some pictures showing my implementation of Dan Lepard's white
> leaven bread ;
> Nice and open texture!
>
> http://www.glennbech.com/2006/05/whi...his-is-my.html
>
Yes nice open texture Glen, not ciabatta though. Not unless you've got
hobbit feet.
: -)

Sorry Glenn don't take me too seriously. : -)

TG