Re: How to make your last sachet of yeast last forever

On 08/05/2020 11:50, Peter Flynn wrote:
> I mixed ¼tsp dried yeast with 250ml lukewarm water and 200g plain flour. 
> left it overnight at room temperature under clingfilm, and this morning 
> it had risen nicely to about 2× original size.
> 
> So I think I have roughly what you describe above, just that it was 
> mixed and risen independently, not as part of a loaf. AFAICS this is 
> basically a biga.

It worked, and I was astonished that I seem to have got it roughly right :-)

Took half the preferment (ie 100g) and made it up to 800g with 350g 
flour and 350ml water. Left it outside (it was warm) and it rose nicely. 
Took 100g of it and added it back to the preferment, which went back in 
the fridge for another day.

But I didn't think to ask THE missing question until too late: after all 
the cutting and pasting of preferment, when exactly are you supposed to 
add all the other ingredients in the recipe for a loaf (eg sugar, salt, 
oil, etc)?

Presumably NOT before you take out the 100g to add back to the 
preferment, because that would contaminate it. But to do so after would 
mean knocking back the second rise in order to get it all mixed in. It's 
like those web pages "fixing" a technical problem that explain 
everything except the one most important bit :-)

But that's what I did anyway, and I didn't think it would rise yet again 
but it did, and I used the Bake program for 50 mins and got a very nice 
if rather low-slung ciabatta-type loaf, which is what I was aiming for 
(the texture, not the low height).

I think what I should have done is left that last rise for longer, and 
put it in the actual baking tin after adding the oil and sugar and salt, 
rather than in a bowl, so I wouldn't have to manipulate it to shovel it 
into the tin.

But hey, it worked, and I am back to 200g of preferment in the fridge 
for Monday. Thank you to everyone who helped. Once I've done it a few 
times and got the hang of it I'll post a summary.

Peter