📖 Ayçiçeği Fırını · Temel Ekmekçilik Rehberleri

Flour and water are mixed at a 1:5 ratio and cooked over low heat while stirring until swirl lines appear in the paste (or heated in a microwave, which I covered in a dedicated post). The Tangzhong weight typically makes up 30%-40% of the main dough's flour weight. Baking with this paste is called the Tangzhong method.

Flour and water are mixed at roughly a 1:1.2 ratio by pouring 100°C boiling water directly into the flour and stirring until smooth with no dry lumps. Chill in the fridge overnight before adding to the main dough.

Sponges are categorized by the percentage of total flour they contain, typically 50%, 70%, or 100% sponge. By fermentation method, there is: 1. Standard sponge method, fermented at room temperature for 3-4 hours; and 2. Cold-fermented sponge method, fermented in the fridge for 14-17 hours (and no more than 48 hours).

Mixed at a 1:1 water-to-flour ratio by weight with 0.5%-1% instant dry yeast. You can ferment it at room temperature for about 2 hours or chill it in the fridge overnight. Typically, the poolish accounts for about 25% of the total dough weight.

Mixed at a 2:1 flour-to-water ratio with about 1% instant dry yeast, then fermented in the fridge overnight. Alternatively, pinch off a piece of dough when baking bread, wrap it tightly, and refrigerate it to use as old dough in your next batch (see my dedicated old dough post).

A wild yeast starter cultivated from the natural yeast and lactic acid bacteria present on flour and in the air, without any commercial yeast. Flour and water are mixed in a clean jar and fed regularly at warm temperatures over about a week until active. It requires regular ongoing feedings. I still have so much to learn about sourdough and am actively practicing.

All ingredients except butter are mixed together directly until a thick membrane forms, then butter is kneaded in until the full windowpane stage is reached, followed by bulk fermentation, shaping, final proof, and baking.