Description
This Foolproof Ciabatta Bread recipe guides you through making authentic Italian ciabatta with a soft, airy crumb and a crisp, golden crust. Using simple ingredients like bread flour, olive oil, yeast, and salt, the dough is hydrated with an autolyse step, carefully stretched and folded for structure, then cold-fermented overnight for enhanced flavor. After shaping and proofing, the bread bakes to perfection with a chewy crust and light interior, perfect for sandwiches or dipping in olive oil.
Ingredients
Scale
Dry Ingredients
- 525g Bread flour
- 3g Instant yeast
- 10g Salt
Wet Ingredients
- 15g Extra virgin olive oil
- 395g Lukewarm water
- 50g Lukewarm water
Instructions
- Mix flour and oil with water: In a large bowl, combine the bread flour and olive oil mixed with 395g lukewarm water. Use a spatula or your hands to form a stiff, shaggy dough. Cover with a tea towel and leave to rest for 30 minutes to allow the flour to hydrate (autolyse).
- Add yeast, salt, and remaining water: Mix the 50g lukewarm water with instant yeast until dissolved. Add this and the salt to the dough. Pinch and squish the dough to combine.
- Stretch and fold the dough: Perform stretches and folds by reaching under the dough, pulling it up, and folding it over itself, then rotate the bowl 90° and repeat until the dough comes together. Continue this action for about five minutes to develop gluten.
- Bulk fermentation and stretch and folds: Transfer dough to a lightly oiled see-through container or bowl. Cover and proof for two hours, performing four sets of stretch and folds every 30 minutes (total four sets). Each set involves stretching the dough up and folding it over itself with a 90° rotation until four folds are completed.
- Cold retard fermentation: After the final set of stretch and folds, cover the dough and refrigerate overnight or up to 24 hours to develop flavor and dough strength.
- Prepare for shaping: Line a baking pan with baking paper and lightly flour it. Generously flour a work surface and the dough surface. Turn the sticky dough onto the floured surface, using additional flour to prevent sticking.
- Shape the dough: Gently pat the dough into a roughly 24×24 cm square. Cut into two pieces. Shape each piece into a rough rectangle by folding edges lightly underneath. Place shaped dough on the baking paper, floured side up, leaving space between loaves.
- Final proof: Loosely cover the dough with plastic wrap or a lid and let rise in a warm spot for 45-60 minutes until puffed and a gentle fingertip indentation slowly springs back.
- Preheat oven: Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C), allowing about 20 minutes for a thorough heat-up.
- Bake the bread: Place the risen dough into the preheated oven and bake for 18-20 minutes until the loaves are golden brown and sound hollow when tapped on the bottom.
- Cool the bread: Remove from oven, let rest on the pan for 5 minutes then transfer to a cooling rack. Cool completely before slicing to ensure proper crumb texture.
- Storage: Store any leftover ciabatta loosely wrapped at room temperature to maintain crustiness and freshness.
Notes
- Use plenty of flour when handling the dough to prevent sticking due to its wet consistency.
- The autolyse step improves dough hydration and gluten development without kneading.
- Stretch and folds replace traditional kneading and help develop structure.
- Cold fermentation enhances flavor complexity and dough strength.
- Ensure thorough oven preheating for the best crust and oven spring.
- Allow bread to cool fully before slicing to avoid a gummy crumb.
- Use bread flour (high protein) for better gluten development and texture.
- Prep Time: 45 minutes
- Cook Time: 18-20 minutes
- Category: Bread
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Italian
Keywords: ciabatta, italian bread, homemade bread, artisan bread, bread recipe, stretch and fold, slow fermentation
