Grandma’s Ciabatta Bread Made From Whey

Ingrédients

460g (2 cups) whey

600g (5 cups) bread flour

3g (1 tsp) dry active yeast

36g (3 Tbsp) sugar

8g (1½ tsp) salt

28g (2 Tbsp) melted unsalted butter

Instructions

In a small saucepan (or microwave), melt butter and set aside to cool for 10 minutes.

In a large mixing bowl, combine all of the ingredients together and then knead the dough for about 5 minutes.

Cover with plastic wrap and allow the dough to sit at room temperature to proof (it will rise a LOT):

• @20°C, 8 hours “or overnight”

• @26-28°C, 6 hours

• @29-30°C, 5 hours

Preheat oven to 190°C (375°F)

After dough has risen, sprinkle flour on a work surface and shape the dough.

Place the dough onto a greased baking tray or loaf pan, depending on the shape you want. Sprinkle on a little more flour and cut a few shallow, diagonal slashes into the top of the bread.

Bake the bread for 40 minutes or until it is golden brown.

Notes

2023-06-04: DO NOT RETARD DOUGH, because reduces its rise due to acidity; first proof 5h @29-30°C; grease pan using butter.

2023-05-24: scale 50% to bake in loaf pan; brushed pan and top of bread with butter

2021-07-26: used 50/50 all-purpose/bread flour, should use 100% bread flour; overproofed 9-10h @28°C, limit to 7-8h; proofed vertically A LOT

• Perfect for making garlic bread slices.

• Do not retard dough: whey activity drops, and reduces the bread’s rise.

• Grease the pan with butter

• Whey really activates the dough, so get ready: yeast love the presence of the lactose and sugar in the whey and that is why is rises so well.