Ciabatta Bread

"Good results! As a culinary student I've tried and failed with bread many times before getting some decent results. Here's what I've found that may help: 1) Proof your yeast as directed (mixing wa..." See moreter, yeast, & sugar)-- if it doesn't start bubbling or frothing after 10 min, throw it out. Either the yeast is dead (check expiration date) Or you killed it with HOT tap water > 120 degrees F kills yeast. Optimal temp is LUKE warm around 100F. 2) Mist the bread with water every 3 min for the first 10 min. Why? This does 3 things. Prevents the crust from forming too fast thus restricting the rising process. It moisens the crust just enough so it doesn't brown/burn at the end of the baking period - you get a golden brown instead of a dark heavy crust. And it finally makes the crust crispier. This is a very important step. It also helps if you have a bowl of water in the oven to increase the humidity percentage. Professional ovens have adjustable humidity controls which add moisture in. Why only 10 min? You can mist for longer but you'll end up with a thin white crust instead of golden brown. Once the bread has risen to its full potential (within the 1st 10 min or so depending on the size of the loaf), then you want it to start becoming golden brown. Baking is regarded as being harder than cooking because of the exactness in ratios of the ingredients. Hope some of my hard lessons learned helps you -- Best of luck!"

"This recipe was awesome! I skipped the bread machine business and made it by hand...the dough was sticky but it worked well enough, just start the yeast in the warm water for a few minutes before thr..." See moreowing in the rest of the ingredients. Instead of loaves I made rolls and they turned out great. I also added 3 tablespoons of dried rosemary to the dough which made all the difference. They were a huge hit with my kids, my daughter told me they tasted just like the bread at our favorite Italian food place and she was right! Misting the dough during baking with a spray bottle is a MUST. Don't skip this step, it's what makes the crust so crispy."

"Wonderful recipe ~ so easy. Everytime I make it I get rave reviews!! Easy hint, use spatula to scrape out of breadmaker onto a heavily floured board. Then use a metal scraper to scrape/scoop/lift..." See more the floured dough into a rectangle and then plop onto a silpat/greased cookie sheet. This is a rustic bread so it will be chewy with large holes. You really can't use your hands, they'll goo up and you won't be able to handle it. Develop the lift and fold over technique with the scraper and it'll be a breeze."