Artisan bread

This is a recipe for a yeast-based bread. This gives the finished loaf some of the characteristics of bread made with sourdough starter. It is made in two steps: first a "biga" (pre-dough) is made. This is then used in the bread dough. It takes about 2 days to make this bread! You may want to wear short sleeves when making this bread.

Preparation time for the pre-dough ("biga"): 15 minutes
Rising time of the pre-dough: 12-24 hours + 1 hour for getting back to room temperature
Preparation time for the bread: 15 minutes
First rising time of the bread: 3-4 hours, or chilled-rising (more flavor): 8-12 hours + 3 hours for getting back to room temperature
Second rising time: 1½ hour
Baking time: 45 minutes
Makes 2 loaves

INGREDIENTS

Ingredients for the biga (= pre-dough):
¼ teaspoon active dry yeast
¼ cup (4 tablespoons, 60 ml) of warm water (100-110 °F, 40 °C)
½ cup (120 ml) cold water
1½ cups (360 ml) of bread flour (high-gluten flour, D: type 812 or 1050; F: type 80 or 110)

Ingredients for the bread dough:
¾ teaspoon active dry yeast
1 cup (240 ml) of warm water (100-110 °F, 40 °C)
1¼ cups (300 ml) cold water
Biga - see above
5 cups bread flour (high-gluten flour, D: type 812 or 1050; F: type 80 or 110) - split into 3 cups and 2 cups
Alternatively: 2 cups wheat flour + 1½ cup malted barley flour + 1½ cup rye flour; for good measure you can add some millet, linseeds, and/or sunflower seeds
¾ cup whole-wheat flour
3½ teaspoons salt
2 cups chopped pecans (or walnuts)
1½ cups raisins, rinsed and soaked in hot water, then toweled dry
¼ cup (4 tablespoons) cornmeal (note: not yellow corn polenta!!!)

EQUIPMENT & SUPPLIES

Medium size bowl
Wooden spoon
Hand-mixer, stand-mixer or kitchen machine
Plastic kitchen wrap (cling film)
Large bowl
Water spray bottle
Large baking/cookie sheet (big enough for two loaves)
Cooling rack

PREPARATION / DIRECTIONS

Instructions for the biga (= pre-dough):
Put the warm water in a medium size bowl and sprinkle the yeast over it
Let stand for about 5 minutes until its gets foamy
Add the cold water
With a wooden spoon, mix in the bread flour, until the mixture forms a soft dough
If you are using whole wheat flour, the pre-dough may be too dry - add 1 tablespoon water
Cover with plastic wrap
Chill for 12 - 24 hours (slow, cool rising gives more flavor)
About 1 hour before making the bread dough, the the pre-dough come to room temperature

Instructions for the bread:
Put the warm water into the bowl of a stand-mixer or kitchen machine (or other large bowl)
Sprinkle the yeast over the warm water
Let stand for about 10 minutes until foamy
Add the cold water, the biga, 3 cups of the bread flour, the whole-wheat flour, salt
Beat with the paddle attachment on low speed, or stir with a heavy spoon, until well blended
Gradually beat or stir the remaining 2 cups of bread flour, ½ cup at a time, until the mixture forms a soft dough
Switch to a dough hook and beat on medium speed until the dough is smooth & elastic, pulls easily from sides of the bowl, but is still sticky
This takes about 6-8 minutes.
Alternatively: scrape dough onto a lightly floured board, and knead by hand until smooth & elastic, but still sticky (takes about 7 - 10 minutes).
If the mixer is laboring or the dough feels stiff, add water, 1 tablespoon at a time, and continue kneading until soft & elastic.
If the dough sticks to the sides of the bowl or is too sticky to knead by hand, add more flour, 2 tablespoons at a time, until it pulls cleanly from the sides or feels only slightly sticky.
Add the nuts and beat in with dough hook (or knead by hand) until just incorporated (after kneading by hand, place dough back into the bowl)
Cover the bowl with plastic wrap; let rise at room temperature until doubled in volume (2 - 2½ hours), then punch down with your hand to expel air
Cover bowl with plastic wrap and let rise again until doubles (1 - 1½ hours). For more flavor, use a slow rise: chill at least 8 - 12 hours, then let come to room temperature for about 3 hours.
Pre-heat oven to 450 °F (230 °C)
If using a baking stone, put it on a rack in the lower third of the oven; preheat the stone for at least 30 minutes, then slide both loaves from the baking sheet onto the stone
Scrape the dough onto a well-floured board and knead briefly to expel air.
Divide into two equal-size parts.
With lightly floured hands, gather each half into a ball, then stretch and tuck the edges under, to shape into a smooth oval with slightly tapered ends (about 8 inch (20 cm) long and 4 inch (10 cm) wide in the center).
Place the two loaves on a well-floured surface, dust lightly with flour, cover loosely with plastic wrap, and let rise at room temperature for about 1½ hours, until they are slightly puffy
proof the dough by gently pressing one loaf: your finger should leave a distinct imprint that slowly fills in.
Under-proofed loaves feel tight and spring back quickly
Over-proofed loaves feel flabby and offer little resistance when pressed.
Sprinkle a 13x17 inch (35x45 cm) baking sheet generously with cornmeal.
Transfer the loaves, one at a time, to the sheet, spacing them 2-3 inches (5-8 cm) apart.
If using a baking stone, slide both loaves from the baking sheet onto the stone
With a sharp knife, make 3 diagonal slashes across the loaf tops that are 1 inch (2-3 cm) deep and 1 - 2 inches (3-5 cm) apart.
This gives the loaf room to grow during its last burst of expansion in the oven
If not using a stone, place the sheet on the rack in the lower third of the oven
Spray 3-4 squirts of clean water on the floor or sides of the oven, taking care not to spray on/near the heating elements or light bulb, then quickly close the door.
The resulting steam prevents the crust from forming before the loaf has fully expanded and contributes to the final thick hard crust; alternatively, you can try with a loaf pan with water on the bottom of the oven.
Bake the bread, spraying twice more after 5 minutes and after 10 minutes of baking, until crust is well browned, 35-45 minutes total
Transfer the loaves to a rack to cool for at least 1 hour.
Store in paper bags at room temperature up to 2 days.

NOTES

To re-crisp the crust, place loaves directly on a rack in a 400 °F (200 °C) and bake for 5 minutes