Easy Ciabatta Bread Recipe (2024)

FAQs

Is ciabatta bread hard or soft? ›

Ciabatta isn't any harder than other breads baked the same way. It is. in fact, softer than most whole grain breads, all sourdough boules, and the typical French baguette. It is chewier than the typical supermarket bread, with it's dough improvers, preservatives and other additives.

Add Sugar

Adding sugar weakens the gluten structure, absorbs water, and eventually makes the bread lighter and softer. As a result, sugar improves the bread's taste, structure and texture. Yeast also eats up sugar to produce carbon dioxide, which raises the dough and makes bread fluffy.

Ciabatta is baked with a much higher hydration level, making the holes within the dough much bigger than a baguette. Ciabatta is also baked with a much stronger flour, which has a more delicate and sweet taste. Baguettes also tend to be baked more golden brown.

You will know if you have over proofed your dough if it collapses when you touch it, or if it doesn't rise in the oven. It is also very important to make sure that your yeast isn't expired - to test this, place a little in some lukewarm water with a pinch of sugar, and check that it bubbles.

Our ciabatta recipe has a hydration level of 80% (the weight of the water compared to the weight of the flour). These hand-kneading techniques work quite well in the 67% to 80% range — as long as you don't mind getting a little messy.

Ciabatta dough is wet and sticky with hydration levels often 80% or higher. Both the recipe below and this sourdough version are 82% hydration. (If you are unfamiliar: To calculate hydration percentage, simply divide the weight of the water by the weight of the flour; then multiply it by 100.

Add an Enzyme. To extend the shelf life of products, many bakers use specially formulated enzymes for preservation. These naturally occurring protein compounds can keep baked goods soft while preventing crumbling and staling.

To achieve a softer bread texture, there are several techniques you can try. Adding fat to the dough, using liquid sugars and syrups, enhancing browning with protein and sugars, and incorporating softening agents like sodium stearoyl lactylate can all contribute to a softer bread texture.

“If the dough has risen too long, it's going to feel fragile and might even collapse as you poke it,” says Maggie. If this is the case, there's a chance you can save your dough by giving it a quick re-shape. Learn more about this fix in our blog on saving overproofed dough.

Ciabatta bread was first produced in 1982, by Arnaldo Cavallari, who called the bread ciabatta polesana after Polesine, the area he lived in. The recipe was subsequently licensed by Cavallari's company, Molini Adriesi, to bakers in 11 countries by 1999.

Why do people like ciabatta? ›

Ciabatta is an Italian, rustic loaf – it's got a crispy out crust and soft interior crumb that's full of glorious holes! These air pockets are what makes Ciabatta a favorite for people to drizzle on olive oil or top with endless toppings to make the perfect toast creation!

It is comprised of just flour, yeast, and water. This fermented sponge is what gives the ciabatta its amazing, slightly tangy flavor.

If you skip the second rise and proceed directly to baking after the first rise, several things might happen: Denser Texture: The bread might be denser in texture. The second rise allows the dough to further expand and develop air pockets, leading to a lighter, more.

Breads can fall flat while baking due to a number of reasons. One of the most common reasons is that the dough was not kneaded enough. When dough is not kneaded enough, it can lack the gluten development necessary to rise properly. Another possible reason is that the dough was not given enough time to rise.

Lack of gas and fermentation that makes the dough aerate results in dense and heavy bread. In these cases, it is either necessary to allow the dough to be proof longer or move it to the warmer room.

Right out of the oven, the ciabatta loaves will feel hard to the touch. That's okay, they will soften as they cool. Let the ciabatta cool before slicing. You can let it cool on the sheet pan or transfer it to a cooling rack, either is fine.

Ciabatta isn't any harder than other breads baked the same way. It is. in fact, softer than most whole grain breads, all sourdough boules, and the typical French baguette. It is chewier than the typical supermarket bread, with it's dough improvers, preservatives and other additives.

In the oven: Preheat oven to 200° or Warm setting. Wrap the bread in a damp (not soaking) towel, place on a baking sheet, and pop it in the oven for 5-10 minutes. In the microwave: Wrap the bread in a damp (not soaking) towel, place it on a microwave-safe dish, and microwave on high for 10 seconds.

A ciabatta is an Italian yeast-leavened artisan and hearth-type bread made with a lean formula. It is characterized by having a crisp crust and a large, irregular and open crumb grain (cell structure).