Mother Dough Recipes

Steps:

• PREP/PREPARE
• The Back Story If you have ever baked bread, you understand that in order for the bread to rise it typically needs yeast. Yeast is a sugar-eating fungus. It digests food to obtain energy for growth, and those little critters favorite food just so happens to be sugar in all its various forms. The end result is called fermentation, and produces carbon dioxide gas, and ethyl alcohol. In bread baking, when yeast ferments the carbon dioxide gas cannot escape because the dough is elastic and stretchable. As a result of this expanding gas, the dough inflates, or rises, and the ethyl alcohol (plus other compounds) produced during fermentation, create the unique flavors and aromas you associate with yeast-leavened breads. Mmmmmm So, we purchase packets of yeast and use them in our baking. Pretty basic stuff.
• Active versus Instant Yeast Active dry yeast and instant (or rapid rise) yeast are the two most common yeasts available to home bakers. There are others; however, we do not need to discuss them at this time. The two yeasts can be used interchangeably in recipes, but with one main difference. Active dry yeast needs to be dissolved in water before using; while instant yeast can be mixed right into the dough. I prefer baking with active dry yeast, because I want to know that my yeast is alive and ready to do its thing... And that is called proofing.
• Proofing Yeast Take the water, or liquid you are using to make your bread, and warm it up to about 110f (43c). Add a little bit of sugar, and then the yeast. Give it a stir and wait about 10 minutes. If the top of the liquid looks foamy, your yeast is good... add it to the recipe. On the other hand, if nothing happens, your yeast is dead. Give it a proper burial and buy some good yeast. FYI: You can store yeast in the freezer, and it will extend its life far beyond the expiry date.
• What the Heck Has All This to Do with a Pasta Madre? Well, I am glad that that you brought up that very critical question. A tradition pasta madre, or sourdough starter, does not use any prepackaged yeast; it gets its yeast from the flour and the air around it. I am going to tell you something scary, and it just might keep you up at night; however, it must be told. The yeast fungus is everywhere; even in the air you inhale. When you make a traditional pasta madre, you mix flour with water, and a smidgen of sugar, and let them sit, covered, on your counter for about a week. The natural yeast in the air, and the flour work their magic and make that wonderful yeasty mother dough, we all know and love.
• What is Different about this Recipe? For this recipe we are going to cheat by adding some store-bought yeast. It is not going to be the same as creating your own starter, and feeding it on a regular basis, but you can have great pasta madre in as little as 3 hours. For all you professional bakers out there, please cover your ears and pretend you did not hear me say that.
• What about Potato Water? Potato water is one of those baker's secrets. If you use potato water; as opposed to regular water, you baked goods will come out fluffier, and moister. To make potato water, cut up a potato or two, and boil them in water. Then, use the potato water in your baked goods... plus you can make mashed taters. It is a win-win.
• Gather your ingredients (mise en place).
• If you are using active dry yeast, add it and the sugar to the warm potato water and wait about ten minutes.
• If the yeast proofs, add the flour and whisk to combine.
• It should look like a pancake batter... thick but pourable.
• Cover and let sit on the countertop for a minimum of 3, and up to 48 hours.
• The longer you let it ferment, the deeper the flavors will become... think sourdough.
• PLATE/PRESENT
• Use as you would any starter dough in baking. Enjoy.
• Keep the faith, and keep cooking.

Steps:

• Levain: On day 1 at night, mix together starter, flour, and water in a large bowl. Cover with a damp kitchen towel or a large plate and let stand at room temperature 8 to 10 hours.
• Dough: On day 2 in the morning, make a sponge: Dissolve levain in warmed milk, stirring or whisking to combine. Add 300 grams flour (2 1/4 cups) and mix to combine; sponge should feel like a thick batter. Let stand 30 minutes.
• Stir sugar and salt into sponge, then add remaining 275 grams flour (2 cups); stir to combine. Knead with floured hands on a lightly floured surface about 4 minutes. Wash and lightly oil bowl and return dough to it. Cover with a large plate or a damp kitchen towel. Let stand 30 minutes.
• With dampened hands, grab underside of dough, stretch it out, and fold it back over itself. Rotate bowl one quarter-turn. Repeat 6 times. Cover with cloth and let stand 30 minutes. Repeat folding process every 30 minutes until dough feels pillowy and elastic, and has increased in volume about 50 percent-a total of 6 to 8 times, 3 1/2 to 4 1/2 hours. Cover and let stand 1 hour, then refrigerate 30 minutes along with butter package (see step 5; this is so they have the same temperature and a similar texture, which makes them much easier to work with).
• Butter package: During last resting of dough, combine butter and flour in the bowl of a mixer and beat on medium speed to combine. Transfer to a piece of parchment, top with a second piece of parchment, and roll out to a 7-by-7-inch square. Transfer to a baking sheet and refrigerate 30 minutes (when ready, package should be waxy and pliable, not rock-solid).
• Turn rested and chilled dough onto a floured surface; let stand 10 minutes. Roll out to a 10-by-10-inch square. Place butter package in center of dough. Roll corners of dough out another 5 inches. Lift one side at a time over butter package, enclosing it in dough; pinch seams to seal. Give dough a few firm knocks along its seams with side of rolling pin.
• Roll dough out to an 8-by-24-inch rectangle. Fold into thirds like a letter (bottom 8 inches of dough up, then top 8 inches down over that). Turn so seam faces side; repeat this rolling and folding process once more. (If butter starts to ooze out, put dough on a baking sheet and refrigerate for 10 to 15 minutes before rolling out further.) Place folded dough on a baking sheet and refrigerate 30 minutes.
• Repeat rolling-and-folding process once more (the third turn). If time permits and you have energy, repeat one more time after another 30-minute rest in refrigerator. Roll dough out until it begins to spring back (this is just to get a jump-start on the final rolling), then transfer to a baking sheet lined with parchment. Cover and refrigerate at least 8 hours and up to 1 day. (It is possible to roll and shape after a shorter rest of about 4 hours, but the longer rest makes the dough easier to work with.)
• On day 3 in the morning, line 2 baking sheets with parchment. Place chilled dough on a floured surface and roll into a 23-by-16 1/2-inch rectangle. (If you find that it is springing back, or a lot of butter is oozing out, transfer to refrigerator for a few minutes. If small patches of dough break, exposing butter, sprinkle with some flour to cover and refrigerate briefly.) Trim edges straight. Starting at one short end, use a pizza or pastry wheel to cut dough in half lengthwise, so you have two 22 1/2-by-8-inch strips. (If your dough feels unwieldy, briefly refrigerate.) Cut each strip into 5 rectangles, each about 4 1/2-by-8 inches. Cut from one bottom corner to opposite top corner of each rectangle, creating two triangles.
• Arrange triangles on work surface, with shortest sides nearest you and long, pointed ends farthest from you. Gently stretch width of short ends slightly. Then roll croissants toward pointed ends, holding onto the points and gently tugging to elongate as you roll. Bend either end of croissants toward middle slightly to form crescent shapes. Place croissants on prepared baking sheets, spaced about 3 inches apart, tucking points under shaped crescents so they don't unfurl in the oven. (You should be able to fit 10 on each half sheet pan.)
• Drape with plastic wrap and let stand at room temperature until puffed, expanded by about 60 percent, and very soft, 2 to 3 hours. (Or, if you are shaping the night before baking, place all the croissants on a single baking sheet and refrigerate overnight, as they won't really expand much. Remove about 3 hours before you want to bake, divide them between 2 sheets, and allow to proof as above; it could take slightly longer, given that they are cold.)
• Preheat oven to 400°F. Whisk together egg yolks and cream. Brush proofed croissants evenly with egg wash and bake, rotating pans from top to bottom and back to front halfway through, until puffed, golden brown, and baked through, 25 to 28 minutes. Let cool on sheets on wire racks 15 minutes, then transfer directly to racks and let cool completely. (Croissants are excellent the day they're made, but if making ahead, let cool completely, then freeze in resealable plastic bags. To serve, wrap in parchment-lined foil and reheat from frozen in a 350°F oven until just heated through, about 10 minutes.)

Steps:

• Stir together the flour, salt, and yeast in the bowl of your stand mixer-do it by hand, using the dough hook like a spoon. Continue stirring by hand as you add the water, mixing for 1 minute, until the mixture has come together into a shaggy mass.
• Engage the bowl and hook and have the machine mix the dough on the lowest speed for 3 minutes, or until the ball of dough is smoother and more cohesive. Then knead for 4 more minutes on the lowest speed. The dough should look like a wet ball and should bounce back softly when prodded.
• Brush a large bowl with oil and dump the dough into it. Cover with plastic wrap and let the dough proof at room temperature for 45 minutes.
• The dough is ready to be used as directed in the following recipes. If you do not plan to use your mother dough the day you make it, you can store it in an airtight container at least twice its size in the fridge for up to 3 days. Take it out of the fridge and let it come to room temperature 30 to 45 minutes before using.
• Mother dough is used in Cinnamon Bun Pie (page 152).