For Betty who asked me if I used a sponge for the bread machine. No, I
haven't tried a sponge for a bread machine. I have seen recipes for it
mentioned in several bread machine cookbooks.The sponge is like a batter and
I assume it would rest in the bread machine an alloted amount of time before
the remaining bread ingredients are re mixed with it. Hope this answers your
question. See specific recipe below!
In using the sponge method, primarily most all the yeast and about 60% of the
flour and liquid are added to form a thick batter which is allowed to
ferment.then the remainder of the flour,salt, sugar, shortening,etc are
mixed and added in to form the dough. The yeast has a head start to develop
and the salt and shortening etc wont hinder its growth as it may do in the
straight dough method.
Here is a bread machine sponge from: Bread Machine Baking, Perfect Every
Time by Brody and Apter. I have not tried this.
PAIN DE CHAMPAGNE
Sponge:
1 cup brut champagne
2 tsp yeast
1 cup unbleached white flour
Remainder:
1 1/2 tsp yeast
1 tsp salt
4 tbs. nonfat dry milk
2 1/4 cups white unbleached flour
2 tbs. butter
1 extra large egg
Above sponge
Prepare the sponge the night before using brut champagne ( dry , not sweet
). Pour champagne into a bowl, sprinkle on yeast and stir to dissolve. Add
flour and mix well. Cover with plastic wrap and set in a warm place for 12
hours. To complete the bread: Place all the room temp ingredients into the
breadmaker following your breadmakers instructions and use the white bread
mode and press start.Authors note: this is a very interesting and elegant
white bread. You must use brut champagne as to sweet champagne will kill the
yeast.
Joan,"Flour Power"
`[1;34;47mRainbow V 1.18.3 for Delphi - Registered