Warm Ferment
Biga
Mix
+20%
Bulk Ferment
Ball
+20%
Cold Ferment
Proof
Build
Bake
12h 72°F
1h 72°F
~2.5h 72°F
6–16h 72°F
30m
~1h
3–6d 39°F
1–3h 60°F
15m
600°F
About 4–7 Days
Biga
Stiff pre-ferment builds flavor overnight
12 hours72°F
Mix
Staged mixing with rests
1 hour72°F
+20% Rise
Preshape at the mark
~2.5 hours72°F
Bulk Ferment
Slow rise at room temperature
6–16 hours72°F
Ball
Pre-round, rest, final tight round
30 min
+20% Rise
Confirms readiness for cold
~1 hour72°F
Cold Ferment
Deep flavor and microblisters over days
3–6 days39°F
Warm Proof
Final rise before baking
1–3 hours60°F
Build
Stretch, shape, oil, top
15 min
Bake
The oven finishes the work
600°F
Formula
Batch and ingredients.
8
400g
14–15″
3,398g
198g
Ingredient Baker's % Grams
Flour 100 % 2,000
Water65.0%1,300
Salt2.5%50
Olive Oil2.0%40
Adjustments
Sugar0.0%0
Honey0.0%0
Diastatic Malt PowderDiastatic Malt0.0%0
Non-diastatic Malt PowderNon-diastatic Malt0.0%0
Preferment
Stiff overnight pre-ferment
25%
50%
12h
72°F
Ingredient Biga % Grams
Water 50 % 250
Instant Sourdough (ISD)Leaven ISD 1.60 % 8.0
Instant Dry Yeast (IDY)IDY 0.00 % 0.0
Flour 25 % 500
Leavening
ISD and IDY splits between the preferment and final mix
Type Preferment
% of biga flour		 Final mix
% of total flour		 Total
% of total flour
Instant Sourdough (ISD)ISD 1.6% 8 g 0.00% 0 g 0.40% 8 g
Instant Dry Yeast (IDY)IDY 0.00% 0 g 0.00% 0 g 0.00% 0 g
Final
Mixed with chilled biga
Ingredient Grams
Reserve waterHeld back from final-mix water. Does not change hydration. 100
The Process
Biga
Builds flavor and structure overnight
12h 72°F
  • Mix biga ingredients into a clumpy mixture with no dry flour.
  • Cover and ferment for 12 hours at 72°F.
Mix
Building structure in stages
60m DDT 72°F Friction 15°F
  • Refrigerate biga for 40 min.
  • Desired Dough Temperature (DDT) is 72°F with 15°F friction factor.
    Water temp = (DDT × 4) − Room − Flour − Biga − Friction Factor, or 273 − Room − Flour − Biga.
  • Add mix water and flour. Mix on low speed for 1–2 min until a thick, shaggy mass with no dry flour or loose water.
  • Rest ~15 min while cutting biga into very small pieces (~½″).
  • Mix 1.5 min on low speed: half biga, 30 sec, second half biga, 1 min (stop and scrape in between).
  • Rest 10 min, covered.
  • Mix 1 min on low speed until biga is mostly incorporated and dough is mostly uniform.
  • Rest 20 min, covered.
  • Mix 2 min on low speed while adding the salt and reserve water mixture, then oil, until it begins to smooth.
Dough should be cohesive, elastic, medium-strong, slightly tacky, not completely smooth or satiny. Gives a partial windowpane. Fermentation will finish gluten development.
Warm Ferment
Aliquot-guided rise, ball, and second rise
+20% / +20% 72°F Ball 30m
  • Take an aliquot sample and rest 30 minutes at 72°F.
  • Preshape, then wait for +20% rise on the aliquot.
  • Ball in two steps: pre-round, rest 10–15 min, then final tight round.
  • Wait for another +20% rise on the aliquot, then move to cold ferment.
Bulk Ferment
Slow rise at room temperature
6h–16h 72°F Ball 30m
  • Transfer the dough into a lightly oiled container and cover.
  • Let sit at ~72°F for 6–16 hours until it has expanded to just under double in size.
Cold Ferment
Slow fermentation develops deep flavor
3 days–6 days 39°F
  • 3–6 days in the refrigerator at 39°F.
  • Uncovered for first 15 minutes, then cover.
  • Wipe condensation off lid after 30 minutes.
Warm Proof
Final rise before baking
1 hours–3 hours 60°F
  • 1–3 hours at 60°F before shaping and baking.
  • Uncovered for 30–60 min (in or out of fridge).
Build
Shaping and topping before the oven
15m
  • After stretching to 12–13″, brush flour off the rim with a pastry brush.
  • Brush rim with avocado or sunflower oil using a pastry brush.
  • Lift onto peel and build quickly.
Bake
The oven finishes the work
600°F
  • Wood-fired oven at 600°F, or baking steel in home oven at max temperature.