There are a number of variants that determine the texture of any loaf of bread. The control or manipulation of one or more of these factors allows the baker to produce the style of loaf they want. Those factors are the type of flour, fermentation time, fermentation temperature, length and type of kneading and most importantly, hydration. This is the ratio of water to flour used in each dough. Our normal loaf is around 65% hydration but some bread styles require as much as 80%.
It was almost by accident that the sourdough we initially started making at The Gourmet Grocer and then New Norcia Bakeries had a relatively dense crumb. This provided toast that did not allow the butter or jam to drip through over-large holes and a sandwich that held even the wettest of fillings such as mayonnaise. This texture was the one thing most customers would compliment us on. It was not what every customer wanted with some preferring a lighter and more open texture. It was for this reason we started making our highly acclaimed ciabatta, pizza bianca and French baguettes. All three of these were produced with yeast to obtain the lighter texture we were trying to achieve. Producing sourdough with a light and open texture is a bit more challenging but can be achieved with patience and practice.
Unfortunately the other way to alter the texture of bread is using additives which is something I strongly disagree with. The most common of these is adding pure powdered gluten to increase elasticity in the dough and increasing the rise of the bread. The resultant bread produces a very unpleasant mouth-feel by becoming a rubbery ball in your mouth akin to over-chewed chewing gum.
Many bakeries use commercial pre-mixes which are also available in supermarkets and some specialty stores. These invariably contain malt flour, emulsifiers and ascorbic acid (vitamin C). It is sad to say that there are so-called artisan bakeries adding ascorbic to their bread. Whilst they are fully in their right to do so, and not tell you as it is not mandatory do so, it produces a bread that is as much about holes as it is bread dough. It also delivers a "fluffy texture" to the bread. I was very disappointed recently to buy a loaf from a high profile and highly regarded bakery in my home city of Perth that had such a texture. I recommend sticking to the natural techniques available to the home artisan bread-maker to vary the texture of their bread.
By its nature wholemeal flour will invariably produce a heavier and denser loaf than with white four. The higher the protein of the white flour the more elastic the produced dough. The more a dough is kneaded, the more developed the gluten structure and the more open the bread will be. For example, I normally knead strongly and vigorously for around ten minutes to develop the dough for our usual weekly loaf of white sourdough. However if I want to produce a slightly lighter and more open loaf I will add in a stretch and fold after the first hour and a half of fermentation. If I want it even lighter I will add in two stretch and turns; the first after the first hour of the three hour fermentation and the second an hour after two hours of fermentation.
To carry out these stretch and turns I normally turn the dough out onto a lightly floured bench, grab each side of the dough and lift and stretch it to about double its original length then fold each end back into the middle then fold one side back over the other. I then turn the dough 90 degrees and repeat the exercise then return the dough to the bowl to continue the fermentation.
Some home bakers actually use this stretch and turn method instead of traditional kneading. Using this method would require four sets of stretch and turns with about 45 minutes rest between each set. What you are actually doing is aligning the molecular structure of the gluten so that it forms strong ribbons that will stretch as the developing gases from fermentation push against them.
This method of working the dough is the perfect way to handle high hydration doughs like those mentioned above; pizza, French baguette and Italian ciabatta and focaccia. To achieve the springy and open texture that are a feature of these types of breads, a hydration level of 80% is required. That means for 500gm of flour we need 400ml of water! The resulting dough is almost like thick soup but using the stretch and turn method we can coax it into a lovely dough. To maintain the level of hydration and to make the dough more manageable, I have a bowl of water on the bench during the process that I use to dampen the bench instead of dusting it with flour and, keep my hands wet so the dough does not stick to them. This method works using sourdough or yeast.
I find these types of dough are best started the day before so that they have a long and cool overnight fermentation. So the day before you want to bake your bread you need to do the following.
Weigh and measure your ingredients. If using yeast, dissolve it in the water then mix all the ingredients together until a sticky dough is formed. Cover and let it rest for 45 minutes.
Place a second bowl of water on the bench. Lightly dampen the bench then wet your hands. Lift the dough out of its bowl and place it on the wet bench. Hold the dough with a hand on each side then stretch it out to at least double its length. Bring each side into the centre then fold one side over the other so that it is like a book. Now turn the dough 90 degrees and stretch it out again then fold it as previous. Return the dough to the bowl and rest for another 45 minutes.
Wet the bench and your hands again and repeat another set of stretch and turns. Rest for another 45 minutes and repeat again then another 45 minutes then do the final set. You will notice that the dough becomes more manageable and elastic with each set and large air pockets will have developed.
Now cover the dough with cling wrap and refrigerate overnight.
The next day take the dough out of the refrigerator about one to one and a half hours before you wish to bake it. Divide it into the sizes you want and let it rest for 15 minutes on a floured bench or board. Now shape it into loaves, rolls, focaccia or pizza bases but make sure you handle it very gently so that you maintain the structure and retain as much gas as possible.
It may take a couple of tries to get this technique perfect but it is worth persevering with as it greatly broadens the range of bread styles you are able to produce as well as allow you to control the texture of the breads you make.
The formula we have developed for making sourdough ciabatta, focaccia and pizza bases is here