Neuenburger Bread
The Neuchâtel bread is a regional Swiss canton bread. Baked as a paired loaf, however, the bread is divided when sold. While working it up, the dough is divided into pieces of equal size after it has matured and shaped into round loaves. With the seam-side down, these are immediately placed on baking paper and left to proof.
Two different recipes are presented for the dough:
- Yeast-free with Lievito Madre
- With yeast combined with a pre-dough (Hebel)
Recipe
For a dough weight of 1331g / 2 breads, each 665g of dough
Recipe No. 1 “Yeast-free with Lievito Madre”
| 500g | Ruchmehl | 66,6% |
| 375g | Lievito Madre (250g Wheat flour 550/700 & 125g Water) | 33,3% (of the total flour) |
| 440g | Water | 75% (total water content) |
| 16g | Salt | 2,1% |
Lievito Madre
| 150g | Wheat flour Type 550/700 |
| 150g | Starter LM (TA 150) |
| 75g | Water 30°C |
- Mix all the ingredients to a smooth dough.
- Target dough temperature of 27-29°C
- Dough maturity time 4-5 hours
Attention: to gain a particularly active Lievito Madre, the starter should be refreshed at least one time 2-3 days before baking.
Main dough
| 500g | Ruchmehl |
| 440g | Water |
| 375g | Mature Lievito Madre |
| 16g | Salt |
Production
- Mix the Ruchmehl, Lievito Madre and water for 2-3 minutes in the mixer on slow speed. Then cover and allow to autolyse for 30-40 minutes.
- After the autolysis, add the salt and mix slowly for 8-10 minutes. Once the dough has released from the side of the mixing bowl, mix at a fast speed for an additional 2 minutes.
- Then place the dough in an oiled tub and fold after 45/90 minutes.
- After the last fold, the bread matures for a further 100-120 minutes (volume increase by about 50%).
- To work up, the bread is divided into four equal-sized pieces (each about 333g).
- “Fold” the dough into round balls and place onto baking paper with the seam-side down.
- Once formed, the dough proofs for about 45-60 minutes.
- The loaves are baked at 245°C reduced to 210°C with strong steam.
- Total baking time of 45-50 minutes
Recipe No. 2 “Combo with pre-dough and yeast”
| 500g | Ruchmehl | 66,6% |
| 427g | Pre-dough “crutch” (250g wheat flour Type 550/700 + 175g Water + 2g yeast) | 33,3% |
| 390g | Water | 75% (total water content) |
| 16g | Salt | 2,1% |
| 5g | Yeast | 0,7% |
“Crutch”
| 250g | Wheat flour Type 550/700 |
| 175g | Water |
| 2g | Yeast |
- Dissolve the yeast in water and mix with the wheat flour in a mixer for 5 minutes.
- Target dough temperature, 15-20°C
- Dough maturity time, 8-10 hours
Main dough
| 500g | Ruchmehl |
| 427g | Mature “crutch” |
| 390g | Water |
| 16g | Salt |
| 3g | Yeast |
Production
- Mix the Ruchmehl, mature crutch and water at a slow speed for 3 minutes and then allow to autolyse for 30-40 minutes.
- After the autolysis, add the salt and yeast and mix slowly for 8-10 minutes. Once the dough has released from the side of the mixing bowl, mix at a fast speed for an additional 2 minutes.
- Then place the dough in an oiled tub and fold after 30/60 minutes.
- After the last fold, the bread matures for a further 100-120 minutes (volume increase by about 50%).
- To work up, the bread is divided into four equal-sized pieces (each about 333g).
- “Fold” the dough into round balls and place onto baking paper with the seam-side down.
- Once formed, the dough proofs for about 45-60 minutes.
- The loaves are baked at 245°C reduced to 210°C with strong steam.
- Total baking time of 45-50 minutes
