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    Poolish Bread - Overnight Fermentation

    Poolish Bread - Overnight Fermentation

    Amazing crust with overnight poolish starter

    The crust is amazing! Crunchy outside, so soft inside. This recipe uses a poolish starter - a type of pre-ferment that creates incredible flavor and texture. The starter ferments for 12-16 hours, becoming beautifully bubbly and full of life.

    Poolish is amazing! The long fermentation develops complex flavors that you just can't get with quick breads. The lift-and-slap method is super effective for developing structure. It sings when it comes out of the oven!

    Follow the video below to see the beautiful fermented poolish and hear that incredible singing crust!

    Poolish Bread Recipe - Overnight Fermentation

    Baking in a deep pan with a cover traps the steam inside, creating that incredible crust. Very soft inside, perfect with butter!

    For the Poolish Starter (12-16 hours ahead)

    • 200 ml Water(¾ cup)
    • 1 g Fresh yeast(¼ tsp, or 1g dry yeast (¼ tsp))
    • 200 g Bread flour(1 ½ cups)

    For the Main Dough

    • 100 ml Water(⅓ cup + 2 tbsp)
    • 2 g Fresh yeast(½ tsp, or 1g dry yeast (¼ tsp))
    • 200 g Bread flour(1 ½ cups)
    • 1 ½ tsp Salt

    Step-by-Step Instructions

    1. 1
      Make the poolish starter (12-16 hours ahead): In a bowl, combine water (200ml) and fresh yeast (1g) or dry yeast (1g). Mix. Add bread flour (200g) and mix well. This will be our starter - this one is called 'poolish' and it's amazing! Now leave it to ferment for 12-16 hours at room temperature.
      Timer Available:Poolish Fermentation (12:00:00)
    2. 2
      Check the poolish: After 12-16 hours, it should be beautifully fermented - full of life and bubbles!
    3. 3
      Mix the main dough: In a bowl, combine water (100ml) and fresh yeast (2g) or dry yeast (1g). Add the fermented poolish starter. Add bread flour (200g) and salt (1½ tsp). Mix until there's no more dry flour - just mix, no need to knead. Let rest for 30 minutes.
      Timer Available:First Rest (30:00)
    4. 4
      First stretch and fold: With a wet hand, pull the 4 sides of the dough and fold them toward the center. Lift the dough and slap it back into the bowl - I call this method 'lift and slap', it's super effective! Do it 4-5 times. Let rest for 30 minutes.
      Timer Available:Second Rest (30:00)
    5. 5
      Second stretch and fold: Repeat the same steps as before - stretch and fold the 4 sides, lift and slap. Let the dough rise for 1 hour or until it doubles in size.
      Timer Available:Main Rise (1:00:00)
    6. 6
      Final stretch and fold: Do one more stretch and fold. We are now ready to shape the loaf.
    7. 7
      Shape the loaf: Sprinkle flour on work surface. Fold the dough and make it into a ball. Transfer into a deep pan. Cover with a towel and let rise for 30 minutes.
      Timer Available:Final Rise (30:00)
    8. 8
      Score and prepare: Sprinkle some flour on top. Score the bread with a sharp blade or knife.
    9. 9
      Bake: Cover the pan to trap the steam inside. Bake at 440°F (225°C) for 20 minutes. Uncover and bake for 15 more minutes.
      440°F (225°C)
      Timer Available:Baking Time (35:00)
    10. 10
      Cool and enjoy: It sings! Remove from pan and allow to cool. Let's hear the crust. Very soft inside. So soft! Perfect with butter!

    • Poolish should be bubbly and smell pleasantly fermented after 12-16 hours
    • The lift-and-slap technique (4-5 times per fold) builds excellent gluten structure
    • Covering the pan during baking creates steam for amazing crust development
    • The bread will 'sing' (crackle) as it cools - this is a sign of perfect crust!
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    Watch the Video Tutorial

    See every step in action! Follow along with the complete video guide for perfect results.

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