Why Biga pre-dough is good for your bread

Anyone who knows me knows that baking bread is one of my favorite things to do in the kitchen. Today I want to show you how you can easily bake your own delicious spelt bread with a pre-dough. Homemade bread not only tastes incredibly good, but you also know exactly what’s in it. It’s also often cheaper than store-bought bread, especially when it comes to organic bread. And the best thing: you always have fresh bread whenever you need it. Let’s get started – baking bread yourself really isn’t difficult!

Why baking your own bread is simply better

Baking your own bread has many advantages. Not only is it cheaper than organic bread from the store, but it is always fresh when you need it. You can choose the ingredients according to your preferences and adapt them to your needs. Baking bread is also fun and fills your home with a wonderful smell!

The ingredients – quality makes the difference

For a really good spelt bread you need:

• Spelt flour (type 630, 1050 or wholemeal)
• Lukewarm water
• Salt
• Dry yeast

Pay particular attention to the quality of the flour. I prefer to use organic spelt flour type 1050. It is not only delicious, but also very healthy. It contains lots of fiber, vitamins and minerals that are good for your digestion and general well-being.

Choosing the right yeast – dry yeast vs. fresh yeast

An important aspect of bread baking is the choice of yeast. I prefer to use dry yeast. Why? It is simply more practical in everyday life. Dry yeast does not have to be dissolved in liquid beforehand and can be mixed directly with the dry ingredients. It has a long shelf life and delivers consistent results. Especially if you, like me, have twins and don’t always have much time to bake, dry yeast is a great option. I buy my yeast directly from the baker, and I’ve had very good experiences with it.

Fresh yeast, on the other hand, has a shorter shelf life and must be activated before use. Some bakers swear by the better taste and higher leavening power of fresh yeast, but for me the practical advantages of dry yeast outweigh this.

My tip: Try both versions and decide for yourself which one you like better. For beginners, I recommend starting with dry yeast as it is easier to handle.

The secret of the perfect bread: The Biga pre-dough

Now comes my absolute insider tip for an irresistible bread: the Biga pre-dough. Biga is an Italian pre-dough made from flour, water and a small amount of yeast. It is super easy to make. You mix all the ingredients together and let it rise overnight before adding it to the main dough.

Why should you definitely try Biga? It’s simple: the pre-dough not only improves the taste, but also the consistency of the bread. It gives it a more intense taste, a lighter texture and a crispier crust. The long fermentation time develops complex aromas that take your bread to a whole new level. The bread is also more digestible and stays fresh longer.

Making Biga

To make a biga, mix the following the night before:

• 250g spelt flour type 1050
• 120ml lukewarm water (about 27 °C)
• 1 pinch of yeast.

Leave this mixture at room temperature overnight. The biga not only adds more flavor, but also improves the structure of the bread. Try it, it’s worth it.

Step by step to the perfect bread

Baking bread yourself is not difficult, and here’s how:

• Prepare biga the evening before: Mix 250 g spelt flour type 1050, 120 ml water (about 27°C) and a pinch of yeast and let the dough rest, covered, overnight (at least 10 hours) at room temperature.
• Prepare ingredients for the main dough: Weigh all the ingredients for the main dough carefully. For the spelt bread, you will need the prepared biga, 250g spelt flour, 180-200 ml lukewarm water (about 38°C), 10g salt and 3g dry yeast.
• Knead the dough: First mix the dry ingredients in a large bowl and then add the water and biga. Knead the dough vigorously for at least 10 minutes. Kneading is important to develop the gluten that gives your bread structure. Alternatively, put all the ingredients in a food processor.
• First fermentation phase: Cover the bowl and let the dough rise at room temperature for a total of three hours. The dough should double in size during this time. During the first 1.5 hours, fold the dough three times. The short video shows you how to do this.

How to fold the bread