Italian Ciabatta is Airy, Crunchy, and Simple to Make 

Wow! Another bake with Martin - I couldn’t be happier. Keep the videos coming. I’m loving every one.

Watching Martin makes me believe I can make these breads too at 84 years of age & I have. Love fresh bread takes me back to childhood & love my machine bread too. Have one of KAF & it is awesome. Thanks for your inspiration

Thanks Martin, love the energy and friendly explanations of the process and ingredient importance.

Every video, where Martin and his team do their magic, inspires someone to expand their baking skills. I know I get inspiration just from hearing that crunchy crust!

Wow. That dough looks beautiful. Silky. Elastic. WOW.

You're a great instructor. Your formulas are clean and well explained. Thank you, and keep posting more of these fantastic tutorials.

Thanks, Martin. Your videos are outstanding in every way. Your demonstration of technique and verbal descriptions of the process are of tremendous help to this novice amateur baker. Bravo.

I made the Pan de Cristal 3 times this week. I finally had success when I bought some new yeast. I might have to try this next.

Martin, you've never steered me wrong. I made a triple batch of this to take to a family event and everyone loved it. Crusty, chewy bread is our favorite and this was excellent. Thank you!

Thank you Martin! I enjoy your teaching and learn so much!!

Made this last week, and Wow, this is really good! I also agree with prior comments about Martin, as his videos and his King Arthur recipes have taught me techniques and understanding of breadmaking. Yesterday I made Pan de Cristal following Martin's video. This is also a quite remarkable bread that needs to be experienced.

An absolutely mesmerizing video. Thank you!

In just a few well-chosen words you explained "biga" in a way that _no other video_ I've found has done. Thanks!

Thank you, Martin, for another wonderful and instructive video! I feel like I always learn something new from you. You are the best!

"If I'm smiling when I come from the oven, is that good?" I would be very happy with these loaves, too, Martin. Great video!

I started baking because of you! I have made the pan de Crystal and ciabatta. Still lots of room for improvement. Thanks

Thank you!! The biga is a game changer

You are a great teacher👍

Simple and delicious. Great video and recipe.

Made this today. A little advanced for the kind of beginner I am. But loved it and cant wait to do it again. Thank you for the detailed instructions. I love all King Arthur flours.

Great video again. I first watched you make bread on a Craftsy class that I bought a long time ago. You have been a wonderful inspiration. You are more comfortable in front of the camera and it shows, which comes with practice. Love your videos.

Seeee, son geniales los videos con Martin horneando, muchas gracias y saludos desde Argentina!!!

Martin!! Another that I will make. Have made Pan De Cristal 4 times. So awesome!

Like how you give a step by step on what to do and the different camera angles. UMO Class extra Credit!!!

Really been enjoying this channel! Thanks for the good information and keep up the great work!

I've had minimal success in the past with my other bread making attempts. I followed this video and can finally say I made ciabatta rolls with a pro crust and taste. This was my first time with a bread requiring a biga starter. HI-five to you for your sharing of the knowledge, my kids and I say thank you!

Starting this right now!

I started baking bread (or anything) a bit over a month ago and for my very first bread I followed the recipe for Pane de Cristal. It looked delicious and with no experience or planning I said "Let's do this." Unknown to me, it was 100% hydration and I had no skill set in folding, mixing, flouring, you name it. (An I Love Lucy situation). The recipe called for mixing, then folds every 15 to 30 minutes for 4-5 hours. I tried to follow along a video but where the dough was suppose to be on the 3rd fold, my dough was SUPER sticky and like pudding. Despite following the recipe exactly (I missed nothing), I had a mess on my hands. The video had baked a perfect loaf and I was still fighting gooeyness. My load of goo just would not respond or rise. I even added flour to get rid of the stickiness but it was impossible. After 6 hours of many periods of resting and failed attempts to fold, I was within an inch of just trashing everything and exclaiming baking wasn't for me, frustrated. Somehow I took charge and said "I'm gonna BEAT this dough into submission even if it comes out bad" and then I'll give up baking. I was using a Kitchenaid with a dough hook but my dough was always at 71°. I decided it wasn't rising right so I heated a cast iron flat pan just enough where I could barely keep my hand on it and I put the bowl of dough on top to rest for 30 mins. Finally, the dough doubled in size. Thank God. . I didn't know what proofing was, so I think that didn't matter as the dough was overworked anyways. It was so sticky though. It went into the oven sticky and unwillingly, it wouldn't slide onto my pizza stone then gravity took charge and rammed it in half onto the stone. Good grief. Frantic pull it out of a 500° oven as the oven decreased by 75° for all my effort. 😢 At least I had parchment underneath but what a misshapen piece of dough it became as I didn't know how to shape such a sticky mess. Attempt to unfold and uncrinkle, toss it in the oven and SHUT THE DOOR. Whew. I had started the recipe at 12:30pm (noon) and I worked on it for a straight 12 hours (past midnight). After 1am, it finished baking (I guess) and I let it cool off until the morning. VERDICT: It was CAKED white in thick surface flour, had to use a fork to dig it out. The crust was flat but wasn't bad at all and the crumb was super airy and well cooked. I shared it with my neighbor and they liked it, (they had to have fibbed). ANALYSIS: I didn't know I was baking an expert level bread, everything in touch of the dough was sucking the heat from it, I didn't know how to handle dough, I mistakenly kept adding flour, I didn't know what underproofed/overproofed was, the dough wasn't rising cause it was too cold, and I found there is more to baking than just following a recipe. BOTTOM LINE: I analyzed my mistakes, developed solutions and attempted ciabatta boules next, started preferments, mostly biga, then poolish and now a combination of both or preferment only baking. Turned out better. Kept baking two to four ciabattas every four days. Did a set of four baguettes. Did some 80° hydration loaves. Learned Baker's percentage, bought better tools. I can now eye and feel the dough's progress inside the mixer and outside. And I've caught the baking bug! My last two ciabattas were cold proofed 12hrs and baked wonderfully with no exterior flour and SHAPED. LESSON: If I can do it, YOU certainly can do it. I'm still a beginner but my relatives are proud of me. You cannot make as many mistakes as I did. Be confident and make that recipe. 👌

Thank you for this!! Easy to follow instructions and clear steps. I am really excited to try this!

love these videos!! thanks guys

Excellent, thanks Martin

I made this recipe yesterday! First time making Ciabatta, and your instruction really helped me succeed! Thank You so much!

This is the first time i see the recipe , and i’m so excited to do it like a video 😍 I will follow everything you have been say it ! because i need perfect ciabatta 😍🔥

TY very much for making all this content. :)

Amazing man, thank you!

Love this. My favorite bread so now I know how to bake it! Thanks

thank you for this great instruction

I enjoy Martin better than anyone from King Arthur…..it seems natural for me to watch him, learn and pop to the site and shop, shop, shop. 💗

I loved that pan de cristal you guys put out, I'm going to have to try this one.

Every recipe I've made from this guy's been an a-plus-plus so I'm excited to try this one! I thought I knew how to make bread beforehand but he's told me so many amazing tricks that make bread even better

This is the best bread!

This was great thank you. I'm waiting for the last rest before baking as we speak. Thank you again. I have a small suggestion/ request. It would be great if the cameras stayed looking at the dough for a little longer before each change in step so that we could see how it looks like before continuing. It would help me get a better idea as to if I'm on track or if something went wrong. I have already baked another recipe by martin and it was great. Thank you!

Made my biga last nite. Excited to try this recipe ! Wish me luck!

inspiring bread baking right here, watched the pan de cristal videon and made some of that, such a great result now on to making ciabatta

Respected ❤ God bless you I love this bread very Very yummy...❤❤

Definitely trying this one!

Great video, thanks

beautiful - thats my next bake

Beautiful....

Martin! I’m in shock. I had no idea. You’re amazing ❤ Love, V

Thank you!

I will have to try this one very soon!

I'm so proud of my self I made this and it came out amazing. I'm really starting to feel more confident with my bread baking skills esp since I've only been baking for 2 months.

I'm making this today

It looks good!

I love all things King Arthur!! I've visited the store in Vermont several times - so many great things! I've been ordering King Arthur's scone mixes & sharing with my neighbors, which has made me very popular. I've baking bread for (gulp) fifty years but I've never made ciabatta. I'll be making ciabatta soon and I'll follow this great recipe!!!

Looks good. I had great luck with your Pan de Cristal, so I'll give this a go around. 👍

And now I'm hungry. Great video.

thats what I would like!!

I found you, just tonight. *5:03 am*, still sort of tonight. You've inspired me to do work in the kitchen again. I used to be fairly okay with baking and cooking, but it's lessened in the past years, with diabetes. I became a below knee amputee in 2021, and in 2022, I became a bilateral below knee amputee. There's a lot that I used to know. Much less than now. You, however, have given me new things to think about, and upon which to study and practice. This, from a new fan, and an old, fat, crippled and ugly. I'll love learning more about you and what you do. Thanks, from this once-again-new-student!

Great video

great vid!

Didn't know KA had a channel. Nice. I did some work as blender in a flour mill for a few years. Tough job. We covered KA bread, AP, and WW for much of the northeast along with 50-60 other brands. I always tell people that King Arthur flour is top knotch flour. You're not paying for the bag like some other popular brands.

since 2020 i've been trying to make a decent ciabatta with nice bubbles and good taste. I tried to do with starter, dry levain, changing flour, methods, and never having success. today I tried your method and that's the first time I got a nice result, delicious and airy! thanks a lot!

Thanks for a nice video - well produced and congrats to all involved. Keep them coming. accessible ingredients with an approachable technique. Also, Martin seems very down to earth. I don't need someone in a chef outfit giving me tips, we can relate to his style. sorry if I missed it. have you done one with your pizza 00 flour. Have been using it with good success. The quality is on par with top quality Italian pizza flour.

Thanks

What a pro...!

Please make a focaccia next! Loved the Pan de Cristal you did earlier. Definitely trying this recipe next

Although the recipe is not that easy, the video is very helpful 👏 !

These videos are so great, especially surprising considering it is from a flour company and a regular RU-vid show

I have watched a few of your videos now and, on this one, I just have to comment. I have made quite a lot of bread but not much since lockdown here in Northern Ireland. The one bread I have always wanted to make has been ciabatta but any videos I have watched have always put me off, even though they were pretty comprehensively instructive (it always looked a little complicated and long-winded to me). However, then you guys come along and make it look so simple, in a ‘I could do that!’ sort of way. Thank you so much for posting. I am one of your new subscribers now and can’t wait to try this method. Look forward to more great videos. Best regards from Northern Ireland on the Giant’s Causeway Coast. 😀👍☘️

Great video! For those of us with steam ovens, what % steam would you use for this one? I’ve had great success with the pan du cristal.

Wow this looks great! I can't wait to try this recipe for myself. This looks like it would go great with some mozzarella and tomatoes or maybe salmon and olive oil topping. I have never tried to make my own bread but this seems like a great place to start.

I made my first batch. I was pretty bad with the execution, to be expected. I didn’t get as much crust as I wanted and well it’s amazing what the toaster will do to a slice of imperfectly baked bread. Yum!!! Thanks for this! Off to try the focaccia.

I usually do a sourdough ciabatta but I'm going to try this one!

I've been making Pan de Cristal almost too much and now I'm probably going to be filling my house with ciabatta. these are excellent recipes to follow along with can't wait to eat some.

I bake these daily at cobblestone bakery and bistro Port Elizabeth Gqebera 😊😊

Hi Martin- I love your videos, thanks for sharing your knowledge. A couple questions- why not proof the dough right on the parchment? What does the flip over onto the parchment after proofing add to the process? TIA for helping out a beginner 😀

Hey Martin, thanks for uploading this! One question: I don’t have a baking steel but I do have a Dutch oven. Is there any benefit from cooking these inside a Dutch oven?

Love your videos, Martin! Question: can a stand mixer with dough hook be used for kneading? Or Swedish dough hook? I have arthritis and have difficulty doing it in the method you use.

10:23 This is what I'm after. Will give this a try. Thank you!

Been making ciabatra with regular AP flour which where i am from contains 11-13% protein. Works very well. Cost is the main reason not to use 'bread flour' (it is a big difference) and works very well. I also don't add flower to dough or workbench in a later stage, directly from bowl to greased sheet

If anyone wants more details on how he's kneading the high hydration dough, it's called the Rubaud method

Hello Martin, nice to say hello. And thank you very much for such an interesting recipe and for all your step-by-step explanations. Now I have a simple question? Could you give me the exact quantities to make this Ciabatta bread with sourdough, please, without using yeast in any preparation procedure? That is to say that the bread has a very particular flavor with this type of ferment, and it is what I particularly like a lot., and also if can be use too diastatic malt. So if you could help me with this, I thank you in advance. Thank you very much and have a great day. Giuseppe

Should I use a tight seal (like plastic wrap) for resting the big or a loose covering like a kitchen towel?

I like the technique demonstration. But why proof on the counter? Why not just proof on the cookie sheet so it is ready to load and reduce handling by one step?

Ok, I’m about to give it a go! This last bread I tried was so chewy, no flavor and sucked. Fingers crossed this one goes! I left my biga in refrigerator overnight and it’s been out about 30 mins. I’m skeeeerred!

Hi, Scott! If you expand the video's description by selecting "Show more" you'll find the link to the recipe. The recipe includes tips from our bakers 🧡 Happy baking! -🍮Nicole

Saludos cordiales desde Venezuela ❤❤❤❤❤

GOT IT 🎉🎉🎉

Not even interested in bread-making but u are very likeable guy to watch!

If that is a real Ciabatta I'm in! That is so much better looking that what most restaurants brand as a Ciabatta.

Those breads look great! How would you modify the recipe to use sourdough starter instead of instant yeast?

I love the host, we speak the same language :)

This is a fantastic video. I wonder why you don't just load the loaves onto the parchment lined tray for proofing rather than proof it and then move it onto the tray for baking.

Nice , what about if we do with starter dough , need the recipe if you did before , thanks .

Personally I prefer using fresh yeast or using Levain build. Would using 1/4 inch of fresh yeast be sufficient with Biga?

Looks awesome bro...nice work....Gotta learn this....I praticaly live for bread.....

Why do you invert the loaves before baking?? Thx

It's mostly just a habit! Loaves with more structured shapes will have a seam on the top as they rest, so you flip that over to the bottom when they're baked. These don't, but Martin's working from muscle memory here. 😊 -👩‍🍳Kat