There are bakers, and then there are people like Pamela Yung. Actually there are very few people like Pamela Yung, as most of you out there already know. Currently manning the stoves at ASAP Pizza with the estimable James Lowe of Lyles and Flor fame, Pam has come a long way since she was a young experience designer in Michigan. Making ice cream at home led us to an Egullet thread and an eventual post opening Room4Dessert in New York. Although hired ostensibly as a server, Ms. Yung rapidly took over the kitchen. Starry nights in New York aside, she traveled the world and picked up secrets from some of the most interesting chefs in the world before earning her first Michelin star at beloved but now defunct Semilla. When we wanted to publish our first book, we knew that we needed Pam to jump in and show her love of baking to our team.
The adventure continues with continual refinement. In this case our team has been blessed by the guidance of a mutual friend, @fliptdaskript, who we consider to be leading the charge for fine baking in Bali. After spells at Per Se and Robertas, Chef Emerson Manibo headed up the bakery at Della Fattoria, on the way to a stint at the landmark Tartine. His steady hand is helping to develop our young and hungry bakers in the neverending quest for the most delightful sourdough.
Sourdough recipe:
800 grams 00 flour
200 grams whole wheat flour
700 grams water
200 grams levain
25 grams salt
50 grams whole wheat bran
1. Autolyse (mix to hydrate) the water, levain, whole wheat and flour for 30 minutes to 1 hour.
2. Add the salt and mix well.
3. Bulk ferment for 3-4 hours.
4. Divide and pre-shape on the table for 25-30 minutes.
5. Shape and put inside a bowl and proof 1-2 hours.
6. Put in the chiller to slowly proof for 12-24 hours.
7. Bake in the oven at 275C for 30 minutes using Dutch oven.
8. Remove the lid of the dutch oven and cook 10 more minutes to develop colour on the crust.
