Help! Forgot to refrigerate my biga in time

[HowardLi]

So I put together the biga for CI's Rustic Italian Bread last night, and was almost at the end of the allotted time for room temp resting (3 hours), but fell asleep before I could put the biga into the fridge. I got up pretty early and put it into the fridge but it was sitting at room temp for almost 8 hours and it had more than doubled in volume.

 

Should I keep the same amount of yeast in the rest of the recipe, reduce it, or increase it? I really can't afford to throw out the biga now.

[Ann_T]

Howard, when I make a biga, whether it is made with 2 ounces of sour dough starter or with 1/2 teaspoon of yeast, I leave it out on the counter over night and then make the bread in the morning.  It should be fine.   How much yeast is called for in the rest of the recipe?

 

~Ann

[HowardLi]

Here is the ingredient list:

 

Biga
11 ounces bread flour
1/4 teaspoon instant yeast
8 ounces water

Dough
16 1/2 ounces bread flour
1 teaspoon instant yeast
10.7 ounces water
2 teaspoons table salt

 

However, I am multiplying the recipe by 1.5x to get a little more out of it. It will be split into 2 loaves.

[Ann_T]

Howard, I would probably not increase the yeast.  One teaspoon should be sufficient.

 

~Ann

[JoNorvelleWalker]

For my bread I use poolish but I'm quessing biga is similar.  I try to use my poolish within a day but have gone as long as three days with OK results.  I never refrigerate the poolish but if it's been three days I add a small amount of diastatic malt to the dough as I figure sugars have been depleted.

 

I agree, I would not increase the amount of yeast.

[HowardLi]

Thank you. It did come out fine.