poolish vs biga

[live4u]

How is poolish different from Biga? Arent they same?

TIA

[Pete-zza]

How is poolish different from Biga? Arent they same?

TIA

live4u,

Often the term biga is used in a very general way for a generic commercially leavened preferment, but technically it tend to be more specific in its construction. You can get a better idea as to how a biga, and also a poolish, are put together from these two articles:

http://web.archive.org/web/20040814193817/cafemeetingplace.com/archives/food3_apr2004.htm, and 

http://web.archive.org/web/20050829015510/www.cafemeetingplace.com/archives/food4_dec2004.htm

You can also see definitions for a biga and poolish in the forum's Pizza Glossary at https://www.pizzamaking.com/glossary.html#index_b and at https://www.pizzamaking.com/glossary.html#index_p

On the forum, you are likely to find several variations on the construction of a biga but they are usually of a much lower hydration value than a poolish. You will also find examples of the many ways that bigas and poolish are used in actual practice on the forum in terms of how they are prepared and managed, including how they are prefermented before using (e.g., at room temperature and/or at a cold temperature) and the duration of the prefermentation.

Peter

[live4u]

Pete
Thanks for the info. This helps me a lot to understand the difference. Appreciate it.

Regards
sreraku

[Arnaud]

What is the difference to the end result of the pizza from using from biga and poolish?  In terms of air, taste etc?

[9slicePie]

What is the difference to the end result of the pizza from using from biga and poolish?  In terms of air, taste etc?

Interested in answers, too.

[Jackitup]

I would say in short, improved depth of flavor and texture.

[9slicePie]

I've been trying to find a post that I remember recently reading on this forum, but can't find it.

It was someone's opinion about using preferments such as poolish.  They said something to the effect of, "why use poolish/preferment? since it's basically adding an over-proofed dough to the final dough recipe?"

Can somebody chime in on this?


At the same time, many people ARE using poolish and raving about how it enhances texture/flavor/digestibility...

[Jackitup]

I've been trying to find a post that I remember recently reading on this forum, but can't find it.

It was someone's opinion about using preferments such as poolish.  They said something to the effect of, "why use poolish/preferment? since it's basically adding an over-proofed dough to the final dough recipe?"

Can somebody chime in on this?


At the same time, many people ARE using poolish and raving about how it enhances texture/flavor/digestibility...

There has also been many posts and videos, programs showing how some bakeries and pizzerias save a hunk of the previous dough for the next, as it has some of "the mother" from generations before!

[Rolls]

I've been trying to find a post that I remember recently reading on this forum, but can't find it.

It was someone's opinion about using preferments such as poolish.  They said something to the effect of, "why use poolish/preferment? since it's basically adding an over-proofed dough to the final dough recipe?"

Can somebody chime in on this?


At the same time, many people ARE using poolish and raving about how it enhances texture/flavor/digestibility...

I wouldn't put too much stock into what They said.

Learning to use biga and poolish correctly will no doubt enhance your baking, which is not to say that you can't also get outstanding results using the "direct method" ie. no preferments.  It's easy enough to search for threads on these topics.  Douball's thread Pizza Canotto with Biga is as good a place to start as any.


Rolls

[HansB]

Poolish is not over proofed dough.  Poolish adds flavor and extensibility.

[tntpizzasd]

My very limited understanding as it relates to structure is that a poolish will produce a dough with a more uniform crumb, while a biga lends itself you producing larger bubbles more sporadically.