Biga Bread sponge

I am making a loaf of bread using a Biga sponge of 2C + 2T of flour, 1.5t of yeast and 1.25C warm water. Sit for 18 hours.
THEN, I add it to 2.5 cups of four and stir ?? Nothing is stirring as this dough is solid. THEN, I'm supposed to add another 2C of flour which is never going to happen as dough will not accept anymore flour and is definitely not smooth and elastic.
Anyone notice a major typo in the recipe that is causing this. I wouldn't notice as this is the first time I've used a sponge for bread.

Thanks, June

bread starter

Best Answer

A biga is a dough which is generally hydrated to the same level as the loaf you are going to make, perhaps a little higher hydration, but not so high that it is a liquid. You shouldn't be able to stir it. It's not a sponge. Just knead it with a spoon in the bowl, or use your fingers.

A sponge is more like a batter or poolish, a liquid basically. Maybe the recipe is just wrong or perhaps your expectation of what a biga actually looks like is wrong.

What I generally do is use around 70% water to flour ratio. Add a pinch of yeast to the water. As an example, something like 70 grams of water to 100 grams of flour should be sufficient for one loaf. Knead it a little. Put the dough in a covered bowl. Leave 12 hours or over night in a cool place, (or longer in the fridge).

To use it, make your bread dough as normal with flour, water, salt and yeast, then add the biga by kneading it into the dough to distribute it evenly throughout the dough.

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Is biga and sponge the same?

Biga, which is more like a dough than a batter, has a lower hydration than poolish and sponge, which is mostly used for enriched doughs, contains milk, eggs, butter, and/or sugar. But it's good to keep in mind that a biga is really a stiff poolish, and a sponge is really an enriched biga.

What does a biga do for bread?

Biga is often used in breads that need a light and open structure, i.e., more cells. It helps to preserve bread by extending its shelf life due to its higher acidity level, or lower pH.

Is biga and sourdough the same?

For some home bakers, biga is used to refer to naturally leavened sourdough made with a stiff starter, without using baker's yeast.

Is biga the same as starter?

The yeasted pre-ferment (poolish and biga) serves a single use while the sourdough starter is perpetuated indefinitely. The Poolish and Biga is only prepared whenever the baker wishes to bake bread. Once the Poolish and Biga ripens, everything is incorporated into the dough to be baked.

Yeasted Preferments Explained | Poolish, Biga, Sponge, Pâte Fermentée

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