Tartine steam (or analyze my bloom)
Here are a couple recent Tartine country loaves...looking at the pics, you can see 3 'zones' where the bloom opened up: a very smooth and shiny section that was open from the initial score when it went in the oven, another shiny section that opened up early into the spring, and the really roughly torn section that opened last.
These were baked in a Rofco stone oven that I have been trying to dial in the steam for, and am wondering if that last roughly torn section wasn't smoother due to a lack of moisture in the air (and if I'm missing some loft and crumb openness because of an early crust formation), or if they were underproofed, or both.
In any case, I did give it a thorough spray with my garden sprayer before and after loading.
Comments and suggestions appreciated, esp. if you have insights into steaming in a Rofco oven...
I've never seen this "layering" effect of bloom before.
You're saying you only scored each loaf once right? May I ask what implement you used for the scoring, a sharp lame or serated knife?
My initial thought is that this might be a shaping issue. Have you in some way laminated the dough by rolling it up for example?
sharp lame, scored once.
I shaped as per Chad's instructions.
I don't have the book so don't know what those instructions are
It isn't uncommon to see two or even three zones of expansion along the grigne. The roughness of the last zone on your loaves might also be attributable to steam having dried out by the time the final expansion occurred.
All in all, lovely loaves.
Paul
Looks pretty common just maybe steam for a bit longer next. Time. They look great to me. How's the crumb?
Josh
Just cut into them and the crumb is a bit tighter than it should be...still good eating
I'll eat 'em if you don't want 'em!
half the first loaf went with soft boiled eggs for dinner...the second loaf goes to the neighbor