April 18, 2016 - 5:12am
Shaping high hydration without commapse
I have been slowly upping the hydration on my breads and until around 75% all is good, but post 75% I am struggling to the the loaf to not spread out dramatically as I put it in the oven.
I do get oven spring, but recently I can shape the dough into a nice ball/loaf, but as soon as it goes into the oven, within minutes it spread out and turns into a pancake as wide as the tray.
Am I going wrong somewhere before hand with the proving?
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It could be a number of things...gluten development, shaping, fermentation, how the loaves are handled in transport to the oven, slashing... If you post pics and give more details of your process, you'll get more informative responses. It will also help you become a better student of your own baking.
I have found that with higher hydration, the "sweet spot" of fermentation is much shorter, much trickier to manage. There's a certain moment during both periods of fermentation (bulk and proof) where the dough is billowy and slack but workable, not sticky and apt to spread all over your countertop (or threaten to go overboard on the baking stone). Most professionals that are working with insanely hydrated doughs (I'm looking at you, Tartine !) have their schedules down to a science and known exactly when to make the right gestures (half of baking is intervening at the right moment). And, like A BakEr commented, what kind of flour (not just AP or Bread, but the brand, the age, etc) and the environment in which you make bread (temperature and humidity) will affect the end product.
The other option is to knead the dough to near-extinction, that is to say, for a very long time. That will develop your gluten pretty sufficiently to retain its shape (but beware, one can overmix).
In any case, searching out higher hydration is not always the answer. Even for a great open crumb, lower hydration can work. Trevor A Wilson had a GREAT post about how dough handling is much more integral to achieving an open crumb than the "crutch" (great way to put it) of adding more water. More water does not a better bread make.
In any case, keep baking and you will get better.