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Strange dough problem

joostdb's picture
joostdb

Strange dough problem

Hi all,

I'm making sourdough bread for a couple of years now. Since a few weeks I've got this strange problem with my dough. It's loosing it's stretch, it fall's apart, gets sticky and doesn't hold any air. It rises good, but the moment I look at it (not realy) It dies (also not realy).
To make things visible, you can watch the .

What I tried without success:

  • less kneading
  • longer / shorter fermentation
  • adding salt after / autolyse
  • used other flour
  • even made a brand new starter

The last thing I can think of is lowering the roomtemperature. Which I can't. The dough temp is about 23°C

How can I get back this wonderfull elastic dough I used to have?

estherc's picture
estherc

Try cutting down on the hydration and see what happens.

 

Or try increasing the percentage of white flour to whole grain.

pmccool's picture
pmccool

Recent change in flour, either new brand or new bag of same brand.

Recent change in ambient condition, either warmer or cooler. 

Increased proteolytic activity in starter(s). Search for "thiols" here on TFL. 

The video shows a dough that has some gluten development and elasticity.  The gluten membranes are evident as the dough is stretched. It appears to be a very moist, slack dough. Was the video made after mixing, or after fermentation?

Lacking other information, my first guess is that it has something to do with the flour.  A 23C dough temperature is a bit cool but not remarkably so.  If there is increased proteolytic activity, it hasn't advanced to the point of rendering the dough semiliquid.  

Other than elasticity, are there other differences you've noticed?  Does the flour absorb as miuch moisture as it did previlushly, or does the dough feel wetter at the same hydration?

One last way-out-there guess: if you are using a digital scale, are the batteries beginning to fade?  That can produce incorrect results even when it  appears that things are working correctly. 

Nothing definitive, l'm afraid.  Just some ideas to consider. 

Paul

joostdb's picture
joostdb

first this, thank you for taking time to respond to this question.

Since my problem occurs with all kinds of mixtures (from plain four to rye), I don't think that's the problem.

On the other hand, looking for 'thiols' shines a new light on my problem. I'm going to digg deeper into this tomorrow. Especially this comment:  http://www.thefreshloaf.com/comment/121566#comment-121566 seems to point into the right direction.

The video was made after fermentation. The result can be seen in the picture below. (way to dense)

There remain lots of questions, I hope I can keep you informed.

 

 

pmccool's picture
pmccool

I had guessed that the video was post-mixing, rather than post-fermentation.    Knowing that the video shows the dough after it has fermented does shift the suspicions in the direction of excessive proteolytic activity. 

The thread you found has some of the best information and advice on the matter that I have seen. 

Paul