Bread Abuse ?
I have made a couple of loaves using the 'Trevor J Wilson' method recently, and they have been really open and yummy! Now this one that came out of the oven this morning has a few too many odd shaped and large air bubbles.
I started the dough yesterday morning but realised we were going out for the day so after two folds in 3 hours I put it in the fridge until we came back later in the evening. Then I put the bowl with the dough in, into a gentle (30c) oven to warm up for a while, did two more folds over 2 hours then pre shape 30 mins, rest 15 minutes then shape and into floured banneton and back in the fridge.
This morning I took the banetton out of the fridge and placed it on the counter top whilst warming up the oven and Dutch oven to 230c (45 mins). Bake covered for 20 minutes then uncovered for 20 mins.
Taste is good, but why the weird bubbles? Is this due to not enough folds? too cold?
Any ideas anyone? I like bubbles but these just let the butter and jam fall through!
that this was 75% white, 25 % wholemeal, 11 % rye starter (100% hydration) and a final water hydration of 60%
That looks bloody marvellous. I love the crust and crumb. Be happy with this!
I have read that bread that has been retarded at the final proofing stage can have more uneven holes due to the dough having an uneven temperature when warming up. The outer layer usually will have larger holes because it's normally warmer. But everything you've done seems correct. Perhaps a little longer at room temperature before baking?
Could be that and/or shaping. But it looks darn good to me.
P.s. I'm not sure but I'm also thinking a tad underproofed? Could it be a bit of runaway oven spring?
I would be proud to get such open structure. I am guessing now: the dough due to being in the fridge and due to 60% hydration was more stiff and kept the gasses better. You probably didn't degas it before shaping but rather trying to be as gentle as possible with the dough.
Recently I had a similar problem that although I retarded the dough after final shape it was raising too fast as I wanted to bake next day and deliver still warm bread. Therefore I reshaped the loaves twice during the retarding period after degassing them first and got denser but evenly distributed texture. The dough had only 71% hydration.
Just my two cents and happy baking, Joze
Sorry....
That looks bloody marvellous. I love the crust and crumb. Be happy with this!
to shoot for! Well done and happy baking
HI, Chockswahay!
Every time I see that pattern in my bread, I get to thinking of what a boiling pot of water would look like if it were instantly frozen in time. And then I start thinking of what made so much gas want to rush to the surface to escape. Or, how come the gas didn't want to stay where it was to begin with.
There's no one answer, of course, but I go over in my mind things like, did I let that proof go too long, did I put too much levain in the dough, did I fail to develop the internal gluten structure...?
Or was it just such a miserable and soggy mess to begin with that it's no wonder the dough boiled instead of baking! :)
Murph
I think the issue may well have been a combination of being a little too gentle with the dough handling and perhaps still a little too cool from the fridge.
Although not quite the same, here is my second attempt but this time 33% Wholemeal Spelt and 67% white. However this one was all made the same day (never went in the fridge). I did 'de-gas' it a little more and because it spread a little it would not fit in my D.O. so I used a quarry tile with an upside down casserole pan on top. The crumb is a little 'tighter' now (think I may have over handled it this time).
less water and it likes to be handled less for gluten development, it is mire fragile, plus it is faster.. This one looks pretty good for a first shot. Well done and happy baking
Great job.
Which crumb do you prefer?
Happy baking
I know sourdough Nirvana is big holes but I like the idea that my butter and jam don't fall through the smaller holes :)