The Fresh Loaf

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Sourdough shape not great

Gmw76's picture
Gmw76

Sourdough shape not great

Hi

Pleased with my progress so far but would appreciate some advice on odd shape. Bread is 60% hydration and from own starter. Oven spring is ok but I am getting bursting out from base on a pizza stone. I am tipping out dough from round basket onto heated stone before baking. The edge bursting out is the bit of the dough which touches the stone first as I tip the basket away from me.

 

thanks Mark

jameseng's picture
jameseng

If you flip your dough onto a piece of parchment...the dough tends to grab the parchment (if it's not overly floured) and that might keep the dough from bursting?

Or, maybe you can invert the dough such that when you bake it the side that is bursting on the bottom (presently) becomes the side that is on TOP instead of on the bottom? Perhaps you'll end up with an "organic" looking loaf in the end (to use Ken Forkish's term when he talks about not slashing his bread before baking it).

Gmw76's picture
Gmw76

Thanks for that. I am wondering if I am creating a tearing action as the dough hits the stone and rolls slightly. I will try putting stone on top and inverting maybe.

 

Mark

Mini Oven's picture
Mini Oven

in the banneton?  With what was it covered?

Bursting happens when too much pressure is inside under the crust and the pressure finds the weakest point in the crust to expand.  Scoring helps.  If the score and crust set up too quickly the dough will find a way out.   The loaf might also be under proofed but this looks to me like the crust was too dry during proofing and expanded less than it could have in the oven.  Did you use steam?

Floydm's picture
Floydm

Yeah, that happens to me when I don't score enough or I let it develop a bit of a "skin" because I haven't covered it well enough while rising. The simplest fix might just be to criss-cross score it rather than just a single slash.

Good luck! 

Lechem's picture
Lechem (not verified)

What about the baking? Might have crusted over too quickly preventing the scoring from opening and bursting out through the sides. 

Maverick's picture
Maverick

I was thinking about this as well (in addition to the other things. I think that there wasn't enough steam looking at the loaf. It could be a combination of things.

Maverick's picture
Maverick

I was thinking about this as well (in addition to the other things. I think that there wasn't enough steam looking at the loaf. It could be a combination of things.

Ru007's picture
Ru007

Set too quickly. The dough escaped through the weakest point. No worries, next time steam your oven more and score a bit deeper.

 

Gmw76's picture
Gmw76

Wow. Thanks for all those useful comments. Dough was quite dry (60%) I did not use steam. Proving was approx 4 hrs in a warm place basket covered with oiled cling film. The bursted bit does coincide with the point hitting the stone as I gently tip out the dough. If your suggestions are correct then I guess it will find the weak point Which could be a slight rip in surface tension at that point. I will try steam. Looking maybe to get a lodge dutch oven soon which may help. I may also try more hydration (65-70%).

p.s. Baking was 10mins at 240 then 30mins 180

Thank you

Mark

MichaelLily's picture
MichaelLily

Steam would have prevented this.  I'm 100% sure that this is the issue.

emmsf's picture
emmsf

In addition, the weakest point where bread can blow out is often at the seam created when you shape the loaf. Make sure the seam is very well sealed before you flip the loaf over onto your stone. Good luck. 

Gmw76's picture
Gmw76

Thanks guys. Steam it is then for the next experiment..Mark

dabrownman's picture
dabrownman

the loaf to bake on.  I too un-mold onto parchment on a peel as then slide the scored bread onto the bottom stone.  This is a classic no steam loaf.

I put lava rocks in a 9x13 metal pan that is half full of water and load it below the bottom stone when the oven hits 500 F.  I set the timer for 14 minutes.  When it beeps I un-mold the bread slash it ans slide it onto the stone making very, very, sure my face is no where near the oven door when I open it so the skin on my fce is not ripped completely off by the billowing steam.  turn the oven down to 450 F when the bread is loaded and remove the steaming apparatus after 16-18 minutes.  Lucy calls this Mega Steam and will forever stop dried skin blowouts like this one.

No worries - we have all been there and done that.  You will be amazed at the difference.  Happy baking!