The Fresh Loaf

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High hydration doughs

mandarina's picture
mandarina

High hydration doughs

Hello everyone!

Last weekend I decided to make a 100% hydration bread. It's a type I really like and that I used to buy everyday when I was in Galicia (Spain). The result was pretty good for a first timer, the taste was great and the consistency as well, very crunchy outside and soft crumb inside, butttttttt..... the crumb was too moist, I don't remember the bread to be that moist, it felt as if it wasn't fully cooked. A few days later, the crumb was better. My question is: is it possible that I didn't score the bread enough? Because I realized the crumb was very open on the top part (very big holes!) but not that much on the bottom part. Also.. do you think I can still have the big holes with maybe a 90% hydration dough? The main characteristic of this bread are the big holes, and I realized the higher the hydration the easier for the dough to have those.  Any ideas??

Thanks!

bread1965's picture
bread1965

Can you post a picture of the crumb? And can you share your process/recipe.. Looks great!!

hreik's picture
hreik

do you think I can still have the big holes with maybe a 90% hydration dough?

 

Answer is Yes, of course.  Even 75% hydration will give you big holes.

hester

mandarina's picture
mandarina

Unfortunately I don 't have pictures of the crumb, I thought I had but it looks like my phone didn't save them. 

The recipe is this:

Preferment (the day before and kept over night):

- 70g bread flour

- 55g water

- 1g dry yeast 

- 2g of salt

Bread:

- 420g bread flour

- 130g of the preferment

- 8g of salt

- 1 g of dry yeast

- 390 to 435 g of water (depends on your ability to knead you can add more or less, I added 435g)

 Procedure: dissolve the yeast in some water and add the water to the flour. Add the salt and stir well until no lumps left.

let it sit for 20 mins and then knead until the dough gets some consistency and you can see small bubbles appear on the surface. At this point it shouldn't be too sticky

Place the dough in a container and fold the dough every 45min-1h (do this 2 more times).

Turn oven on at 480F with your stone inside, make sure the stone is hot by the time you're done with the foldings

After the last folding, wait until the dough increases 2-3 times an turn the dough onto a floured surface. shape it and let it rest 20mins. 

After 20 mins rest, score the bread and place it in the oven. 

Bake 10-15mins at 480F and then turn the heat down to 390F and bake for another 45mins

 

This bread has only 1 fermentation and needs to be baked for a long time to prevent it from going soggy due to the high moisture content. 

Thanks!