April 22, 2018 - 8:23am
Fairly new to SD (Hot Country)
Hi I m fairly new to sourdough. Been baking every weekend for the last few weeks using mostly Reinhardt's Pain au Leavin and Trevor's Champlain SD recipes.
My question is how does my warmer country temp (averaging 30 to 32 degrees) affect the stages of my SD?
From the Stretch and Fold intervals, the BF, the Preshape, Bench Rest, and Final Proofing? My dough temp is mostly 28 to 29 when measured.
Should i be adjusting my water or starter instead to alow things down?
Thanks in advance for tips on how i should experiment.
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As long as you alter the timings of the bulk ferment and final proofing it shouldn't be a problem. So watching the dough and not the clock is very important.
If you do wish to slow things down you can reduce the starter and use refrigerated water.
You can also increase the starter and after a short amount of bench time refrigerate the dough for the remainder of the bulk ferment.
For example.. If the recipe has 20% starter and bulk ferments at room temperature for 4-6 hours then you can use 40% starter and bench rest just enough time to develop the gluten and for stretch and folds then refrigerate for 8-12 hours (or however long it needs). Then take it out, shape and final proof.
Hi Lechem,
Thanks for the advise. I understand the smaller starter part to slow down activity.
What does increasing starter and then quickly refrigerating do? As opposed to reduced starter and then refirgerating?
Much appreciated for the techniques brought up.
However it works well with increased amount of starter since it slows down the fermentation. In warm weather one can reduce the starter and vice versa. When refrigerating a higher percentage of starter is preferable.
So basically refrigerating a dough during the bulk ferment will help slow it down but it needs a higher percentage of starter.
It also gives a different flavour profile.
27-29C sounds like an ideal temp for yeast development. When it gets above 30 is when things can get more challenging. You can always use cold water/liquid to help temper the dough temp. There used to be a formula for that I heard years ago. It was a formula for achieving a DDT (desired dough temp) by determining the temp of the room and the flour to calculate the water temp that should be used. Do a search.
Some people use a cooler with an ice pack to ferment their dough and sometimes there are places around the house that are cooler (basement, root cellar, well, streams, under the sink, etc.)
Some people introduce salt to their pre-ferments so the fermentation process will slow enough to produce flavors and reduce yeast over-activity.
of the dough to slow activity. Get the salt in the dough early to control enzymes and keep a tighter control of yeast fermentation. Is the heat combined with high humidity or high altitude or low humidity? Using less yeast or starter is suggested if you want to slow down fermentation. Going too low with sourdough can also get a very sour loaf if not done in steps
Gotta watch the dough!
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This was the result of using cold water for wetting my hands and putting the dough in the refrigerator at 15 minute intervals to maintain a dough temp of 26 during the whole stretch and fold process.
Turned out much nicer but the center of the loaf didn't have the pockets. Also i wonder if sd breads really taste better two days after baking or is there something wrong with mine that it's almost still too spongy one day after.
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At the same time i made this 100% whole wheat bread using bob s stone ground whole wheat and peter s pain au levain recipe but with reduced water as suggested. Wondering if 100% whole wheat will never get open crumb like other SD with Bread Flour. What do you all think?