The Fresh Loaf

A Community of Amateur Bakers and Artisan Bread Enthusiasts.

Time for a rest

JessicaW3's picture
JessicaW3

Time for a rest

Nothing ambitious. Just my last loaves before going on vacation for a week (still just using the 123 recipe with my "discard" when I feed it. I upped the hydration just a smidge). This is the fifth or sixth time I've baked bread (successfully) with my starter and now we will see if it can survive a week of rest in the fridge :). 

Floydm's picture
Floydm

They look pretty nice to me. :)

Enjoy your vacation.

PetraR's picture
PetraR

Lovely bread, not as much Oven Spring as the others? 

Lovely crumb:)

JessicaW3's picture
JessicaW3

No. I let them rise longer. The crumb was much more open this way. The dough was wetter too. I think that made a difference. 

Still trying to figure out how to time everything just right ;). 

PetraR's picture
PetraR

My steps are , Autolyse without Salt added for 30 Minutes, fold in the Salt, knead or S&F or a combination of both, bulkfermentation usually 12 hours at room temperature * over Night * Shape and make sure that the skin of the Dough get's nice and tight * much easier with Boules, I am hopeless when it comes to Batards  * Proof in proofing Basket /  Banneton no longer than 2-2 1/2 hours.

Well, that is how I do it and I do get good rise out of it.

I bake in a Dutch Oven though and I believe due to the trapped Steam in the Dutch Oven * Wet dough and hot Dutch Oven=Steam * it gives the dough a great boost for good Oven spring.

JessicaW3's picture
JessicaW3

It is doubling in height In the oven. The dough was still really slack but it had a nice window pane to it. I mix without salt, autolyze for 30-40 minutes, knead in salt, s&f for 2-3 hours until the dough tightens up, overnight bulk ferment, shape, rise until double and it seems to pass the finger poke test, bake in a HOT oven on a pizza stone with steam. I actually like the texture of this bread much better than the other, so I'm okay with it not being tall. It's definitely not dense. It's almost more like a ciabatta. Mmmmmm...

PetraR's picture
PetraR

Oh the bread looks just fine, just compared to the other post it is not as hight.

The taste is what matters:)

I am not a fan of those big holes though, you can not eat holes:)

JessicaW3's picture
JessicaW3

I've been trying really hard not to degas when I shape and I think that makes it harder for me to get a real tight skin. But the inside is riddled with lovely holes. Again, more like ciabatta bread. 

PetraR's picture
PetraR

With the Boules I have no problem to get the surface tension, but with the Batards that is a different matter.

I find Batards better for cutting and the size of the slices, but they are a  * swear word * to shape. pffft

With shaping I believe one needs a light hand.

I also found the more I hesitate for fear of the shaping the bad the shaping goes.

Just pack the Bull by the horn * so to speak * and do it:)

 

MichaelLily's picture
MichaelLily

In my opinion, a shorter bulk ferment (3.5-4 hrs) leads to a better all-purpose bread with great flavor and texture.  It also looks and rises better.  However, there is really nothing like a very well-fermented bread.  It doesn't look great but the inside is wildly open and as soft as a pillow, with good flavor.  

MichaelLily's picture
MichaelLily

Perhaps you will find, as I did, that it is very difficult to overproof sourdough.  Due to a lack of refrigerator space, I had my dough bulk ferment at 62 F for 9 hours and then shaped and proofed at 62 F for another 10 or 11 hours.  Very well proofed, but definitely not overproofed.

PetraR's picture
PetraR

Oh I do beg to differ, I have over proofed quite a few Sourdough loafs when I started on my Sourdough Journey.

I now go by look and feel of the dough to decide when it it ready, I never final proof for longer than 2-2.5 hours , maximum 3 - 3.5 hours depending on how warm or cold my kitchen is.

I do like a long bulk fermentation though, for me, best , 12 hours at room temperature and up 24 hours in the fridge.