Learning to Love the Long Cold Proof

A long weekend means just that much more time to experiment with intimidating techniques!

This weekend, I have baked two two-loaf batches of sourdough, using a formula that involves a short bulk fermentation and a long cold proof. 

Levain

50 g starter (I have a rye and a white, and either will work great)

75 g AP flour

75 g water

(200 g total)

Final Dough

Levain

700 g AP fl

100 g WW fl

560 g water (water #1)

20 g water (water #2)

10 g malt/sugar

19 g salt

Any "mix-ins" imaginable, really!

Steps:

1) Mix levain; wait 8-12 hours. 

2) Mix levain with flour and water; rest for 45 minutes (mini-autolyse--no salt, but fermentation has begun!)

3) Mix in salt and sugar/malt using pincer method (2-3 minutes)

4) Mix in any "extras": cheese, nuts, fruit, etc.

5) Rest for 30 minutes. 

6) Stretch and fold 1-2 full turns (4-8 stretches) every 30 minutes, for 2.5 hours

7) Rest on the counter for 1 hour

8) Retard in the refrigerator for 1 hour (boy, do I need this for shaping. AMATEUR ALERT.)

9) Divide and bench rest for 10 minutes

10) Pre-shape each half, rest for 10 minutes

11) Shape and place in bannetons

12) Proof at room temperature for 1 hour

13) Place in refrigerator for anywhere from 8-16 hours (in both of my cases, the cold proof was 10 hours)

14) Remove from refrigerator for the time it takes to heat the oven (30 minutes or so)

15) Score/adorn and bake (as you'll see, I added "everything bagel" seed topping to one loaf, and asiago cheese to another. I like baking plain loaves with exciting crusts!)

First bake:

Second bake:

Focusing on a long cold proof is just genuinely more stressful than focusing on long cold bulk. The "first fermentation" really is more forgiving. But the quality of the crumb of my long-proofed loaves keep me coming back for more experimentation. thus far, for me, the key is to find that "sweet spot" of levain percentage where bulk fermentation lasts for about 3-4 hours (allowing for 4-5 stretch-and-folds plus some resting time), and the loaves get about an hour outside of the fridge before heading in...but still don't overproof with 8-20 hours in that cold environment. I really like 12-14% levain for this purpose.

Oh, and here are a few bonus pics from the week. Still really working on shaping and scoring, especially of batards. This site gives me SERIOUS ear envy...

And my next experiment? Inspired by lepainSamidie: Long cold bulk WITH long cold proof. Oh boy.

And just really, really excited imagining my future with soaked and sprouted grains (which I haven't even approached to this point, but want to...). 

Can't stop. Won't stop!

--Hannah