Leaven % as part of the Baker's %
I'm experimenting now with the leaven % as part of the overall formula and how it relates to long refrigerated proof. I've mentioned this briefly in a comment with Danni3113 and lowering the fridge temp was mentioned.
The issue is that my bread has risen as much as can be allowed after about 8 hours in the refrigerator. I'm as low as 10% leaven in my formula. Tomorrow I'll try 8%. I want to be able to leave a basket of dough to proof from the night before until after work the next day - 18 hours or so. That seems to be very usual here. I can only think that as mentioned earlier my refrigerator needs to be a couple of degrees cooler but I'm maxed out there. I've set it as low as I can.
What impact if any can I expect by lowering the leaven % like I am? Are there other factors I'm not aware of? Flavor? It won't rise? Can I even reasonably expect that I might get the desired result of a long proof time? Or do I just have an active leaven and live with it?
Advice appreciated.
Hi, Jane!
I'm with you... I'm searching for convenience and fitting all the steps into a busy schedule.
I think I've finally decided that the refrigerator is going to be my friend because it's really the only place I can control the temperature. The next question is how much and for how long.
There was a post here that reminded me to look into prefermented FLOUR. Which is to say that a levain or starter at 100% hydration will be 50% FLOUR.
It's a consideration... but... the REAL heart of the matter is how many yeast cells are in the starter or levain. Which means, for us home bakers, how active is the levain.
I'm still experimenting and following this thread.
Murph
the dough activity should have come to a complete or near complete stop so the rise you see after 8 Hours should be the same rise you would see after 12 or 18 hours. It took me a little while as well to understand that. I used to panic and bake in the middle of the night thinking it would rise more but once I let go of my type A++ tendencies, I realized it would be just fine till the next morning as long as my fridge was in the 37-38 F area. Use your bread thermometer to see how cold your fridge is. You will have to be quick when taking it out to read it but at least you will have an idea of what the temp is. By the way, anything 41 and over is actually unsafe for your other foods. I was surprised to learn that since my fridge was originally at 42 F.
retarding shaped loaves. I cut the pre-fermented flour to less than 10% and cut out any bulk ferment after the gluten development stage (2 hours after mixing) It finally worked out for an 18 hour retard. It is pretty warm here in AZ but my fridge is 37 F.
I used to think that after 8 hours in the fridge not much was happening but my loaves continue to proof afterward by quite a bit - another 25% to the 12 hour mark.
One thing is for sure. If it does over proof shaped in the fridge you can just reshape it and let it proof on the counter for a couple of hours - just like you would if you retarded the dough bulk for 18 hours and then shaped and proofed it the next morning.
Happy experimenting before baking
Listen to DAB! He knows what he is doing. Me, I dabble and occasionally give bad advice to newbies. Ha ha!
white ones, get most of their proofing done before the 8 hour mark in the fridge. The kind of breads I make tend to go on proofing another 4 hours. When i ran a test for this very thing I was kind of shocked how much proofing was still going on after the 8 hour nark.
I think that my bread went into the cold at a higher temperature than most from my 86 F kitchen and the breads tend to be bigger in mass as well which will make the time to cool down longer too.
If I'm making a white bread in the winter when the kitchen is 68F then after 8 hours in the cold it is pretty much proofed as much as it will by 18 hours.
Thanks for the comments all.
I was hoping you'd weigh in too DAB. If there is an experiment out there....
First of all I'm going to live on the edge and proof for 18 hours at 10% And see what happens. I had not considered reshaping but will if need be.
Thanks for the comments all.
I was hoping you'd weigh in too DAB. If there is an experiment out there....
First of all I'm going to live on the edge and proof for 18 hours at 10% And see what happens. I had not considered reshaping but will if need be.
DanI... I checked my temps. It's 40 degrees.
Murph - yes! I want to own the schedule darn it!
Jane,
I went to a local Artisan bakery which let me work there for a full morning and get some great tips from them especially on proofing. My existing refrigerator wasn't cutting it either. I purchased a Haier HSNE032 (small college dorm room type) refrigerator. I've been able to regulate it to 42 F and up to 55 F (when refreshing my desem leaven). I got it from Walmart on Line for $139 3 years ago.
I proof loaves in baskets covered with plastic to prevent the crust from getting dried out and tough at 44 F. When I proof it is between 12 and 16 hours and I've experienced no real problems with the rise. I've also retarded my bulk fermentation for those periods of time as well.
Good Luck,
Big Crusty