November 16, 2016 - 3:11am
Correlation between bulk fermantation time and proofing?
Hello there,
I have calculated my times according to my schedule. So I use 10-15% starter, kneed in the afternoon and bulk ferment over night (around 19-20oC in my kitchen). In the morning I shape and put my dough in bannetons. My point is to bake after 8-9 hours (basically after work), so I proof in the fridge.
So is there a correlation between BF hours and proofing hours? Could I for example BF for 12 hours and proof for 15-16 hours in the fridge? And what if I want to expand BF time? I could use less % starter or BF in the fridge. Do I also change proofing time?
Thanks
Share
How much starter % has been used.
How far you've taken the bulk ferment.
etc.
What you're doing now sounds like a good schedule. Retarding after BF with 10-15% starter overnight should give you a good 8-12 hours in the fridge for Final Proofing. 15-16 is not completely out of the ballpark though so you'd have to trial and error. How far as the BF gone if you make up the dough in the afternoon and Bulk Ferment for such a long time? I'd probably BF for 8-10 hours with those percentages. How long are you doing so at the moment?
BF 12 hours, proofing in fridge 10 hours. This is with 15% starter. My temperature inside the kitchen has fallen to 17-18oC (winter is coming...) so maybe I will go somewhere between 15-20% for starter to keep my BF times.
So if I want to try receipts that have very long fermentation times (>30 hours maybe) how low can I go to % starter? And how do you BF then? Inside the fridge?
You sound like the perfect candidate for the "Do Nothing Bread"
Bread Flour 100%
Water 75%
Salt 2%
Starter 1%
(there is a 90% hydration version of this with a mix of wholewheat/bread flour but try it with bread flour first at 75% hydration)
All you do is mix the flour and salt together.
In another bowl measure out the water, add the starter and mix till the starter is fully distributed.
Now add the flour to the water and combine till there are no dry bits.
Bulk Ferment for 24 hours giving it a few folds at the 12 hour mark or so.
After 24 hours turn the dough out onto a floured surface and shape into your banneton.
Final Proof for 1 hour then bake in a pre-heated oven.
I have done such a receipt in the past. Bulk fermentation in the fridge or in room temperature? But still it's 24 hours.
I have read people fermenting up to 60 hours! How can you do that?
I've never done 60 hours so I wouldn't like to advise. I'm sure there are others who have though.
As an educated guess I would think that all the bulk ferment will be done in the fridge and just taken out for a shape and final proof. Not too much starter but not too little either. It's going to ferment very slowly but you do want it to move and if too little it might not even get off the ground.
20% starter, brought to full gluten formation either with kneading or over an hour or so with stretch and folds then straight into the fridge. 30+ hours later take out and shape etc?
Just an idea.
You said you are making bread according to you schedule and then ask questions without saying anything about your results or problems you are having. If you are just wondering if something is possible - try it and see what happens. The variables are pretty straight forward, time, temperature and amount of levain being the big ones, then ingredients and hydration levels. If you need more time and are getting overproofed loaves with what you are doing, make an adjustment in temp and/or levain amount.
To address the question you pose, yes, there generally is a relationship between bulk and final proof times (so if you go too far with the bulk, you want to be extra careful with the final proof, and it may need to be cut back), but I think it is better to not think about it strictly in terms of time, but the development of your dough (which is a matter of more than just time).
I know the feeling of wanting to figure it out ahead of time (if that is what you are up to), but the best answers will come from lots of baking, with good observations and notes on the process. Along the way, posting pics here will get you plenty of insightful diagnoses...
No I don't have any problems.
Just curious. And since the parameters are many, I want to figure out correlations between them so as to test some results.
For example, I would like to try cold BF for 24 hours. But don't know how much % started I can use. And I don't want an exact number. Just a hint on which scale to move. Is it 5% or 15%? If I have some reference it's easier for me to play along :)
thanks
I'm still kind of new to this but have read in multiple places to either retard the bulk or the proof but not both...so this is what I do...not really sure exactly why though. I tend to bulk at room temperature and proof in the fridge but only because it works well with my schedule.