...and then comes the fall - Lesson Five
A sad over-proofed loaf - July 18, 2017
This may have been the task that stressed me the most. With my dreams of perfection being squashed as I was told to push a loaf proof past the point of happiness, and on to total and utter disaster.... ON PURPOSE!
I did it.
It actually took two attempts to get a passing grade, I was trigger happy on the first batch and baked when it looked a bit wobbly - the bread whisperer said it wasn't far enough - and I tried again, letting it go a whole extra 45 minutes in the loaf pan and saw the floppy, droopy, gloopy dough that awaited the oven.
It had risen beautifully, and then fallen in disgust when I did not put it in to the warm oven to toast it to perfection. Cutting in to it I got a chalky, crumbly mess that even I wouldn't eat. It was dry beyond the point of salvation, and I hung my head in shame as I disposed of something that I hope to not repeat.
Now I know... do not forget a proofing dough, it will leave you very disappointed, and hungry! Let's hope lesson six is more palatable.
Comments
the concept of deliberately pushing the dough past over-proofed to totally over-fermented, so as to learn how the dough looks and feels and smells at each stage, I'm afraid that my thrifty (cheap - really, really cheap) little soul is screaming in outrage at pushing it so far that it is useless even as croutons or bread crumbs or altus for a future bake. Purposefully creating compost is just not something I could see myself consenting to. Your mentor had better be grateful that you are being so willing of a student, since someone like me would be ripping him a new one for being so wasteful!
I am assuming that you're using commercial yeast here for it to have gone so far so fast, and have to admit that it makes me grateful that my sourdough starter is so much more forgiving... I've over-proofed both deliberately and accidentally, but have never taken it to totally over-fermented, so have always ended up with a still delicious loaf, even if not a pretty one.
Here's hoping that the next stage is one where you get to enjoy the results!
Oh believe me, my inner voice was screaming the whole time! The only saving grace being that my mentor had me make a batch of dough, divided it in to three mini loaf pans of 300g each and only let one get to this point (I am currently crunching on a toasted piece of one of the other loaves with strong Irish mustard and Alpine cheddar cheese as I type)! So at least not all is lost!