Crumb is too tight. Its like baking a brick.
While the flavor of the bread is pleasant, the crumb is disappointing. And I would like a thicker, darker crust as well.
Any and all recommendations/advice welcome.
I am baking 6 x 365g loaves
1100g Farmer Ground Flour organic high extraction half white bread flour
870g Water
225g Starter
25g Salt
Starter:
225g water
100g FGF high ex bread flour
100g FGF ww bread flour
25g FGF rye flour
Proceedure (8am.)
1. Mix water (100F; kitchen is cold), starter and flour with dough hook for 3 minutes slow
2. Autolyse 30 minutes
3. Mix with salt for 4 minutes fast
I have a cooler with a light that maintains 80F heat for bulk ferment.
Stretch & fold 3 times every 30 minutes.
Once the dough has risen by 50% (2pm), I portion, preshape, bench rest 10 minutes, reshape and put into bannetons. After the preshape, the loaves have big bubbles and the dough is both supple & airy. I let proof for 45min/1hr at room temp (high 60’s) then in the fridge (3pm).
The next morning (8am) I preheat the oven, pull out the loaves and let sit at room temp for 2hrs or until they feel properly proofed. Oven (Rational) is set for 450F with 2 minutes steam injection and then 33 minutes at 440F.
The shaped loaves do not appear to have risen at all overnight and are about the same size as when I put them in, though a bit deflated in appearance.
The crumb is far too tight and my only option is to retard overnight as I need to make the bread in the morning to use. Flavor is good but I would like a more open crumb and slightly darker/thicker crust. Right now is is closer to masonry (brick) and bakery. I don't know whether the mixing is too long or short, too little water, too short of proofing or if the shaping is too aggressive.
Thank you
My guess (and that is what it is) is that your loaves are over-proofed from sitting out for a couple of hours after exiting the refrigerator. As someone once observed, to a 450 degree oven the difference between a 40-degree hunk of dough and a 70-degree hunk of dough is negligible. When the dough is ready, bake it. The overnight from 3 pm to 8 am (especially after an hour at room temperature) ought to be enough. And keep in mind that when your loaves go into the refrigerator they do not instantly fall to 40 degrees (or whatever temp your fridge happens to be), so the dough continues to proof for that reason even if eventually it slows. Anyway, those are my thoughts. Hope others chip in with observations too. Happy baking.
Some thoughts:
I think the whole time thing is a bit short. Time is one of the most important ingredients in naturally leavened bread.
Gerhard
Thank you all.
I increased the hydration to 85%, mixed 3min slow - 30autolyse - 3min fast and the results were better. I will compare 30 min S&F vs 1hr.
Query:
Is there a difference between proofing then refrigeration (39-40F) retarding vs refrigeration retarding (after shaping) then proofing in the morning? I've been proofing 2/3rds in the afternoon after shaping, refrigerating, then proofing in the morning but haven't been getting the oven spring or coloration and fear they loaves may be overproofed.
I would like to have bread available within 2-3 hrs of taking it out of the fridge.