Bread in short stages with frequent pauses?
Hanging around with you inspiring TFLers has turned me into a serious (OK, obsessive) bread-head, and I just know that you’ll be able to crack this conundrum for me.
How can I make bread in short stages with frequent pauses? Recent illness has left me with limited mobility and stamina, and slightly compromised sight, so I’m looking for a simple, flexible, forgiving method that produces a tasty, open crumbed, crusty loaf.
My first thoughts are that yeast might be a more forbearing leaven than sourdough starter, and that the fridge might be my friend on this adventure, but can I refrigerate twice (bulk ferment and shaped)? And if I can, how would it impact the proof, and the %age yeast and water? And what if I need to refrigerate for a couple of days before baking?
Do you think an all-in-one dough might deliver, maybe with an autolyse but no pre-ferment or manual gluten development? (I have a mixer). And are some flours more tolerant than others? (I’ve white, whole-wheat, rye and spelt).
Any thoughts or advice before I jump in on this next stage of my big bread adventure?
I have a bad back and am a total stretch-and-fold convert. I learned how from this site: https://www.sourdoughhome.com/index.php?content=stretchandfold
I adapt any and all bread recipes to stretch-and-fold with great results. Only the wettest ciabatta dough is too awkward to use this method. For that or really wet rye dough, I just use a spoon to do the equivalent of a stretch and fold with a spoon in the bowl. I'm pretty much finding you can always replace manipulation (kneading) with time and periodic stretching and folding.
I've got horrid arthritis in my hands, so I use S & Fs at every opportunity, including with a spatula for wet doughs. It works perfectly!
Thank you both for this advice (and the useful link). I'll give it a go.
Dear Cellarvie.
I mix my bread -wait 15-30 minutes and do one fold and stretch and pop it into my frig in an oiled bowl for autolayze usually overnight. After I divide into loaves, place in bannetons and proof another 2 hours. It breaks it up a good bit. I had some medical issues last August and had little energy but I'm a breaded as well and I was able to motivate myself to make bread and get very nice compliments from people I give it to. I healed enough to bake 16 loaves for the Church Choir at Christmas so I guess it was good therapy.
Good luck with your recovery and baking,
BigCrusty
That simple is just what I'm after, thank you BigCrusty, for the method and the motivation. I feel a weekend bake coming on.