July 24, 2018 - 5:18am
"Loaf" in a hot climate
Phew it's a scorcher here in the UK at the moment, and I find it's impacting my baking choices and methods, which has set me wondering how other TFL-ers respond to a heatwave. I'm curious to know, how does everybody's baking change when the barometer soars?
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... means longer, slower ferments in the fridge, and a EAGLE eye kept on send rise/proofing loaves in the coolest part of the house for me.
As I understand 80 degrees is a big deal there and 90, forget about it, its armageddon. To put things in perspective here in Los Angeles we hit 118 in certain areas three weeks ago but inside the changes are never as extreme. Key is shave times off of proofing cycles and it's really the best time to measure dough temps. Also maybe lowering yeast and taking closer notes of of volume after all the goal is hit a certain level of activity and that's going to be accelarated. hopefully dabrownman may chime in (I believe he is in Arizona where the devil goes for vacay)
We are on the verge of armageddon ... ? There's a weather alert out, not for storms but for extreme heat. Difference is, almost no one in north western Europe has air conditioning at home. I think the body just adapts to the local climate. I grew up in the tropical Caribbean where it'd be 90 degrees at 6 in the morning and I still managed to get up and run in the blazing morning heat and humidity. Now I'm crying about it being 80 ?
and long wet autolyse in the fridge.
Ice water and wet towels to cover the dough bowl.
Rolls and bread sticks.
Mini-oven baking outside and vegetable matter in my dough.
People need to drink more fluids and increase salt intake. A pan of water in front of a fan can do wonders to cool a small area. Or use a mister for a little relief. Open the windows at night and close them at sun up, keep them closed during the day. Adjust shades and curtains to keep out direct sun shine when its hotter outside than inside. Hanging up laundry or towels on a stand or line inside will also cool the air during evaporation. Use umbrellas outside when walking around. Sun hats. Get jobs and errands done early in the day. Make a nice relaxing place to hang out in the cellar or basement. Don't mow the lawn. Water plants when the sun is low before night so they have a chance to recover before the next day.
been the same here in Ireland. we've had an official drought for the last month. water has been restricted and farmers are in big trouble. Hopefully the climate change sceptics will start believing we're heading towards disaster with Canada, Japan, most of Europe, Australia and elsewhere suffering under extreme conditions. In the meantime im using less yeast, more controlled builds, less levain, colder water and faster feet to get my bread made...the kitchen at night is hitting 35C and its not letting up....
in another billion years we better be on some other planet or we learn how to control our star's heat in some way. We have already reduced the amount of greenhouse gasses and air pollution in the USA substantially since the 70's and 80's. The worst places in the USA are 5-10 times better than they were - ike LA as the prime example and it isn;t great still you can actually breathe there now! We will do much more and better as alternative energy sources become more affordable and electric cars become the new normal, faster than will ever believe. But no matter what we will still be all be dead, with the oceans boiled away no matter what ,as the Sun burns hotter and hotter.
We need that Dyson's sphere technology ready to go and then we won't have to go anywhere at all.
The smog in LA in the 80s was horrific - absolutely gross - you'd have days with smog as thick as SF but not grey but rather a putrid tan color that made it hard to run track at school - you literally feel it in your throat. Will never forget the first time I flew into LA and see buildings and mountain tops poke through the brown clouds. Yecccchhh !
Same here across the channel. I normally don't have a lot of trouble with batards, which are my preferred shape to bake. But yesterday I overfermented and lost their shape. Where'd I'd normally do a 30 minute room temperature proof and then a night in the fridge at set at 1C, yesterday this was way too much. It took too long for the temp to go down and the fridge was struggling....But, I didn't have time nor the inclination to put the oven on when it's already so hot.
Lesson learned, I should have cut at least an hour off the bulk and bench rest for no more than 15 minutes and 20 minutes proof before the overnight retard.
I get the gluten developed in the first hour after mixing and them straight into the fridge for a cold bulk overnight. Then right as it comes out of the fridge a preshape and final shape 10 minutes later, then in the basket if goes and is baked 1.5 to 2 hours later.
For me, a cold shaped retard fits my schedule better.
I can set my oven to preheat right before I wake up and pop the bread in to bake as the coffee is still brewing.
and I really must give this another go as my last attempt ended in a Fool's Crumb due to too short a 2nd Proof I think...
Do you mind sharing your thoughts on your process....
1 MIx in the evening - let's say 15% starter or so? Slap and folds to develop gluten well...do you used 'cold' water to get a lower target dough temp for bulk?...I seem to remember that some people on TFL aim for 55F here.......or do you just go for the usual 75F range and then fridge?
2. Straight into fridge cold bulk overnight
3. Pre-shape = do you need to warm the dough up a bit before pres-shape as it must be quite hard to shape?
4. I was considering this as a 'reliablle' method when I bake bigger portions of bread and easier to bulk as dough in fridge rather than cramming all those bannetons somewhere.....and in this case would not be too concerned about super open crumb but just would like a nice light loave, whatever crumb really....
Do you agree that as the 'structure' building is left a bit to luck in the fridge over night that you get a nice crumb but not a method to choose, if you experiment with wanting to reach a very specific crumb as the 'structure' building is left to 'time' in the fridge? I remember though that when I started baking I did cold bulk fermentation and had some amazing bread....makes me laugh now and total fluke it was!
I think it is good to learn different techniques and be versatile .....
Barney is very upset that he is not allowed to eat any bread (although it interrupts so many of his walks) as it has salt in it but boy is he happy when he can steal a sandwich of another boy who has just left it somewhere forgetting about Barney..... :D Kat
I have reduced hydration to 68%, which helped slow dow fermentation and improved the dough structure. I am also retarding bulk fermentation and final proofing in the fridge.
Well how interesting, a consistent methodology: reduce hydration, reduce leven (yeast or starter), keep the dough cool (cold water, refrigeration, cold wet towel), reduce fermentation, but above all......be led by the dough.
Interesting choices also, and I too find myself baking burger rolls, baguettes and breads for dipping and sharing, and thanks to Mini Oven, I'll be foraging the veg patch for "vegetable matter" to add.
Thank you all and happy (not too hot) baking.
...that is if the garden hasn't dried up. Mine is threatening to do just that. I've been gifted with a big bucket of pears (due to the early spring, everything is a month early) and a large squash. My butterfly pea is blooming bright blue. Tiny tomatoes are so cute and sweet they might make a great faux grape focaccia (pizza.)
Dug out my pickling book and drying veggies as well. Anyone ever try to make zucchini flour?