How to make a lighter crumb
So I've branched out my baking recently into the world of sourdough, and it seems there is a lot to learn!
I finished making a plain wholemeal loaf with a few seeds in, it tastes good but I was looking for advice on getting a better texture. It doesn't seem to have the characteristic large holes and whenever I make a large % wholemeal loaf (which is nearly always as I try a balance tasty eating with good health) it seems to come out on the verge of being 'gummy'.
The bread:
The Process:
Monday Morning:
Get wholemeal rye sourdough starter out of the fridge, add 75g of flour and 75g of water, mark with an elastic band and leave it on the side.
Monday Evening:
Sourdough has holes and signs of activity, perhaps doubled in size. Soak 35g of seeds in 35g of water for ~30 minutes. Mix 100g sourdough starter with 400g wholemeal bread flour, 100g strong white bread flour, 7g salt and 380g of water, mix well and cover for an hour. After an hour perform 4 x 8-10 seconds of stretching/folding on the kitchen side that is lightly coated in oil, separated by 10 mins each. Leave in contained in fridge.
Tuesday Evening when home from work:
The dough has doubled in size, at least to my eye. Extract using a scraper on to a well-floured surface. Stretch out into a square and fold into thirds in one direction, then the other. Use hands to make a round, trying to tuck the dough under itself and then use a bench scraper to tighten a couple of times. Leave to rise in well-floured banneton. After ~2 hours it looks like the finger test indicates it is ready to sling in the oven, the finger mark returns but slowly. I had previously preheated the oven with a casserole dish in.
Transfer to casserole dish, make cuts to the top and bake for 30 mins at 220c for 30 minutes, followed by 15 minutes at 220c outside of the dish. Once done (thermometer read 190c), switch the oven off and leave ajar with the dough in to cool slowly (I heard this was a way to get a crisp crust).
Any advice greatly appreciated!
Thanks in advance.
Gummy bread normally means under fermented. So I'd look at that as well as making sure it's baked through properly.
Normal range of salt is 1.8% - 2% of total flour.
Gives you 550g flour. So 1.8% - 2% salt = 9.9g - 11g.
7g is a bit on the low side.
You also want to look at the soaker. Could that be adding any gumminess? So try a bake without the soaker and see if it improves.
This doesn't make sense to me:
"Once done (thermometer read 190c)"
Sounds like a misread. 190°C would be too high an internal temp. And 190°F would be too low (205 rye to 210°F wheat)
Perhaps the loaf needed to bake longer. Corners near the bottom say the loaf was spreading, loosing shape quickly. Might have sat in the banneton too long. Try shortening the final proof.
Thanks for the advice so far!
So that might explain while the loaf subsequently went soft, didn't bake it long enough leaving too much moisture inside? I'll aim for 210 this time.
Not sure how the corners could have spread as I bake it in quite a small casserole dish which is the same diameter as my banneton. I find if I don't cook it in the pot the bread spreads like crazy, with the larger volume of water I can't get the bread dough to 'sit up' without giving it an enclosed space.
What is a reasonable length of time for the dough to rest in the banneton?
Thanks!
skipping the banneton , shape and let rise in the casserole, then bake?
what is the fridge temp? It might be too warm.
Not sure what temperature the fridge is, do you mean too warm for the bulk ferment?
Letting it rise in the casserole dish is an interesting idea, I was under the impression that the high initial heat is important for bread and thus pre-heat the casserole dish in the oven. Will putting the room-temperature casserole dish in the oven not cause an issue with the bread getting up to temperature quick enough?