Staggering Two-loaf bake by 48-72 hours... restart/reshape?
(Above is version of the loaf, var. on pain au Campagne with toasted sesame added to mix. Turned out yum!)
Greetings
first post, longtime bread baker with question...
ive been baking two-loaf sourdough batches, 1-2x a week, but my house partner eats more weight watcher bread dreck... so I’ve been staggering my bake, keeping the second loaf in the fridge til the first is consumed (48-72 hours on average)
the second loaf bakes ok but with less spring, flatter... perhaps as expected.
I’m planning an experiment but thought I’d run it by the braintrust anyway:
if I pull the 48-hour retarded loaf late in day, let it warm and (hopefully) begin to activate, get loose, reshape into a tighter loaf, and overnight in fridge... can I expect it to behave like it should - like a fresh loaf retarded for 10-12 hours? According to fridge thermometer it’s 37-39F in there. The current ‘second’ loaf appears to have definitely proofed more since it was refrigerated (yay, good starter!)
thanks for any guidance or past experience
mark E in Wisco
I regularly build 3-4 loaf doughs and refrigerate for bakes later in the week. Seems like 5 days is the max retard before dough begins breaking down or losing structure. Also seems like flavors intensify over the long retard. I find the retarded dough acts pretty much the same provided I follow this process:
This should have been shorter(?) but I didn’t want to leave out any of the milestones.
Good luck. Let me know if this works for you.
Phil
I recognize some of the Hertzberg/François method there, eh?
I am unclear if you are fridge-retarding both the bulk ferment and the final proof, or just the final proof.
Suggestion: for the 2nd loaf, do the bulk ferment or both the bulk and final proof in the fridge. It's a thing. And it may buy you the extra day or two or three. Fermentation does not totally stop in the fridge, it only slows ; especially when there is any whole wheat in it.
You may need to mist some water over the dough mass in the container before putting in fridge. My dough tends to dry out and create a skin even when in a closed container in the fridge, if kept more than 8 hours or so.
I think what Phil described is the bulk ferment in the fridge, and 1.5 hr final proof at room temp. If I understand correctly, that is the method used by authors Hertzberg and Francois in their "Five Minutes a Day" book series.
I cribbed the post-retard process directly from TFL’s dmsnyder. See his San Joaquin Sourdough process notes, some of the clearest guidance I’ve consumed here. That said Hertzberg/Francois have many good things to say, so the basic idea of retarding for successive bakes came from there.
To be clear, I don’t refrigerate until bulk has gotten dough to double or nearly double. With larger masses of dough, bulk continues in refrigerator for several hours, so best to start retard before a complete double.
I appreciate all the comments and, as often is the case, bread/leavening science approaches and observations.
(Replying to one question - my doughs only see the fridge only during the over-night, last proof prior to baking - Both loaves Nestled in their covered bannetons)
As it turns out, I didn’t actually see the comments prior to taking the problem on myself... so here’s the upshot:
i Removed the unbaked loaf late yesterday afternoon and allowed it to warm up. Indeed, it restarted the rise, swelling well above the riM of the basket. I then turned it onto a floured counter, deflated the dough, and turned it into a ball. It rested for 45” and then I gently flattened it and formed a tight boule and returned it to the dusted banneton. I let this rise for maybe 45-60” and then into the fridge.
500F for 20” covered
450” for 10” covered
450” for 10” uncovered
did not dust with flour (basket dusted with rice flour so finish is slightly diff)
final upshot... this loaf of the dozen or so batches over the winter / spring had the greatest spring and ‘rip’ of the bunch!
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