What happend to my breads???
So I used my usual recipe to make my usual breads.
During the last few weeks I've done everything to make by breads sour again and this is what I have changed in my quest for sourness...
- Keep my starter at a lower hydration (50%) in the fridge
- Keep the temperature higher (85 deg F) for the Levain
- Used whole wheat and/or whole rye flour
- Longer final proofing (12+ hours) in the fridge
- More Levain (30% of the total flour)
This morning, when I took the breads out of the fridge, I noticed that they were more proofed than usual. It was strange since I didnt really change much from my last no-sour bake. The ovenspring was pretty good and after I baked the breads, I noticed a deeper, better smell of bread/wheat. More concentrated and characteristic. When I cut the first slice and tasted it, I discovered that it was actually much more sour but not too much and very well ballanced. It is propobly the best breads I ever made!
The only thing I changed, compared to my usual way, was to give the Levain more time between every feeding. I gave it about 2 hours more after it has peaked.
The question is, can this little change really ad a LOT more flavour and sourness to the breads when all the others didnt?