Dough consistency
Hi, first post on the forum.
I started making bread at home a few weeks ago, using Eric Kayser's book. It's a blast, no matter what you do, you end up with really tasty bread.
I've been trying different recipes to see how they turn out and, most times, my bread doesn't have enough air holes inside after baking and they don't really spring that much in the oven (I have this idea that the bread needs to spring a lot as key to air pockets).
For instance, I've now tried the recipe for a "Boule" about 5 times, and only once it came out perfectly inside.
The recipe:
500g wheat flour T65
350g water 20C
100g liquid levain
2g fresh baker's yeast
10g salt
- Mix everything and knead using as little flour as possible on counter and hands. Knead using a stretch and fold technique for around 10 minutes, until dough is stretchy and strong but still somewhat sticky. Make some final folds into the inside of dough, turn upside down, you get a nice even ball, regular surface up, seam down.
- Cover the dough with a damp cloth for 1h30m for a first proof (the dough has been growing fine for me)
- Shape the dough into a ball by, again, folding its edges inside, use your hands to cup the dough into a round shape, turn it over, regular top, seam down, nice ball shape
- Place ball in floured proofing basket covered with damp cloth, seam up, for 2h
- Pre-heat oven to 230C
- Tip dough ball into floured baking tray, regular side up, seam down. Slash surface in polka pattern (at this stage I usually find the dough too soft and runny, as soon as you slash it, it tends to spread quite a bit, this leads me to thing the problem is here, something to do with how it was kneaded/shaped)
- Pour 5cl water into oven for steam, place tray inside, cook for 40/45 minutes
Anyone can see what is going wrong? I feel it might be that the dough is not kneaded properly or too moist, that it doesn't have that gluten springiness, but after I knead I also feel that the dough is sufficiently kneaded, that I didn't beat it up too much, that it's not hard and rubbery, that it is at a point where it's springy, elastic, alive, and still a bit sticky.
I'd appreciate any advice.