Open Crumb Fraudery
Hello All,
Trevor J Wilson has a book out called "Open Crumb Mastery" which, like his videos, purport to teach you how to get a nice open crumb from various kinds of dough. Personally, I call bullshit.
Has anyone here ever made a nice open crumb with a dough less than 75% hydration? And I don't mean its an airy bread. I mean big, irregular, artisan style holes.
Why is it my local bakery can't seem to make open crumb bread? Only their shitty looking ciabatta has irregular holes.
There is something else folks, something else that leads to the open crumb we see on blogs and books. It isn't gentle dough handling, I'll tell you that. I've been babying my dough lately. It isn't having a good starter. I have a super active one. It isn't judging the proof right. I've tried every possible ferment/proof time combo. No open crumb.
Is it flour type, is it a secret ingredient, is it misrepresentation? Don't know yet. What I do know is the book "Open Crumb Mastery" is a retarded meander through one man's opinion on what makes open crumb. It sounds really good, but apply the principles, and you don't get open crumb. Do not waste your money on this E-book.