Dough takes a long time to rise in bulk
My recent loaves are so tiny and dense. Not much rise during making of the dough and not much oven spring.
70g levain ( 100% hydro, 50/50 white and WW used at peak)
210g white wheat
140g WW
263g water
7g salt
- 11:00 - Autolyse with just flour and water
- 13:00 - Add salt and levain, dimple in, fold over itself
- 13:05 - 10m Rubaud knead, 15m rest, 5m Rubaud, on to bulk
- 14:00 - S&F every 30 minutes first two hours, then hourly
- 20:30 - Pre-shape
- 20:45 - Shape and into banneton
- 21:45 - Into fridge
I keep the dough in a B&T proofer set to 27C all through the making, until it hits the fridge. I suppose the Rubaud kneading determine the final dough temp before bulk, but I haven't measured it.
I build the levain with a 1:1:1 mix of an all white starter at 100% hydro. It typically gets to work 4 hours before I use it in the dough, at which point it has at least doubled.
During bulk it didn't really gain any volume at all until the fifth hour. Then it started going somewhere and by 6.5 hours I estimated it to have grown by 50%. I bulk in a glass bowl and have measured the levels and what they correspond to in dough volume. The dough doesn't gain much volume during final proof. I've tried letting it go further, but then I get pancake bread as it flattens out, lose structure and maybe overferment.
I typically feed the all white starter 1:2:2 the night before and it's ready about 8 hours later in room temp.
Is my starter slow and is that making the process more difficult?
It's good bread, but I would like more volume. Here's a dough during final proof and the crumb.