The Fresh Loaf

A Community of Amateur Bakers and Artisan Bread Enthusiasts.

Crumb diagnosis hints?

Muddy Gardener's picture
Muddy Gardener

Crumb diagnosis hints?

Hi folks - do you have any advice about this latest effort, re compression (or... lack of expansion) of the crumb on the top?  Pictures below,  and further details of baking recipe/process below that.    Thanks!

The finished loaf (above) looked pretty good.

The crumb (above) seemed a bit compressed at the top.

In close up (above), it was a bit gummy.

This was a rye-fed starter fed with strong white bread flour to make a levain overnight, remainder of the flour 80% strong white bread flour 20% whole wheat, autolysed for an hour or so, 63% total hydration, several hours stretch and fold at room temperature, cold proofing overnight, baked in pre-heated dutch oven at 250C for 35 minutes.   

I've got a few theories about what might have been going on:

  • not scored deeply enough, so the crust was impeding rising in the oven?
  • not cooked quite enough - would have been better to leave it in the oven for another 5-10 minutes?
  • [your favourite theory here....]

Any ideas about what's what?

tx!

 

p.s.  it's very tasty - quite light and soft in texture - but not as elastic as some other efforts

idaveindy's picture
idaveindy

Mg:  unfortunately, you linked to the thumb-nail images and not the full image.

You don't need to re-upload the photos. The full size images are there.

If you can edit your post, delete those images from the post (not from your files tab), and then insert the images that do not have "thumb" in the name. It should be simple.

--

Next time, don't check the "thumb"  box when you upload.  That is an advanced feature, which seems to  confuse basic users.

Muddy Gardener's picture
Muddy Gardener

I was hoping the thumbs would link to the full image.  But I guess the system is quite basic and not very advanced.

 

idaveindy's picture
idaveindy

You could do that manually. But it's not something a basic user would understand without a video to show the exact steps. 

Muddy Gardener's picture
Muddy Gardener

Ah, I've found the stack overflow of sourdough...!

Mini Oven's picture
Mini Oven

Looks like the whole loaf got compressed during slicing.  How soon after baking was it cut and detail on the cutting please.  It looks heavy handed, something my hubby is good at.  He can reduce the height of a warm loaf by a third!  Lol.  :)

The crumb looks good to me.  Sure the pictures are of the same loaf?

Muddy Gardener's picture
Muddy Gardener

definitely the same loaf.

I might have tried to cut it only an hour out of the oven... (I was taking a day's holiday and we wanted to bring it on a picnic...)

Do you think that could be the problem?  I thought I'd cut it from the side... but might have tried different one thing and another...

 

Mini Oven's picture
Mini Oven

Yep, most definitely.   Cut too soon.

I have a big square dishtowel I wrap hot loaves in "on the go."  Put the loaf in the middle and tie up opposite corners.  A last knot makes a handle to hang or carry 'till cool and inside moisture can spread toward the crust.

Yes, you are taking a risk the whole loaf may get eaten.  Na ya.   :)

Muddy Gardener's picture
Muddy Gardener

I will not cut my loaves too soon

I will not cut my loaves too soon

(repeat until cooled)

..

Thanks!

idaveindy's picture
idaveindy

that I know of, to resist the temptation, is to schedule your bakes such that you can still be eating the previous loaf while waiting for the new loaf to cool.

I  bake mostly whole wheat, and it takes my loaves 22 hours after baking to develop the flavor that I crave.

Mini Oven's picture
Mini Oven

Crumb when you can't resist.  Lol!   One trick is to slice and then tip the loaf so the cut side is down on the cutting board to prevent the crumb from drying out.  

semolina_man's picture
semolina_man

Wait until the loaf is fully cooled before slicing, and cook for a longer time and/or at a higher temperature, and/or reduce hydration (water) in the recipe. 

It also looks a bit overproofed. 

Overall it looks good and I'll bet it tasted good. 

 

 

Muddy Gardener's picture
Muddy Gardener

Is that if the loaf is cut side down is more difficult to photograph the crumb ...