I usually add some instant yeast to my recipes because my early experience with my sourdough had long initial rises and I just ran out of time to get the loaf to the bake.
I want to revisit this and see if it still holds true because when I made that determination, I was a lot less experienced.I will experiment but I'd like to benefit from what other people have experienced. I keep my starter at about 100-125% hydration with AP flour and just recently started making a pre-ferment/sponge for my otherwise whole wheat loaves.I do have a problem finding a consistently warm place for both the starters and the sponge.My kitchen in winter is 63-68F. My oven is currently what I'm using with the door rigged open so the lightbulb stays on. My husband who cooks,too, shut the oven door once and turned the oven on-Near disaster! Almost killed my pets!
So how long is the initial rise on your daily bread?
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With winter temperatures like you describe, maybe as much as 24 hours for the bulk fermentation. If temps are 75ºF or higher, maybe 6 hours. After shaping, perhaps 75% of the time for the first rise, but that's also variable.
Other variables include inoculation rate, whole-grain vs. white flours, mix-ins, hydration, etc.
Paul
Bulk proofs at 70°-72°F averages 4 hours; @ 55°F 15 hours.
When refrigerated (37-38°F) doughs double in 24 hours, but the yeast goes almost entirely dormant, so I think the doubling takes less than 24 hours.
Final proofs:
2 hours to 2 hours 15 mins. at 70°-72°F
One other starter (same strain, fed different flour) takes about 25% more time for bulk proof, and final proof.
Note: I think much of the variation is how much of the dough formula is starter. The numbers I've given you range over doughs that have 25% to 40% of the total flour prefermented, i.e., fed to the starter.
David G
[quote=davidg618]Note: I think much of the variation is [u]how much of the dough formula is starter[/u].[/quote]
...so true. Having recently turned to Hamelman's [i]Bread[/i] for ponters on a basic sourdough with 15% rye, I noticed that the amount of levain he calls for is significantly greater than other formulas I've been using recently.
Thanks for pointing this out.
Levain- About 14 hours
Bulk Ferment- About 5 Hours
Final Proof- About 2 1/2 hours
Jeff
I only use 40 grams or so of starter in about 840 grams of flour. I leave it on the counter. We have cool nights and in the day, the heater is set at 68°. I appreciate all the flavor imparted to my loaves during such a long time.
25% starter, 4 hours
Interesting comments. I just recently started adding more starter to my recipes and really noticed a decrease in rise times. I don't work with percentages but I used to use 1/2 cup 100% active starter for every 3-4 cups flour.Now I add 1 cup. I've started decreasing the amounts of instant yeast and next weekend may try to eliminate it altogether. Also, my starter is a lot more mature than when I started my baking journey 2 yrs ago.
Since I use my SD to make sandwich bread and it's about 166% hydration, the only thing that changes rising time is room temperatures. We live in Canada and our kitchen is pretty cold, it's 2 p.m. and currently about 68F. I develop my sponge over night, 12 hours on average. I leave my dough in the oven, oiled and covered, for about 4 hours. The dough usually rises more than double in less than four hours in the summer, and probably 4.5 hours in the colder months.
Al