very stiff dough for golden raisin bread
hello everybody! Last evening I began to make "golden raisin bread" from hamelman book, page 172. I increased the amount of water with 5 % (from 69% to 74%), after I read on this forum that the hydration given in the book gives a dough that is too stiff. I omited the yeast from the recipe. I did 2 S-F at 40 min interval, with a bulk fermentation of 2 hours. I shaped a small boule and a small batard and I put the doughs in the fridge overvight. The dough was stiff when I shaped it, and it didn't raise in the fridge (maybe just 10%). When I press the batard with my hand it's like a rock, I don't feel air trap inside. I start to thinking that I didn't use the right "rolled oats". I used old fashioned rolled oats, should I have used quick cooking rolled oats instead?
I removed the loafs from the fridge this morning, and I'll wait to see if they raise at room temperature. I don't know what to do, is so hot here, I don't want to use the oven if the dough is bad. Two hours of intensive heat and sweat, just to have 2 doorstops- can be very frustrating.
Overall formula was 348 g bread flour, 87 g whole wheat flour, 325 g water, 9 g salt, 44 g old fashioned rolled oats, 110 g raisins. (The prefermented flour was 15% from the total amount of flour, and the levain was liquid, at 125% hydration).
What did I do wrong? Or this dough is suposed to be dry and stiff?
codruta
charlotte, I don't think the yeast is the problem. The amount of yeast in the recipe is very small, and it can be omitted if you increase the fermentation time. In fact, I'm not sure there is a problem, at room temperature the shaped doughs softened and they started to raise. The oven is preheating, as I write, and i'll patiently wait to see how my loafs will turn out. I'll post aboout it.
I have P.R. "BBA", I'll search the recipe. Thanx!
Codruta
I'm really very much an amateur when it comes to bread but I've tried the golden raisin bread four times or more and always the dough is very stiff. I had wondered if it was just me messing it up somehow or my flour, which I guy from a local organic mill. But I just increase the hydration and it's always delicious. Now I want to bake....