August 10, 2012 - 2:44am
My Dough Has TUMORS!!!!!!
So, doing a lot of Tartine Country variations.
- All 70-75% hydro.
- All 90% white, 10% whole wheat.
Tried hand mixing; thought it was the issue. Moved to the machine, no change.
- I scrape the bottom of the bowl half way through the first mix
- Always autolyse for 30-40 minutes.
- I scrape the bottom of the bowl half way through the post autolyse mix.
Despite these measures, it seems that I have some unmixed flour in the dough. Little lumps are produced that never seem to go away. Very annoying. Not sure it really causes horrible issues, but it has to caused some texture issues.
What gives!!
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Could this be due to the way you incorporate water into the flour mixture? I don't tend to just pour the entire batch of water into the flour mixture. I tend to do it a little at a time at first and then finally pouring the rest in.
I tend to squeeze the dough through my fingers while mixing in order to remove any of those. Also, you can frissage the dough against the counter, much like you would a pastry dough. I usually do that to breads with less hydration, though.
Matt
And I second odinraider's suggestion about using the frissage technique to eliminate lumps.
from the autolyse and add it to your preferment when you mix it in. I am not familiar with the details of the Tartine bread, but if you can get some extra water into your preferment, assuming you are using one, it will soften and dilute it helping to disperse it. If your preferment is going into your autolyse, do the same thing only use all the water to soften the preferment first. Put the preferment into the mixer bowl, then add the other dry ingredients.
Its 400g of 100% Levain. I add all the water to it and stir, then add all the flour. With it so wet, the machine tends to leave half of the dough on the bottom of the bowl and I think its barely getting touched. I scrape the sides and bottom and flip a few times to ensure all the dough gets mixed but I think by then, its too late.
I think I will try hand mixing again and just get a little rougher with it. Maybe another hand squeeze after the autolyse and finish in the machine.
Thanks everyone.
Are you adding the water/levain mixture to your mixer first, and then adding the flour on top? If so, you shouldn't be getting dry flour clumps in the bottom of your mixer, especially with a high hydration dough.
Also, autolyse is done after the ingredients are well incorporated, so again, if there are clumps of flour remaining, the initial mix should be allowed to proceed until they are mixed well. Then autolyse.
Hope that helps.
Larry