October 17, 2013 - 2:28am
Loaf structure....
Hi
I've not been baking Sourdoughs too long, started last year and it's going alright. The bread often tastes fine but I have a slight problem with my looks... my hydration is usually around 67%, 300 g water and 450 g strong white flour. I usually build with 100g starter, 100g water and 100g flour, mix and leave till bubbles are good, then 150g water and 300g flour, autolyse for 30-60 mins, add salt and knead. Leave 45 mins, knead for 2 mins, repeat and then place in floured basket. Pop into bag and seal, leave to rise.
When it comes to transferring to Dutch oven the dough nearly pours out and there is no way I could handle it as I've seen on some videos..
Question is: why is my dough so weak, 67% is not too wet?
Cheers
Hj
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. . . your dough? Kneading, stretch and fold and the French slap and fold are all valid techniques for developing gluten structure. Sounds like your dough is under developed. Brian
Hi Brian
Stretch and fold, not so much slapping... for 5-10 mins for the first and then 2-3 mins for subsequent kneads.... long enough or much much more.
Thanks for your time
Hj
. . . development. One of the things that improved my loaves was improving my pre-shaping and shaping skills. I found the shaping section in this Richard Bertinet video very helpful and I have watched it many times and usually just before shaping.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sOjSp5_YiF0
This video helped me. Regards, Brian
Hi Brian, thanks for the link. Watched and useful.
Best wishes, Andrew
"...mix and leave till bubbles are good,"
This is almost half of the dough, and from the above description could be too close to maximum proofed. With this much pre-ferment in the dough, fermentation will move quickly. I think the salt should go in sooner to control fermenting and the autolyse should be short, closer to 20 to 30 minutes. Don't knead after the 45 min rest, just stretch and fold the dough (4 times for a set.) Check the rising and fold again if it is rising more out than up. When placing in the floured basket, it should be feeling pretty puffy and half risen. The basket is only a resting place for the last little rise before baking. If it turns to liquid, there is a good chance the dough is over-proofed. I think it goes back to your preferment fermentation of 100g starter 100g water and 100g flour and how advanced it was when used.
Hello MO,
Thank you for your advice. As I read you note a couple of times it makes a lot of sense. I will give your suggestions a go today.
Cheers
Hj
Hi Mini and Brian
Baked a loaf yesterday and yes, it was better.... but still probably over proofing and under kneading.... so going to step back a bit, do some more reading and find a method I like the look of and try it a couple of times.
Thanks for the suggestions.
Andrew