Over-fermented dough makes a decent sandwich loaf
I was planning to make a "field blend #2" bread, using starter and the directions for the overnight country brown. However, I started earlier in the morning and by the time the dough was tripled, it was very much over fermented. I knew this because the dough was much more fragile than usual. I could see the gluten web being fully developed as it poured/pulled out of the bucket.
The dough was super duper sticky, incapable of being handled or shaped. I just kept reverting to a mess, remaining sticky as ever after the bulk ferment. So, I did what I had to do. I greased up some tins and deposited the dough into them, let them proof for a few hours and baked up some loaves.
The thermometer read 210 degrees so I figured it was done. But several hours later the bread was very moist inside, damp to the touch. It made fantastic toast, wonderful tang, but I would not want a sandwich made out of it ... at least not on day 1. But a few days later, the bread "dried out" and had a much more pleasing quality about it, and made great sandwiches.
Very glad that it was not a total failure as a bread. The coloration on the top is due to an uneven application of butter after it came out of the oven.
Here it is after the proofing.
Comments
Not unusual for SD bread to be much better on day 2 for sandwiches. I've started baking bread that has sprouted flour in it to 210 F for the same reason and it still comes out super moist on day 1 and is much better on day 2 even when not over fermented - since it isn't bulk fermented at all and can't over ferment. Keeping ti from over proofing in the fridge while we sleep is another story..
This is one of the reasons why I want to know "why", rather than following recipes alone. Recipes are great, but breadmaking, especially with SD, is an interactive sport, where you're teamed with ingredients and a common goal to make smashing bread. You gotta learn to make tricky calls.
Well played, David!
Cathy
I would rather have made a nice boule, but glad I did not have to toss the dough. Here is the second of the two loaves.
You can see some of the "added flour" that I used to try and make the dough manageable. But, since the dough was nearly as much batter than dough it really was doomed to fail.
David: I totally agree with Cathy's observations. I was just commenting to Ian that sourdough is such an art and a science. I have had many challenging moments and some super sticky incidents as well. Congrats on the save because sometimes the saves work and sometimes they don't. I have a friend coming over next week who has never baked with sourdough for a baking afternoon. I sure hope it is one of those good days! Glad you were able to get some great sandwiches out of it.
We need Mini Oven to analyze what's gone on...she is so good at figuring these things out in detail. Thanks for posting. Best, Phyllis
Having used the "field blend #2" ingredients with both the rye and the whole wheat milled at home, and using the rise times for the pure levain bread that contained less whole grain, I needed to mix my dough later in the day or get to it earlier in the morning the next day. If I try this again, I might mix it in the morning so I can actually take a look at it and shape when it is adequately risen, versus going to bed and hoping it isn't over fermented when I wake up!