Analyzing a sourdough bake session
Here's a formula I've been working on:
Light Whole Wheat Sugar Free Sourdough
Overall FormulaBread Flour | 26.15 oz | 55% |
WW Flour | 21.4 oz | 45% |
Water | 33.45 oz | 70.35% |
Salt | .9 oz | 1.9% |
Butter | 3 oz | 6.3% |
Total Yield | 5 lb, 4.9 oz | 176.45% |
Bread Flour | 7.15 oz | 100% |
Water | 8.9 oz | 125% |
Mature Culture | 1.6 oz | 20% |
Total | 17.65 oz |
|
Bread Flour | 19 oz |
WW Flour | 21.4 oz |
Water | 24.55 oz |
Salt | .9 oz |
Liquid Levain | 16.05 oz (return 1.6 oz) |
Butter | 3 oz |
Total | 5 lb, 4.9 oz |
- Liquid Levain. Make the final build 12 to 16 hours before the final mix and let stand in a covered container at about 70F.
- Mixing. Add all the ingredients to the mixing bowl, including the levain but not the salt or butter. Mix until a shaggy mass is achieved. Make any corrections to hydration at this time. (a touch to the dry side is ok, butter will be added.) Cover and let stand 20 to 60 minutes. Sprinkle the salt over the dough, finish mixing and add the softened butter during the final mix/knead.
- First rise. 2 ½ to 3 hours at 76F.
- Folding. Fold the dough either once (at 1 ½ hours) or twice at one hour intervals, depending on dough strength.
- Divide and Shape. Divide the dough into 4 21.5 ounce loaves or into the shapes you need.
- Final Rise. 2 ½ to 3 hours at 76F.
- Baking. Add steam to oven. 460F for 40 to 45 minutes.
The first time I made this it took 12 hours to go thru first and final rise. Today it was 9 or 10 hours. Why so long?
This recipe is one I've modified that originally used commercial yeast. It is 45% whole wheat and has butter in the formula so it's somewhat enriched.
I baked at 460F for the first 15 minutes and then backed down to 45F for about 25 more. The internal temperature was about 205F. I do not normally bake at these temperatures. The yeasted version bakes at 375F for 35 minutes. The crust, while nice, was a bit browner than I like.
The first batch was more sour. This batch is real mellow. Almost no sour flavor. But it's real good.
So my question. How do I better control the rises? I also noticed that the yeasted version rose more.
This time the dough was a bit sticky and slack. While I did pre-soak my fresh milled ww flour I could have probably held back some water.
One final note. In Bread by P. Hamelman his Vermont Sourdough calls for 20% starter in the overnight preliminary build. But the numbers seem to be 10%. My levain/preferment was nice and bubbly after 12 hours at which point I added it to the remaining flours and water.
Proof Box:
You noted that your ambient temp was 76F. There would be a noticeable decrease in rise time if you were able to increase the temp to 80-85F. After I started using a proof box (Brod and Taylor), I notice this difference myself. My preferment ripening can be as little as 4 hours when I use the proofing box.
Yeast activity:
Your yeast activity can greatly affect rise times. The more yeast population in your levain, the better it will perform (shorter rise time). The yeast/lacto balance also affects rise time and flavor (sour) .
Your loaf looks pretty nice but if you look at the crumb, you will notice larger bubble towards the top of the loaf and denser near the bottom. That may be from the dough slackness you mention and a bit of overproof. With a 3 hour rise, the dough really relaxes and the top expands more easily. Shaping can address some of that and perhaps a shorter final proof. Search for the "finger poke test".
General comments:
There are a lot of different ways to bake WW but I usually bake my WW loaves at a lower, longer temp. 375F.
I use commercial yeast (just a little) in my naturally leavened doughs to decrease my production time. I have found the proofer or some way to hold the dough at a higher temp really works, also.
Keep doing some form of soak for WW. It prevents the loaf from drying out and becoming crumbly after the bake. I usually use my WW flour in the preferment and you will find it generally ripens faster (and over-ripens, faster,also!)
Good write-up! Nice looking loaf!
I used a Brod and Taylor box. I set the temp initially to 76F and then bumped it to 80F. I also had a bit of water in the bottom. I placed a 6qt rising bucket into the proofing box. I left the bucket lid off but I don't think that matters. While it did not dry out the proofing box lid sits either on the bucket or real close to it. I was watching the dough temperature. I was worried about turning the box up to a higher temperature. I'll try that next time.
I do use a finger test. I will admit that the final rise was a bit longer than I wanted because I had put in a movie to watch and had to use a timer to remind me to check the dough. (Well, I wasn't going to pull up a chair and watch the dough rise!)
For the next bake I will make the following changes:
Use whole wheat instead of bread flour in the levain/preferment. (possibly increase activity level of yeast and reduce rise time.)
Hold back a few ounces of water during final dough mix till I double check the hydration. (reduce slackness)
Set my proofing box to a higher temperature. (reduce rise time)
My overnight ferment was both bubbly and sudsy after 12 hours. I'm going to feed the starter again this morning and let it sit out so I can use it again this afternoon for a bake tomorrow. I can easily switch the flour used in the levain/preferment to the whole wheat instead of the bread flour. This may increase the activity level above what it currently is.
I'm not sure about the bake temperature. I may just leave that as is so that I do not introduce too many changes at once.
So, I'm looking for a quicker rise and a not so slack dough.
Thanks for the advice. I'll see what the bread looks like tomorrow. Today I just have time for yeasted breads, if any.
The increased temperature in the proofing box decreased the first rise to 2 hr and 45 min. The second rise at room temp, which I cranked up to 72F took about 3 hours. I wanted a bit more rise but I was running out of time. I needed to rush them to work for co-workers. As it was I had to put the loaves in paper towels and told them to let them cool completely before bagging.
My tweaked recipe used a bit less water and the dough did feel better. A bit sticky but workable.
Thanks for the tips folks.