Timing sourdough retard
I have a question on the timing/schedule for retarding my sourdough loaves -- whether I should do bulk fermentation overnight in the refrigerator, and then shape my final loaf and let the dough heat up, or should I bulk ferment on the counter until the dough has risen, shape my final loaf and then retard the loaf overnight in a baneton in the refrigerator.
In general for a 500 gram loaf, I take 150 grams of starter out of the refrigerator in the evening (75 water, 75 flour), and add 275 water (for 70% hydration), and 225 grams of flour. I let that ferment overnight on the counter. The next day, I add the last 200 grams of flour and the salt and mix, and fold a couple of times. At that point, is it better to put the bulk dough in the refrigerator overnight (and shape, rise and bake the next day), or shape my loaf, put it in the baneton and put it in the refrigerator (and bake the next morning after letting the chill go off the dough for a couple of hours).
Or, something completely different. haha.
Thanks in advance for any tips.
there are plenty of ways of tweaking it, no particular best way so long as it works for you in terms of the end result and fitting in to your life.
Day 1 I refresh the starter in the morning before I go to work. That night I make the dough and bulk ferment in Tupperware in the fridge overnight. Day 2 In the morning I take it out of the fridge, shape (easy while fridge cold) and put in brotform, then return to fridge inside plastic bag. That evening when I get in from work I preheat oven with Le Creuset casserole in it, then remove dough from the fridge, turn the it out onto parchment, score and lower gingerly into hot casserole. Bake half the time with lid on, then remove lid and bake for nearly the rest of the time, then remove from casserole and finish off direct on oven shelf.
The timing of this suits my life - to be honest I've left it for an extra day in the fridge for the bulk fermentation and it's been fine.
I get really good oven spring putting the dough straight from the fridge into the preheated Le Creuset.
i don't do all my bread this way - this is just the routing for the daily staple pain de campagne (white/dark rye mix).
i will see if I can add pic for interest but will have to look up how to do it ....
Thanks Cathie,
I see how that could work. The problem I have had is over-proofing my shaped loaf and not getting good oven spring. My guess is that I am letting the dough warm up and rise before I shape the loaf, which knocks out the air and because of the long fermentation time, the final loaf does not have enough energy left for a final rise or spring in the oven.
You are shaping the loaf cold, and returning it to the refrigerator before baking. That makes sense, and I'll give it a try.
Thanks.
having another go for pic