A blooming boule!
This bake was Ken Forkish's double fed sweet levain and I kept to his schedule as much as I could. I had to refrigerate the first build for a few hours and the second build overnight, so the flavour profile will be somewhat different, but this formula sure makes a nice loaf of bread. Great shreddy crumb and a nice crust.
I really enjoy how the loaf blooms open organically by proffing seam side down and baking seam side up.
This was also the first time I tried the stretch and fold in the bowl with wet hands and I really like this method of working dough. With wet hands, I would work the dough ball out of the bowl and let it's weight provide some of the stretch longways, while I stretched out sideways. This is now my preferred method of doing S&F's with high hydration doughs.
I really like the idea of doing a long overnight proof and then baking from cold. Fire on the oven with the Lodge DO on a baking stone and 5 minutes after 475 is reached, bake it off. Very convenient!
I enjoyed this bake enormously and tomorrow will start another version, but sticking to Ken's levain schedule as close as possible.
Happy baking folks! Brian
Comments
bread - inside and our, I baked mine seam side up today and it came out contorted and weird looking. Guess the seams weren't as tightly sealed as yours......I'm guessing that this one taste as good as it kooks. It didn't take very long for you to get back to making some looking and tasting bread. Well done and
Happy Baking Ski
I love the dark caramelised bits around the edges of the opened up seams and the crumb is just how I like it.
I just mixed the first levain for a second attempt at this bread. Unlike the last bake this one will go strictly by the book.
Happy baking folks!
I followed Ken's double fed sweet levain recipe to the T this bake. The result was a much milder flavour the the previous bake. The hydration was also 80% vs 77% for the first try. I love the flavour of the bread and will stick to the feeding schedule and formula, but will back the hydration down to 77% next bake.
Happy baking folks