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Fermentation, bulk rise, and fridge

Thanshin's picture
Thanshin

Fermentation, bulk rise, and fridge

This morning I had to take a decision: Leave the dough in the fridge for 12 more hours or leave it on the counter.

Composition: 78% hydration sourdough (500g bread flour, 380g water, 100g 100% sourdough, 10g salt) Weight = 980g Starter Ratio = 10%

Process up to this morning: 3h autolysis, Long knead*, 12h fridge, [at that point I had to decide between 12 more hours of fridge or 12h countertop.]

 

I decided to leave the dough in the fridge and this afternoon put it on countertop for 3h and then shape and bake. But I still question my decision. Should I have left it out for 12h? Or would it be way too long and the sourdough would eat everything to a paste.

The sourdough is very active, is fed every 12h, doubles in size in about 4~8h, and had eaten 3h before being mixed in this dough.

 

*: The point of this bread was for me to practice kneading wet dough after having watched a few videos of Bertinet's method. It was surprisingly easy and the result was fantastic. Instead of a sticky mess, the dough became a smooth ball.

Edo Bread's picture
Edo Bread

I think you made the right decision. What you don't mention is the ambient temperature of your kitchen. If it was not cold, with an active starter I think you would have overproofed.

dabrownman's picture
dabrownman

unplanned one, I do less slap and folds farther apart and let the extended time in the fridge do most of the gluten development and let the long cold bulk ferment do most of the work. I get a much more open crumb that way. I do 3 sets of 30 slap and folds on 30 minute intervals and 2 sets of 4 slap and folds on 45 minute intervals. I usually skip the bulk ferment on the counter and put it straight into the fridge. It will grow quite a bit in the fridge.

When it comes out I do a quick gentle pre shape immediately using 4 stretch and folds and then back in the bowl on the counter for an hour of warm up. Then do the final shape gently and let it proof on the counter in a basket for about 45 minutes or so until it rises 50% (not 100%) Then un-mold , slash and into the oven it goes.

The color of your boule looks very pale and lumpy. How did you bake it and do you have a crumb shot?

Happy baking

Thanshin's picture
Thanshin

My difficulty now is with the stretch and folds and the final shape. However, as the objective for this second sourdough was to learn kneading wetter doughs, I'm really happy with the crumb openness.

It's pale because I still remove it from the oven way too soon. I see a tiny black tip and decide it's burning. Should correct that little by little.

It's lumpy because it was so wet I didn't find a way to shape it without re-kneading it and decided to just move it to the DO in a parchment and let it rise about 50% there (the parchment folds gave it the bulby form).

After seeing the good (for me) crumb results. I think I'll do the next one with the same composition and procedure up to the shaping part and I'll try to get better from that point on, for now.

I still have to study the times. I finished this one at midnight, so I have to find a way to do the last portion of the process, not only better, but also faster.