So many variables
Each new bread teaches me the impact of one new variable. This time I learned about "DO lid removal time".
After a one-time return to <70% dough, last night I went back to my progressive hydration increase and made an 80%.
The kneading went well. The bulk raise before the 24h fermentation was simpler to manage than fermenting first and raising after, as I've been doing. The folding went very well after following the good advice I had here last time.
Then, when I had my well kneaded, well raised, easily shaped loaf, I decided to test opening the dutch oven sooner in the bake.
Until now, I kept the dutch oven up to an inner dough temperature between 80ºC and 97ºC (176ºF - 206ºF). I got good crust shapes but bad crust caramelization. So last night I decided to open the lid sooner; at 40ºC (104ºF).
The resulting loaf didn't grow to full size and the crust was flat and smooth. My instinctive interpretation is that removing the lid so soon hardened the crust and didn't allow the dough to grow.
I'll post pictures when I'm back home and have checked whether the crumb was impacted too.
So many variables to play with... And I'm still playing with the same simple white loaf every time! How much more to discover with flours and other ingredients!
But now make 10% of the flour whole rye, (not sure what hydration you're doing but 10% probably won't affect it too much even though rye needs higher hydration), and see what a difference that makes.
I'll do some more tests with 80% hydration, so adding 10% rye shouldn't require changing that.
I'll buy some wholegrain organic rye and start my other flours tests with that.
At 80% hydration making 10% whole rye will not make any difference. High enough already. Will bring more depth of flavour.
Enjoy!
a Vermont Sourdough and I've just posted Jeffrey Hamelman's Vermont Sourdough on another forum topic. Here it is...
RECIPE
Flour : 490g [440g bread flour, 50g rye]
Water : 267g
Salt : 10-11g
Levain : 196g @ 125% hydration
Levain Build : 14g starter + 102g water + 80g bread flour [12-14 hours before]
METHOD
1. Mix flours with water and levain until well combined. Let the dough rest (autolyse) for 30 minutes.
2. Add the salt and knead by hand till fully incorporated & medium gluten formation [about 10min].
3. Let the dough ferment at room temperature for 2.5 hours with folds at 50 minutes and 100 minutes.
4. Shape on floured surface and let rest for 15 minutes.
5. Shape again into loaf tin with seam side down and final proof for 2-2.5 hours [or leave out for 20min then refrigerate till ready].
6. Bake in pre-heated oven.
Obviously adjust amounts according to size of loaf you want but keep the same ratios. And adjust method for banneton if you use one. This is a lower % hydration then your 80% hydration recipe.
How do you measure the internal temp of the dough during baking? The obvious ways of taking the lid off the DO off or having it ajar to allow for a probe would both seem to produce a loss of steam.
I use a cable thermometer. It's attached to the exterior of the oven and has a thin metallic cable (a bit thinner than headphones) with a sensor at the end. It has alarms by time and temperature.
After some tests, I've discovered that:
So some of the steam is escaping, which partially defeats the purpose of using the DO in the first place. So I don't see any need or any meaningful advantage to using the probe, and there may be some disadvantage.
Instead of using temp to determine when to take the lid off, I suggest you experiment a bit to see what combination of temp plus time with the lid on and then off gives you the crust you prefer. Fwiw, I most often preheat to 450 then bake for 45 minutes with the lid off for the last 15. This produces a fairly chewy crust that's in the medium brown range, with some variation depending on the specific recipe. When I want a darker bake, I simply take the lid off earlier, as soon as after 15 minutes.
Depending on your oven, loaf sizes, etc, you may want to adjust your total bake time.
temperatures. Preheat the DO to 450 F, Bake at 450 F with the lid on to promote spriing and bloom then take the lid of turn the oven down to 425 F Fan on this time and bake for another 5 minutes to set the crust. Take the bread out of the DO and continue baking on the stone. about another 10 minutes until the bread reads 205-210 F on the inside with an instant read thermometer.and is browned to the level you like.
Caramelization of sugars in the bread crust will not happen at ll well with the lid on since it only takes place in the absence of water. By removing the kid the water is removed and the bread browns.,
Leaving the lid on longer than 20 minutes doesn't help the spring much, so get it off and get the bread to brown . if done right the spring and bloom and the browning are well coordinated to that the the bread looks done when the internal temperature reaches at least 205 F . i bake to 210 F because i like a bold bake and the taste of a a well caramelized crust,the best..
Well stated dabrownman.
I finally realized why your handle is what it is. It's all about 'da brown man'.
dobie