WW Sourdough help
Hi,
I am a long time home baker of sourdough.
The past year I didn't do much bread making and didn't take of my starter and it died.
Recently I bought some new dried starter, activated it and started using using.
My bread wasn't the same, it was wet and heavy.
The starter didn't seem to very good so no I just got some Carl's starter.
I have been activating for a few days and last night fed it 1:1:1 and it almost tripled overnight so it seems to be ready to use.
Here is the recipe and method I have used in the pass with some success:
180g starter 100% hydration
350g water
400g WW flour (I grind my own with a NutriMill)
110g white flour
10g salt
So I think the hydration is 73%
Method:
Mix all ingredients except salt, leave for 30 minutes.
Knead for 5 minutes mixing in salt.
Leave for 50 minutes
Stretch & Fold
Leave for 50 minutes
Stretch & Fold
Leave for 50 minutes
Form Boule and put in basket, leave for 30 minutes or so.
Preheat oven to 450
Bake on pizza stone at 450 for 8 minutes
Reduce temperature to 400 and bake for 37 more minutes.
I use an inverted glass bowl as a clouche while baking and take it off once the bread has reached the bottom of the bowl.
I am not an expert on this and would appreciate any feedback to improve my bread making. Here are some questions:
Does my hydration make sense?
I have been going by fixed time for fermentation, but maybe I should make sure it is doubling in size? The temperature in my house in mid 60's right now. Would it help to have a higher temperature like 75?
After forming the boule how do I know when to put it in the oven? Would I be better off putting in the refrigerator overnight and bake in the morning?
On one web site I read it better to sift out the bran in WW flour and add it back later to keep the gluten from getting cut up.
Thanks - Joel
Q: Does my hydration make sense?
A: Hydration calculation is correct.
Q: maybe I should make sure it is doubling in size? Would I be better off putting in the refrigerator overnight and bake in the morning?
A: I think this is best; let th dough tell you when it is ready. You may speed up the rising by raising the temperature or slow it down by refrigerating it. Do which ever suits your schedule. Retarding the dough will give you a more sour flavor.
Q: After forming the boule how do I know when to put it in the oven?
A: When it has doubled. Use the finger poke test.
Q: On one web site I read it better to sift out the bran in WW flour and add it back later to keep the gluten from getting cut up.
A: I have no experience with home ground flour. When I use whole wheat flour, I do let this soak a while for the bran to absorb the water or milk and thus soften.
I hope this has helped.
Ford
Joel, I agree with Ford. Go with what the dough does not the time. The temp of the dough, the temp of the room, and the mass of the dough will all impact how long it will take to double. If you don't have one yet, try to get a transparent container that has straight sides and a rubber band. I use a round rubbermaid container, once I load it into the container, I set the rubber band on outside the container at the height of the dough to make it easier to see when it has doubled.
I home mill all my flour and nearly everything I make is 100 % whole wheat. Many suggest that you sift out the larger bran, then add it back in later. I have a friend that swears this works, I have done it a few times, but did not notice an appreciable difference, so don't do that.
Joel
I agree with pretty much everything Ford and barry have said.
I also think your procedure and recipe are classic and sound.
I'll just add a few points that might be helpful.
When it comes to proofing temperature (as was said) it will help you to scheduel events. When seeking warmer temps, a lot of people use the oven off, but with the light on for a moderate warmth. Just keep a thermometer around as different ovens, different lights attain different temps.
A longer, cold retard will give you a boost in 'sour' as will a shorter warmer one (90-93F being peak). The 'sour' will be diminished when proofed between about 70-76F.
It can be tricky to accurately judge when dough has doubled but Ford and barry offer sound advice if you can find an appropriate container.
I usually shoot for just under double, probably about 1.75 X or so. I think the poke test is best. Remember that if the poke doesn't bounce back at all, it's under proofed, if it bounces back completely, it's over proofed.
So I would look for a good, but incomplete bounce back from the poke as perfect.
When it comes to sifting the coarser bran from the WW flour, I personally think that you would have to knead it pretty aggresively to create significant gluten damage (more than 5 min in a stand mixer) or the equivelant by hand, but it could be done.
I think that if you did sift it out and added it back once you got to the S&Fs, that risk would be minimalized.
There are those on this forum who sift and feed the bran to the levain (starter) they intend to use for the bake. Some of the effects are in not only softening the bran but also giving the 'sour' a boost.
Just some thoughts, but I wouldn't worry too much about any of it, no matter how you decide to go about it. It sounds like your starter is happy and healthy, which is probably the most important thing.
Good luck
dobie
Thanks for all the feedback.
I do have a cylindrical container that I used to use to know how much the dough has risen, but for some reason stopped using it and just left the dough in the mixing bowl. So I will go back to using it.
Today I am going to make a loaf and pay close attention to everything.