This was the loaf where I used starter straight from the fridge after it had peaked at room temperature. And I found it really hard to know when to stop bulking since it was taking soooo long to rise to the normal level. I started to shape it when it hadn’t quite reached the height I wanted. can anyone tell me if this loaf is over fermented? It was a boule which I hadn’t done in ages since I like batards more , and the square scoring I did on top of the loaf kinda just disappeared. So I thought it was due to over fermentation. or maybe I didn’t go deep enough. Not that happy with the oven spring either.
With the bread I bake I find that I only get oven spring when I put the loaves in before they are fully proofed, but most of my breads are sandwich ryes.
It is more a factor of hydration, how active your bulk fermentation was, how you handle your bulk fermented dough and how you shape your final dough. I don't spend much time baking wheat bread, attempting to get a huge open crumb. With the rye bread I bake, I'm happy to have a light soft crumb instead of dense lumps of cooked dough ;0)
I used to be paranoid about overproofing, but now I look for a few things to judge. First, bubbles. If I'm only seeing a couple of bubbles on the surface it might not be ready. Second, the dough being loose and jiggly as if it's full of gas. Lastly the poke test.
I don't really go by rise percentage anymore - when it's fully fermented it obviously has risen quite a bit, but I don't try to say to myself "is that 70%" or whatever.
My formula usually goes something like this. 50g whole wheat, 450 g rogers silver star (which I found out was commerical bread flour much to my delight. I thought i had been baking with APF all this time). and about 70% hydration.
Hi all!
This was the loaf where I used starter straight from the fridge after it had peaked at room temperature. And I found it really hard to know when to stop bulking since it was taking soooo long to rise to the normal level. I started to shape it when it hadn’t quite reached the height I wanted. can anyone tell me if this loaf is over fermented? It was a boule which I hadn’t done in ages since I like batards more , and the square scoring I did on top of the loaf kinda just disappeared. So I thought it was due to over fermentation. or maybe I didn’t go deep enough. Not that happy with the oven spring either.
Doesn't look over fermented to me.
Thanks, I guess it was really just the oven spring that I wasn't happy with. Less oven spring = more closed crumb?
With the bread I bake I find that I only get oven spring when I put the loaves in before they are fully proofed, but most of my breads are sandwich ryes.
That's interesting because once in a blue I'll have really good oven spring. It's so hard for me to judge perfect fermentation time.
In your opinion, do you think I can push fermentation longer for a more open crumb?
It is more a factor of hydration, how active your bulk fermentation was, how you handle your bulk fermented dough and how you shape your final dough. I don't spend much time baking wheat bread, attempting to get a huge open crumb. With the rye bread I bake, I'm happy to have a light soft crumb instead of dense lumps of cooked dough ;0)
I used to be paranoid about overproofing, but now I look for a few things to judge. First, bubbles. If I'm only seeing a couple of bubbles on the surface it might not be ready. Second, the dough being loose and jiggly as if it's full of gas. Lastly the poke test.
I don't really go by rise percentage anymore - when it's fully fermented it obviously has risen quite a bit, but I don't try to say to myself "is that 70%" or whatever.
My formula usually goes something like this. 50g whole wheat, 450 g rogers silver star (which I found out was commerical bread flour much to my delight. I thought i had been baking with APF all this time). and about 70% hydration.