Tunnels are usually a sign that the dough was not degassed thoroughly before or during shaping the loaf. It's also possible that the dough didn't stick to itself well where it was folded, which would indicate a rather dry dough.
With mouse tunnels as dramatic as those, you may have pressed down quite hard during shaping, forcing large gas bubbles to expand down the length of the loaf. Even if the gas in those tunnels were removed later, maybe by puncturing the skin where they bulged up, the openings would still be there ready to fill with more gas during baking.
Thank you!! The was definately not dry, but I am just a beginner so I could have messed a lot of things here.. Any video you can suggest that I can watch for the next loaf?
I think this bread is under fermented. If you had a nice even crumb with some dispersed larger holes then i'd think it was a degassing issue when shaping. But the crumb in-between the caverns is very tight. I think giving the recipe and your method would help to further diagnose what's going on. Also, tell us about your starter and how you know if it's firing on all cylinders ready to go.
I guess what i'm saying is as it's your first recipe with a new starter how did you gauge your starter was ready to use? When did you make it? Has it been bubbling up nicely each time it's been fed? What is a typical feed and how long does it take to mature?
1: in the morning feed your starter to be ready in time to make the levain in the evening...
20g starter
40g warm water
40g flour
Before using it to make the levain it should be very well risen and bubbly. Should be ready by evening. Take off what you need for the levain and put the remainder in the fridge.
2: Build the levain that evening and only use in the final dough when it is very active. Should have a nice aroma too. Bubbles should be breaking the surface.
3: For the final dough i'm going to make a change. Only shape when the dough has doubled. Finding a straight sided, not too big, clear container will help you gauge how much the dough has risen.
Take photos of each stage when you think it is ready as perhaps it's just a timing issue. Then we can see what's going on.
There are more ways to use your starter. In my own baking, I don't usually build a separate levain, I just refresh the starter, and when it has become active and well-risen, I use part of it in the dough and refrigerate the rest.
You may get many suggestions, all of which may seem different. You don't need to stress over reconciling all of them. Bread-making is usually quite tolerant of variations. If one person says to make a lively levain, and I say you can just use your refreshed starter, don't worry that it seems like a contradiction. At a deeper level they are all consistent. Just pick one set of suggestions, and later you can branch out. As you gain experience, you will start to realized the deeper similarities.
And yes, I agree that the crumb in your picture does seem very tight. That would indicate not enough fermentation, which would naturally lead to questions about how active your starter was.
This is when you want to use it be it in a final dough or when building a levain. Your levain should look like this too. If you can do that and get the dough to double at the bulk ferment stage then it should be fine. So far, so good.
11 hours at 68°F is a bit slow but nothing so out of the ordinary to say there's an issue. It was a bit cold and one has to take into account starter variables as everyone's starter will be different.
I'd be curious to see how much it speeds up if you could feed it again and keep it at around 75-78°F.
Tunnels are usually a sign that the dough was not degassed thoroughly before or during shaping the loaf. It's also possible that the dough didn't stick to itself well where it was folded, which would indicate a rather dry dough.
With mouse tunnels as dramatic as those, you may have pressed down quite hard during shaping, forcing large gas bubbles to expand down the length of the loaf. Even if the gas in those tunnels were removed later, maybe by puncturing the skin where they bulged up, the openings would still be there ready to fill with more gas during baking.
Thank you!! The was definately not dry, but I am just a beginner so I could have messed a lot of things here.. Any video you can suggest that I can watch for the next loaf?
I think this bread is under fermented. If you had a nice even crumb with some dispersed larger holes then i'd think it was a degassing issue when shaping. But the crumb in-between the caverns is very tight. I think giving the recipe and your method would help to further diagnose what's going on. Also, tell us about your starter and how you know if it's firing on all cylinders ready to go.
This is the recipe I used:
https://www.culinaryexploration.eu/blog/old-faithful
As for the starter, I honestly don't understand the language:-) Please explain
Looks delicious.
I guess what i'm saying is as it's your first recipe with a new starter how did you gauge your starter was ready to use? When did you make it? Has it been bubbling up nicely each time it's been fed? What is a typical feed and how long does it take to mature?
Thanks Abe.
My starter is usually in the fridge I feed it once a week, and it takes 6 hours to double. I feed it with white flour.
I did use double the starter that was in the recipe, and I left it in the oven with the light on, since my house is cold.
Any advice?
1: What is your starter feed?
2: Did you wait for the levain to be active and bubbly before using?
3: Did you wait for the dough to have at least a 75% volume increase before shaping?
And finally, 4: Just to confirm is this your very first bake?
I feed my starter the same amount of water and flour.
It was active, not super bubbly, but more than doubled after 6 hours
The dough increased and had big bubbles on the surface
This is maybe the 5th time but every time I use a differemt recipe:-) I know.. It's not great.
Try one more time but i'll give you some tips...
1: in the morning feed your starter to be ready in time to make the levain in the evening...
Before using it to make the levain it should be very well risen and bubbly. Should be ready by evening. Take off what you need for the levain and put the remainder in the fridge.
2: Build the levain that evening and only use in the final dough when it is very active. Should have a nice aroma too. Bubbles should be breaking the surface.
3: For the final dough i'm going to make a change. Only shape when the dough has doubled. Finding a straight sided, not too big, clear container will help you gauge how much the dough has risen.
Take photos of each stage when you think it is ready as perhaps it's just a timing issue. Then we can see what's going on.
Thank you!! WIll update when I bake next, probably over the weekend:-)
There are more ways to use your starter. In my own baking, I don't usually build a separate levain, I just refresh the starter, and when it has become active and well-risen, I use part of it in the dough and refrigerate the rest.
You may get many suggestions, all of which may seem different. You don't need to stress over reconciling all of them. Bread-making is usually quite tolerant of variations. If one person says to make a lively levain, and I say you can just use your refreshed starter, don't worry that it seems like a contradiction. At a deeper level they are all consistent. Just pick one set of suggestions, and later you can branch out. As you gain experience, you will start to realized the deeper similarities.
And yes, I agree that the crumb in your picture does seem very tight. That would indicate not enough fermentation, which would naturally lead to questions about how active your starter was.
TomP
Here is my starter. I fed it at 8:00 pm last night and this is at 6:00 am this morning.
IMG_5670.jpg
ANd at 9:00 am
72728334326__66AA27DD-0716-4635-93F9-CAC798740452.jpg
This is when you want to use it be it in a final dough or when building a levain. Your levain should look like this too. If you can do that and get the dough to double at the bulk ferment stage then it should be fine. So far, so good.
But it took it 12 hours to get to this.. what does it say about fermantaion time? Isn't my starter slow?
How many grams starter? water? flour?
It might be keeping its peak for a long time but how long did it take to peak?
What was the temperature through the night?
40 gram starter, 80 grams flour, 80 grams water
It took it pick about 11 hours
I would say that the temperature was 68 F.
11 hours at 68°F is a bit slow but nothing so out of the ordinary to say there's an issue. It was a bit cold and one has to take into account starter variables as everyone's starter will be different.
I'd be curious to see how much it speeds up if you could feed it again and keep it at around 75-78°F.
It still looks healthy!
Thank you so much for your help!!