January 30, 2014 - 6:02pm
Newb questions, links requested
It's easy to search for something you want to know, it's hard to search why what you've read isn't working. So, forgive me asking you to point me to discussions where my problems were solved.
- I use a convection oven. Seems fairly well sealed. I have baked some number of loaves of sourdough at 375F and the results have been amazing crusts....with no steam. Crumb has sucked, but crust has been perfect. Is my bad crumb a result of no steam? Or can I put that issue out of my mind and focus on the S&F or other issues, resulting in my bad crumb?
- Until yesterday, I have always kneaded my dough, and my crumb has turned out poorly; too tight, too doughy. I learned the no-knead separate and fold yesterday, and my crumb has enormously improved. Unfortunately, I have only found a 36 hour sourdough recipe, and another recipe that didn't use sourdough started. S&F seems to be related to leavening time, and temperatures. To use the no-knead recipes with sourdough, must they take so long, and must they spend some time in a refrigerator?
- If my scoring, just before closing the oven door, end up disappearing in 25 minutes of baking, what's the most likely cause? I start baking at ambient, no preheat. I don't use steam, and am baking on my silpat. Is this letting the dough reconstitute the scoring?
As I said, if this has been discussed before, please indicate a thread, and tell me which point it is referring to.