Starting out - tips to improve, please!
Hi there - so after a long absence I'm baking levain bread again. I have got a pure rye starter going (100% hydration) and am using the basic Tartine recipe to get myself back into practice.
They've been getting better: for my first two tries I retarded the proving stage in the fridge overnight for 8-12 hours and got very flat loaves, while for my third try I proved at room temp for 2.5 hours and it was a much better loaf. The fourth try is pictured. Definitely the best yet but I'd welcome some ideas about what to vary/try next to keep improving it. For my taste, there should be more rise/oven spring and a slightly looser crumb. I would also like to be able to do one of the stages (either bulk or proving) overnight to fit better into my day - and not sure how to try this out.
Tips please?
Method for pictured loaf:
1. Made leaven at 0830 with 40g starter, 100g white flour, 100g water
2. Leaven floated at 1310; started "autolyse" at 26 degrees C (with leaven added as per Chad Robertson)
3. After 30 minutes, added remaining water and salt and started bulk fermentation at 26 degrees. Four stretch-folds at slightly irregular intervals during first 3 hours, total 5 hours bulk fermentation. I get masses of large gas bubbles in the dough at this stage (visible at the top under the skin) - is this evidence of insufficient dough strength, say?
4. Preshaped into two boules, then shaped 20 minutes later.
5. Baked one loaf (this one, pictured) after 2 hours proving at room temperature (25 min in cloche lid on, 25 min lid off) and the other after 3 hours. This loaf had many noticeable large gas bubbles in the bottom (before I inverted into cloche) after proving.
6. First loaf with reasonable oven spring; second loaf definitely flatter.
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