Rubaud Levain, High hydration, process points query.
This was opened in another thread [1], but because it deals specifically with MC's work with the late M. Rubaud's work, and I am trying to stick as closely to her approach as I can, I thought a "clean" thread would be appropriate. Mods, I obviously understand whatever you'd prefer to do with it. Thanks.
So, I am following MC's "rustic batard [2]" very closely, at least I intend to as more as I move forward.
This is an 86% dough. I developed a levain following her information exactly; even with salt, I am extremely pleased with this levain and consider it now a treasured gold.
In her formula, she has an indication for bin-folding after an hour (I am using coils and jelly-rolls, at least if I've understood mariana, Trevor, and Adam Pagor's discussions and demonstrations correctly). Rest an hour, another bin-fold.
I can't tell if she again rests an hour then turns out, or turns out immediately after this second fold. Given she says her bulk took 3.5 hours, the math tells me she rested an additional hour then pursued her bench folds.
She indicates taking a series of one "north-south" fold, followed by 10 minutes, repeating to the point of desired strength going into pre-shaping. I am making the assumption these are letterbox folds, though as seen below I veered from MC here. I don't want to any longer.
I am going to try this exactly, even if I have grave doubts I'll pull it off. Maybe a bit about my dough characteristics would be useful:
I do gain gluten and strength from an extremely slack dough to begin with. Today I used the KA mixer, something I almost never do - 10 min. at Speed 1 per dmsnyders thread on Rubaud pain au levain [3] - but then continue with Rubaud folds for 3 series over about 45 minutes. Then into the bin.
I did jellyroll and coil folds every half hour, instead of the hour of MC's formula.
MC's formula, which I believe is very, very close to Rubaud's himself, calls for 40% pre-ferment levain. I built to that and used it, and the aliquot showed full development level (150%) at just under 3 hours. I pulled it and went to bench.
The dough is very sticky. Not tacky, but sticky. Basically, extremely loose, billowy, gassy, sticky dough. I could in no way do any true log shaping as it was just way too sticky, way too loose and gassy. With my hands sticking and gathering up dough, I tried depending on a long bench knife, well floured; mildly better
Proof took 2 hours. Turned to score, and it spread out not completely, about as high as a traditional miche. Scoring failed and I just baked off with steam as per normal.
I understand the issue of specific flours and the effective limits of hydration (thank you, mariana, and phaz as well). Nevertheless, I'd really hope to get a good showing with hydrations in mid-80's, if only to learn more.
Questions.
1. One question on MC's series of bench folds. Won't the temp drop off considerably? Does that matter?
2. It seems she sticks to the hourly bin folds but then the bench folding can be variable, and this is where she develops strength until she judges it's ready for pre-shaping. Am I assuming correctly? Discussion on this technique - bench folding for final strength development (as opposed to bin folding, to the same point of development)?
2. Given the above, any thing sticking out, any guidance? Not looking for the ease and strength of a 65% hydration, but enough to rid stickiness (accepting tackiness), and make it possible to shape good logs (let's use Trevor's Tartine style bread video. God, to have those hands) for batards or boulots or ovals.
Thanks.
Paul