As the Sourdough Rises
Thought someone out there would enjoy the soap opera of a sourdough newbie..LOL!
I have been studying the techniques of many mentors here..I had my notes on the long
proof of my starter,autolysing, folding & shaping, slack doughs, retarded rise..too many
facts for my feeble brain I fear!! I took my starter out Friday, poured out but 1/4 cup
and fed with 1/2 c flour & 1/2 cup H2O..a little later bubbling and very happy..into the
oven with the light on overnight..Saturday morning (12 hours later)slowing down..so I feed
& back into the oven. Sunday morning..I think I waited too long..still bubbling..but there
is hooch too. I mix my starter, yeast,milk,lemon juice & flour..cover and let sit 30 min.
Un oh..really stiff so I add a bit of H2O..way too sticky..then flour..still a mess.
I cover and decide to let it sit for 45 min..while I make Sunday breakfast..french toast,
fresh strawberries & bacon. My husband decides to assist and dumps the dough out on the
bread board ..OK..I tell him wait..not ready yet and cover it up. We eat..I go back
to my doughy mess..hmm not too bad..dough has relaxed ..so I fold..put it to rest ..I'm in
the shower and now remember I haven't put in the salt, sugar and olive oil!!..another 45 min
has gone by and it has risen..Hmm..I know I am committing bread suicide..I pour my dough into my food processor..add the salt, sugar and olive oil and do the wicked deed..and pray.
I let it rest again..fold and back into the bowl. A hour later..it has risen nicely..so
I divide and fold and into the fridge ... and so the sourdough rises.. I hope
until tomorrow...
I do have a dilemma..usually I get out of work at 2:30 PM..but tomorrow 5:30..
if my house is pretty cool ..in the 60's ..can I take my bread out of the fridge to rise
@ 6AM ish? so I can bake tomorrow night..and/or can I wait until Tuesday to bake..when I
get home earlier?
Comments
Is your dough already shaped into loaves or is it still a blob of dough? If it is not shaped, then I would take it out in the morning, press it into a flat disc shape and then do another fold. Let it sit for about 30 minutes and then shape into your loaf or loaves. Do this right before you leave the house, not the moment you get out of bed. Cover and leave it to proof, but not in the oven with the light on. You don't want it to be too warm so it rises too much before you get home. I think it will probably be fine as long as the sourdough is wild yeast and it doesn't contain any commercial yeast. Wild yeast rises much slower and especially being cold from the fridge. I have successfully left mine to rise overnight on the kitchen table for 8--9 hours and it didn't over-rise. I keep my house quite cool, usually in the lower 60's.
If you were to leave it until Tuesday afternoon to bake you will risk the gluten degrading and it may not rise as well. Good luck, and we'll be waiting to hear how it turned out for you.
Ahh..well.. the loaves are shaped..a great bread lesson..I'll
take them out in the AM
TY Sourdolady..I always appreciate your advice..you too FloydM
Well..it didn't exactly come out as lovely loaves of sourdough..
more like english muffin bread! I way overmixed the dough..but a good lesson learned. I took it out of the fridge in the AM and it had risen slightly but was spreading out, so I refolded again and left it out on the counter to rise. When I came
home from work it had risen and spread again...so another refold and I put them into bread pans, let them rise for a couple of hours and baked them off. I just hate to give up!I'll give it another try next weekend. Maybe I should just stick to
rye & pumpernickel : )
Don't you dare give up! It's all a learning process and you will get better. When you do an autolyse and folds you really don't need to knead the dough very much at all. Give it another try. I'm sure it will be better!
Thanks for the encouragement SourdoLady! I will give it another try,
actually probably a few more!!
On the plus side my husband really likes the "english muffin bread"
ha ha ..toasted..so he's a happy camper! Thanks again!