Is "yeast endurance" a thing?
I have begun my path towards artisan bread nirvana through the purchase and adoption of techniques detailed in the Ken Forkish book "Flour Water Salt Yeast." I have been able to produce a couple of beautiful loaves with his method and tools. However, my last three attempts have yielded an issue that I am seeking some advice to correct.
The dough I have been working to master, a 75% whole wheat bread straight dough, failed to raise fully in the baking process. It goes through a lovely first proof (in the Cambro tub) and second proof (in the cloth-lined basket), but then reached about half its potential in the Dutch oven. All factors were the same between the two photos I have attached.
My only guess, at this novice stage in my experience, is that the yeast is failing early. Is that even possible? Can weak yeast still allow a believable first proof and then fail in the oven? I suppose the easiest way to test this theory is by purchasing some fresh yeast, but I didn't think the yeast I was using was set to expire anytime soon.
Anyway, I would appreciate any help for this beginner to resume and continue his love for the craft! Thank you in advance, and please refer to the attached photos for further clarification.
Charles
Could use a few more photos, one before and after shot of the dough rising in the proofing basket, perhaps it has risen too much? If that's the case, could try less rise in the final proof saving some of the rising for the oven to "take it to the next level."
Usually if the oven heat isn't raising the loaf, the dough is overproofed, stretched too far for it to expand more. Yeast doesn't break down, it just needs more time but the dough can break down or reach the point where it no longer can trap gasses including the steam formed in baking. A second (or third) reshape and proof at this point will help the dough matrix trap gas if it hasn't degraded past the point of doing so. Yeasted doughs can put up with more abuse (knock downs and rising again) than sourdoughs.
The all telling crumb shot photo would be nice. You're getting some lovely splitting on top. :)
Hi Charles i agree with Mini most likely over proofing a little too much. Were these two separate doughs or one dough done in two oven loads? With regard to final proofing its probably an area that most new bakers find the most difficult to recognise when its time to go into the oven. You say all factors were the same, but there are small variables even with two doughs that are identical in formulation and can vary, temperature being one which will have a big effect on proofing times and ultimately the time it needs to go into the oven.
I recall commercially when a nights production of wholemeal doughs with a 4 hour bulk fermentation there would sometimes be a dough that was overtaking its predecessor in the mixed doughs line up of bulk fermenting doughs, and these were large mixes of 600lbs of flour, and it was important to allow that dough to overtake and be processed rather than stay in line and follow on, the only explanation was that the finished dough was just a degree or two higher when finished than its brethren.
As I said this is a skill that will come with practice and a good idea is making notes as you go, even jotting down your thoughts on the degree of proof when you are going to the oven, perhaps on the scale of 1 to 10 with 5 being the perfect proof and then seeing if the result was as you expected either better or worse. They both look like very nice loaves.
kind regards Derek