1st SD bake
So finally,I did it. My first loaf. Taste wise really nice.I hope I will get it more airy and bigger in the next attempts. It was nice and bubbly after the bulk fermentation (I think-probably it was not enough...), but looking at the starter, I think I used it a wee bit too late, cause it was on the "fall" again.
I n g r e d i e n t s
400g Bread flour
250g Water
80g Sourdough starter (pure rye)
9g Salt
Bulk fermentation 7hrs(around 21-22C°, maybe I should get a thermometer...) then preshape, and shape, proof 15hrs in Fridge. Baked straight out of fridge into roasting dish (its a metal duck roaster I use right now). And I need to get a proper blade and improve scoring (I just used the odd kitchen knife...) ;)
Here are some pics, happy to hear what you think. Best, Anna
Lovely colour on that crust. Don't be too pedantic at catching your starter at the "perfect" time. Peaked and just beginning to fall is a good guideline when learning to bake with sourdough but you'll soon learn that it's very flexible. If you used your starter as it is shown in the photo then that's perfectly acceptable. Your starter looks nice and healthy, your bread looks delicious. Perfect timing is whatever produces the results you're after!
make me happy and looking forward to the next loaf!!
Interesting... I bulk for a short time at room temp then overnight in the fridge on a top shelf where it grows.
Then I shape and proof on the counter.
Bulking a long time on the counter might over ferment the dough especially if it was bubbling... and then proofing in the fridge might then result in the tight crumb?
Thanks, I will try that next time. in the recipe it called for 6hrs bulk and said that with each C° less you should extend 20mins...But I will try your method next time. I have a lot of learning to do. How long do you proof on the counter?
Anna that is a lovely first sourdough loaf, it really is. So many of us either baked a brick or a holey mess and that is neither.
Having a thermometer is a really important tool along with some way of keeping your dough warm during bulk. Without temperature control it can be challenging to bake in the winter months, at least that is the case up here in Canada.
Benny
for the lovely words Benny! I am in Spain,not as cold as Canada, but fluctuation and at night it does get chilly - challenge for me especially is that we only have a wood burning oven so there is a lot of temperature fluctuation going on. Off to buying a thermometer I am!!
Looks like a very nice loaf, especially for a first bake! I'd say very well done! Are you doing any stretch and folds/coil folds/bench folds during bulk fermentation? That will build dough strength and help the loaf to go up more than out. Also, looks like you baked seam side up. If you do, then you don't really need to score--you'll get a natural break in the bread (which looks like what happened a bit along with the scores). Usually, the dough goes into the banneton seam side up so then it ends up on the bottom when you turn it out into your baking vessel, giving you a smooth surface to score on. But, looks like a really lovely loaf...I'm sure it tasted great too. Happy Baking!
First, thank you! Second: the recipe I followed asked for coil folds after 30 mins, but only 1, folding and stretching 4times and then let ferment => suppose should be more with some time passed in between folds?! Third: seam up and down - wow, just learned something. Actually can not remember 100% now what I did, but I probably the loaf was baked up-side down. Was tasty though!