Dialing it in.....finally!

I'll preface this blog post with a big THANK YOU for the input, insights, and recommendations from my prior thread about needing to find my way back to the right timing for my regular loaves.  I think I've got it (pending a look at the crumb, but I'm pretty confident from the exterior and the heft (or lack thereof)) of my most recent bake.

430g AP

430g Bread

116g WW

116g Durum

58g Rye

240g levain

794g water

26g salt

The breakdown on the process this time was.......

• 0:00 - Autolyze whole wheat flours w/equal amount of water (290g)
• 1:00 - Mix remaining flour, water, and levain until dry bits incorporated, rest 30 minutes
• 1:30 - Mix in salt, then develop dough in Ankarsrum for about 12-14 minutes on speed 3/3.5
• 1:45 - Move dough to bulk container and into proofer @ 82F
• 2:15 - Stretch/fold, rest 30
• 2:45 - Stretch/fold, finish proof
• 5:00 - Divide, pre-shape, rest, shape
• 5:15 - Loaves in bannetons back into proofer @ 82F
• 5:45 - Loaves into fridge
• 6:45 - Preheat oven to 550F
• 7:45 - Bake loaf #1 (smaller banneton) - oven down to 475F, 20 covered on stone, 25 uncovered on stone
• 8:30 - Re-heat oven to 550F
• 8:45 - Bake loaf #2

I did try to use the aliquot method again, but I was getting only minimal apparent rise in my spice jar, and the dough had surface bubbles and was jiggly.  I think I didn't remove air from the sample well, so my reference point was off.....I forged ahead.  Loaf #1 didn't spring as much as loaf #2, so on my next batch, I'll extend the fridge proof an hour, and bake loaf #1 @ 8:45 on the "clock".

Overall, I'm very happy with the progress on this batch, and, if the crumb on Loaf #2 matches the nice exterior, then I will consider this my new procedure (until, of course, I change something else.)  Being able to use the proofer to control the temp variable across batches will help with consistency, and I'll work on a better procedure with my aliquot jar to use as reference.

Ok, a couple of pics.....

Loaf #1 on the left, loaf #2 on the right:

....and a close up of that proud ear on loaf #2!! :)

Again, my thanks for the help from the TFL collective, and I'll update with a crumb shot when I cut into a loaf for my toast in the morning.

Rich