October 11, 2024 - 7:12am
fermenting miche fold questions
I started a KAF classic miche the other day. Due to bad time management and the lack of more than 24 hrs in a day, I fridged the autolyse step for 36 hours.
This am I countered it for 30 mins, then gave it a gradual whooping in the Bosch Uni til it came together and hit ~74º and extensible.
I put it in my oiled Cambo and that into my rise chest (styro cooler) with a bowl of boiled water for ~ 30 mins.
I did one circle of folds, then I put in the fridge to ferment. I'm planning on 48 hrs of ferment.
Should I take it out 1, 2 or more times to do some folds?
Or just wait till I'm ready to rumble?
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This is so far removed from most ordinary processes that's it's hard to be certain. There is one thing I am sure about. After 48 hours in the fridge, the dough is going to be fairly slack and extensible. The gluten will have developed well because of the time - even without more S&Fs - but it will also have become very relaxed. This will happen no matter how many S&Fs you do earlier on.
So I would plan on rebuilding any elasticity I need during preform and shaping. Do that by extra stretching and folding or rolling if needed during shaping.
TomP
so perhaps maybe some letter laminated folds before the usual s&f?
If you meant lamination folds before the 48-hour cold ferment, that would be good but it won't fully prevent the relaxation I mentioned. If you meant as part of the shaping process, yes, that would be one way. I've done it. You may want to also stretch out the dough more than usual as you form the ball or log. It all depends on how the dough responds as you work with it.
yes, in the post ferment shaping
before and after science.
took it out of the fridge and let it counter up for a couple hours in the tub. Did a round of stretch and folds in the tub.
Let it rise in the tub, in a humidized styro cooler for ~90m. I forgot to check the temp.
Put it on the counter and did about a dozen stretch & folds and shaped. Flipped seam up on a ww floured brotform liner over a pie plate.
Covered and let rise a couple more hours.
Preheated to 475º. About 45 mins into pre-heat, added a roasting pan of water under unglazed terra-cotta tiles with a teense gap in between tiles. When I was ready to bake, boiled some more water and poured into pan.
Flipped dough onto floured parchment and gave it a razor waning gibbous slash. (picture is pre slash).
Into oven under Sassafras cloche on tiles. Oven off for 15 mins to steam. Oven back on for 15 mins. Hit about 205º.
Oven off and open for about 10 mins.
Taste and crumb test to come.
Love the look of the crust! It's just the color I prefer. and it just looks ... crusty. Are you happy with how it came out? The pre-bake photo looks like the dough spread out more than it might have, although it popped up some during baking. Did you notice how the dough tightened up and became more elastic during those S&Fs before shaping? You might considering baking it sooner next time. That will give it less time to relax.
I'll bet that this loaf has a good flavor in addition to the great-looking crust.
TomP
I think the pop up was more a result of containment within the cloche.
I did pull in during shaping. S&Fs did help. Crust is lovely, though not as firm as I'd hoped. Time will tell.
Yea, I was thinking sooner, but there was still a bit of spring back on the finger test when I baked.
crumb is a little soft and moist. Surprising since I held back 50g water for autolyse that I didn't add back.
But it is rather tasty with grass butter, Italian olive oil or poached eggs.
Still for a 2-day fridge slow ferment, I'd think it'd have a bit more tang to it.