Sourdough Batard
This is my third attempt at baking a sourdough loaf. I increased the weights for my dough and had the benefit of being home to keep an eye on things from start to finish. Pics of the process posted to instagram. I used a 60% hydration, as my last attempt with a 70% hydration was a bit more than I could handle.
300 grams of King Arthur Bread Flour - http://instagr.am/p/NIG34NxEaw/
188 grams of warm water - http://instagr.am/p/NIHMoeREa_/
120 grams of starter - http://instagr.am/p/NIHX0kxEbK/
8 grams of sea salt - http://instagr.am/p/NIHjwIREbO/
First mix in bowl - http://instagr.am/p/NIHtcZxEbU/
After resting, first fold & shape - http://instagr.am/p/NIH1xEREbb/
Final shaping before proofing - http://instagr.am/p/NIKl0ZREc9/
After baking at 425 degrees for 1 hour - http://instagr.am/p/NIdIdmREVU/
Crust - http://instagr.am/p/NIdXtNREVd/
Crumb after cooling overnight - http://instagr.am/p/NJYVPzREbV/
some tasty looking SD bread for your 3rd attempt! Like the crust and crumb too. So how is the sour tang?
Nice baking.
Thank you! It has a great sourdough taste. Still a little dense but I'm just starting with this baking thing and have plenty of time to experiment and learn.
Looks good for a 3rd shot.
On your densit, i think from the picture, that your dough may be a little under devloped. This would give you less rising streangth and less oven spring.
Do you mix and let sit or do multiple folds as it proofs?
I mixed the dough in a bowl and let it rest for half an hour, then I did stretch and folds every 15 minutes over the next hour before letting it rest/proof for another 2 hours. I don't mind a small and uniform crumb, in fact that is what I want, I'd just like it to be less dense/heavy. I'm not going for big air pockets througout the loaf. I think I'm going to play around with baking temperatures and time in the oven while keeping everything else the same to see how that changes things. Then maybe I'll start adding fats/oils to the dough.
before baking?
3 1/2 hours at least from first mixing. Once I started the folds I know I went longer than 15 minutes a couple times between folds.
I think you could ignore the dough until it starts rising (at about 3-5 hours) and then start folding. As you alternate between rising and folding (45min to 1 hr) the feel of the dough takes on a puffier lighter feel to it. You can feel the dough coming closer to when you will bake it.
As it rests and rises it relaxes too and with each folding, the skin is tightened on the outside of the dough. When the dough skin starts to tear or you think it will tear with the next fold, stop stretching & folding. Preheat the oven. Let the dough rest 10 to 15 minutes and then shape and allow a final rise before baking. Depending on your temperature and dough that could be another 30 minutes or more to pass a "poke test." :) Good luck!
How long did you levain proof, did it peak, not peak, or perhaps go past its peak?
How long did the loaf proof after you shaped it?
Another thing, if you are looking for a less dense crumb and want to maintain less air inside the loaf, i recomend a change in shape. I would use a loaf pan and a tight roll when shaping to achieve this.
I'd probably reduce the starter volume to 100g max, and increase the bulk time. That might help out with making in a little less dense?