Too much S&F?
My loaves have been coming out too dense lately, especially for the hydration. I'm thinking that I'm overdoing the stretching and folding, maybe seriously overdoing it. See photo below and the recipe I followed for it. Can anyone tell me if I'm overdoing the stretching and folding?
RECIPE:
LEAVEN: 20g starter, 119g water, 96g flour, overnight.
DOUGH: Leaven + 589g flour, 390g water, 2 tsp salt.
Autolyse for thirty minutes and then added salt. Worked salt in.
7 min of slap-and-fold on the counter.
3x stretch-and-fold @ 20 minute intervals
2x stretch-and-fold @ 30 minute intervals
35 minutes more bulk ferment
Shaping into boule; 1.5 hr final proof.
Baked in cast iron combo cooker @ 500 degrees - covered 20x minutes, uncovered 25x minutes
Fermenting and proofing temp was around 73 degrees, give or take a few.
Tastes quite good. It's just that crumb is too darn dense, especially for around 75% hydration.
Advice?
I believe that's the first time I've seen crumb bubbles looking like they're tunnelling up from the bottom to the top.
Makes me want to ask about the shaping.
If I did the math correctly the hydration isn't the issue. You have a hydration of about 75%, which doesn't account for the problem.
#1 I'd think about your starter: when you added the water and flour - was it active, bubbled and doubled by the time you added it to the flour/water/salt? That could be part of the option. I've only ever used 100% hydration starter/levain to flour/water/salt. Maybe dial it back to 50/50 and add the left over water to the flour/water/salt mix.
#2 Just don't think it's the slap and folds - but in case, reduce to maybe 3 minutes if you're concerned.
#2.5 maybe do 1 stretch and fold series for every time interval. You could be affecting the bubbles/air forming in the dough as you are at that stage..
#3 Weigh your salt - you could be adding too much. If total flour is 695g then salt should be about 14g (2%).. your two teaspoons could be too much.
Good luck - it's a process. You'll figure it out!!
1965, Can you clarify what you mean by "when you added the water and flour." You mean when I built my leaven the night before?
Also, Mini Oven: it could indeed be the shaping. I'm not terrible at shaping but these higher hydration loaves are busting my chops. I've got an appointment with an excellent local baker who's going to teach me how to shape better.
Two questions about temperature: (a) what was your kitchen temperature and (b) what was the dough temperature after your initial slap and fold? I am wondering whether the three hour bulk fermentation might have been a tad too little. So ... what did the dough look like when you ended the bulk fermentation? Fluffy? Bubbly? Expanded at all?
that if lower hydration doughs require less "hands on" during bulk and proofing, it stands to reason that wet higher hydration doughs require more "hands on" gentle folding and shaping as the dough is producing and trapping gas.
As the dough is getting 30 min rests between folds, try to finish each fold with shaping the loaf tucking under the "corners" should there be any. Then before each S & F you can decide if you want to stop with the folding and just bake it instead. I think the 1.5 hour pause was too long. Try breaking it up. See what happens. Carefully watch the profile of your shaped dough as it rests. Poke any very large bubbles with a sharp instrument.