under proofed? over proofed? Handling issues? Something else??
I’m feeling a bit embarrassed here, but I cannot say if this bread is under-proofed or over-proofed...Can somebody help me figure out what went wrong?
Here’s what I did, based on Trevor’s Champlain sourdough bread recipe:
http://www.breadwerx.com/champlain-sourdough-recipe-video/
3-hour autolyse (instead of overnight)
Bulk for 6 hours at 26-28°C until 80% rise (not intentionally) with 4 coil fold sessions
At the end of the bulk, the dough was really bubbly and stuck to the top of the container, so I struggled a bit to get it out of it (dough handling issues at this point I suppose...)
Then shaping (very poor due to the lack of strength of the dough / To be honest I just folded the dough over itself, that’s it...)
30mn rest at room t°
Fridge overnight (12h at 3°C), wrapped in a couche: The dough stuck to the couche and came out the following morning with dried areas on the top)
I cannot say precisely how proofed the dough was at the end of the retard as I forgot to place a lid on the aliquot jar so the top of the dough sample became really dry and kind of stuck to the sides, preventing the sample to fully expand....My guess is that it was nearly 100%
Struggle to place the dough into the Dutch oven
Cooked 25mn at 230° with lid + 10mn without lid
So I believe that the bulk was too long, but I’m not sure...Or is it the handling that was too clumsy? ... all of the above??
Anything else that I'm missing??
Thank you for giving me your insight,
Gaelle
That bread looks great to me, especially the lacey crumb.
What is there about it that you want to improve/change ?
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I note that you are in Canada. What flour or blend of flours are you using to approximate the US bread flour that Trevor would be using?
Does he say on his web site what brand/type/protein% "bread flour" he uses?
Oh, do you really think that the crumb is nice? I find that the holes are a bit elongated, quite flattened...
Also, the loaf is pretty flat, very poor oven spring...So I was wondering if the very long bulk (up to 80%) and the clumsy handling were the culprits...I had never done such a long bulk before!
As for the flour, I used Anita's organic all-purpose flour (around 12% protein), Bob's Whole spelt and Speerville organic whole rye flour - On his website, Trevor just mentions ''bread flour''
My starter is a 50/50 mix of bread flour / WW
Thanks for your insight!
Canadian TFL users mariana and Benito have made recent comments about Anita's organic AP.
I think Benito uses a blend of Anita's and Robin Hood Best for Bread flour as his "bread flour."
One or both mentioned that Anita's protein percent varies a lot. They would likely be good sources to ask about adapting Canadian flours to US recipes.
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As to oven spring... while over/under fermentation plays a part, hydration, autolyse/soak, gluten development, shaping, creating a tight "skin" on the dough also play a part.
I found the comments you're mentioning, thanks a lot, that's very helpful!