November 25, 2021 - 7:05am
Fool's crumb?
Hello everyone!
Recently I am challenging myself trying to maximize the openness of the crumb.
This is the last loaf I have obtained. It looks nice to me but I have some doubts about it.
Would you say this is a fool's crumb? It looks under-fermented to you?
Thanks in advance.
Share
I guessed underproofing and shaping issues
quick google search seems to agree
https://crustylabs.com/fix-tunneling-and-unevenly-large-holes-in-sourdough-bread/
Proofing
To assess the proofing/fermentation ignore the big holes first. What is the crumb like, are the alveoli in the crumb tiny and tight then more likely to be underfermented. Is the crumb overall actually pretty nice and not tight then not underfermented. Then the large hole characteristics next. Are there large tunnels through the bread and not necessarily immediately under the crust? This along with the tight crumb equals underfermented. Are the large holes immediately under the crust? Do these large holes show in them signs of gluten breakdown with thin broken gluten strands? Then this points towards overfermented. Then look at the profile of the loaf, decent oven spring or excessive oven spring is more associated with under proofing whereas flat profile is more associated with overproofing.
I would say you have a combination of air trapped when doing folds and shaping and a slightly under fermented loaf.
Benny