Brioche hydration and sticky concerns
Hi all. I am new to this forum, that's why I am posting this here in advanced section. Please guide me if I am going wrong somewhere.
I made a brioche with Strong flour with 45% hydration and 20% butter and 16% Eggs.
The dough came out good and had a good fermentation for almost 4 hours with 3.7% fresh yeast.
While shaping, it started fermenting rapidly even though I resorted to keep it inside fridge to get the temperature down as low as possible. And then it started getting sticky. I had to shape in parts and keep it inside fridge to get temperature down and stop the sticky ness. The temperature of room was nearly 24 Celsius.
This is how the braids came out. I am an amateur in braiding. This is my first attempt in 8-stranded braid.
Does anyone have any idea what I could have done to achieve higher hydrated brioche without making it more sticker.
It's best to keep things cold with that much butter involves. I usually chill all ingredients and the mixing bowl in the refrigerator. Ciril Hitz in his "Baking Artisan Bread: 10 Expert Formulas for Baking Better Bread at Home " actually freezes his dough then gives it a 12 hour defrost in the refrigerator. He only gives it a short warm up (30 minutes) at room temp before handling. Just for information, I'm using milk at 43.75% and butter at 37.50% and egg 21.88%
I think if you keep dough cold you will have an easier time with the braiding. Was your 4 hour fermentation in the refrigerator? I think that's why Hitz puts his right into the freezer. The dough after mixing will retain heat and keep rising in the refrigerator.