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**Richard Chrz** · February 21, 2022, 11:00 AM

2:00

4th stretch and coil

You will notice now, that the dough is starting to get tighter again, and that gluten is building more. So it may not stretch out as much, really strong gluten here, this might be where I ha toss it a bit.

generally I would do one more of these series at 3:00, but my gluten was so tight already, I did one last stretch and roll, and it is in the cambro to bulk ferment now. Winter here and house is cold, so I will put it in the oven with the light on.

from here. I will let it bulk ferment until about 8 or 9 pm, based on how fast it continues to build.

**Richard Chrz** · February 21, 2022, 11:24 AM

So, this one has gained the increase in bulk that I like, sometimes I take it further by another 1/4.

duted hand remove from bin onto a floured work surface, and just lightly fluff it up and get it relaxed from being in a container. Then cut weigh, double roll and let them rest covered for about 30 minutes, maybe 15 minutes, if really relaxed early enough. it’s all by feel of the dough, just bbbq and probe tender,

**Richard Chrz** · February 21, 2022, 11:30 AM

shaping, and proofing

8:46 pm

Hopefully the shaping video loads.. nope it did not, will have to figure that out. Darn it, but it it’s kind of how you see an envelope. I start with a bit of a square, I fold it 2/3rds of the distance across (towards me), then I fold in each side to the middle, and pull the front flap over the top and roll it that seam to the board in one motion. (I will get photos)

**Richard Chrz** · February 21, 2022, 11:36 AM

I will now cover them with a cloth towel again, and let them relax and start filling the banneton a bit more before I put it to the fridge at night. I like this to be at-least an hour, have settled for 30 minutes. For my timelines, an hour is long enough. You will see the photos of these in the morning as well so you can see over night in fridge. Temp matters greatly In how much more it builds in size. I tend to refrigerate colder then most, but, that is also likely just a winter thing, as I use my garage refrigerator right now, as my house is filled with the pizza doughs,.

this is called proofing, but what you are doing is, proving, proving it is still capable of being a good bake.

did not take photo

but, roughly 10 or 11, it is in fridge.

**Richard Chrz** · February 21, 2022, 11:47 AM

Next morning, I fill my half sheet pan with water, and start oven to 475, let it come to temp, and give it another 20 minutes just to get the steam in the oven fired up.

I took them out one at a time, right as I am going to bake.

the score here is deeper then I actually score, but, it was hard to take a photo of the blade depth in the dough.

what I have learned about scoring, is, you want to be a good angle back under the dough maybe 45-60 Degree, the deeper you cut, the more your dough will drop before the rise, colder dough hardly relaxes at all if cut shallow enough, and right away.

the score does not necessarily dictate ear, fermentation, oven spring, etc.. the dough rising and folding out at the score, is what pushes the the ear out and over, it is not something that just happens because you cut. It is a oven rise (in my early experience) that really builds the ear. The many ways you can score, can control the oven rise, and the direct of the oven rise.

**Richard Chrz** · February 21, 2022, 12:04 PM

So my steps in baking go like this, at least from watching 100’s of loaves bake for every minute, watching changes to techniques along the way, so far.

10 minutes I will see my score pulling back, prior to that it is just the loaf relaxing to the early heat, but, in my set up, around 7-8 minutes it starts to rise up again, and if your oven rise is strong, this is where I will see my score o-en back up and across the entire, loaf. At the 10 minute mark, I now spin my loaf in the oven to make sure my scoring is opening, and a strong gluten strand hasn’t kept my hinge sides from opening.occasionally I may even use my blade again and nip those tough cords.

15 minutes in you will see the entire ear, and from there it will continue to build and grow for the next 20 minutes or so, as the oven rises continues. Since my oven is cheap and has horrible hot spots, I spin my bread one last time here, and for the last 15 - 20 minutes is where I I know my final internal temp will be there, so I don’t have to check it, and I’ve gained the color and crust I want, you can alter this to your preferred coloring. I tend to be a fan of Maillard reaction.

**Richard Chrz** · February 21, 2022, 12:07 PM

The bounty

**klflowers** · February 21, 2022, 12:14 PM

Jeez Richard! Those are beautiful. My idea is you just open a limited online bread store. I for one would pay whatever plus outrageous shipping charges for one of those. Or just show up in your driveway. Before you say come on, be careful. I may find a way to get the bus on your house electric, then you will have to have the sherif evict me

**Debra** · February 21, 2022, 02:01 PM

@Richard Chrz this is an incredible thread you have started. I am not certain if you should be considered an artist, craftsman, baker, scientist, archivist, teacher or photographer. I can't imagine the time and dedication to this craft you have put in to elevate yourself to this point. Thank you so much.