My most recent sourdough loaf was an "unusual" one; I just got a burr under my saddle for a loaf made with mostly starter. I made 1,240 gram batch that started with 1,022 g of 100% hydration starter that was past its float test time. I added 218 g BF to bring the final loaf to 70% hydration. The final loaf was 13% rye, 13% WW, and 74% BF—a nod to Forkish’s field blends. I let it autolyze for 30 minutes.
After the first four minute knead in the KitchenAid, it became apparent that the large amount of starter made the dough too soupy, so, quick like a bunny, I made a 170 g addition at 70% hydration, maintaining the same ratio of flours. I let it autolyse for about 15 minutes, then added it to the rest of the dough for the second four minute knead. Voila—it helped a lot. Or not. The dough did tighten quite well, but then went slack again (much like what happened when I used citric acid powder). I did another four minute knead (the third), then turned the dough out onto the counter. Sticky, sticky, sticky! Very runny.
I did a lot of slap and folds, to no avail. The dough was so relaxed that it just spread to maybe an inch or less in height, looking like a super naan, albeit too thick. Little yeast bubblegum bubbles appeared everywhere on the surface of the fresh dough. I added 45 g more BF and kneaded it in via stretch and folds that were pretty much ridiculously ineffective, though I tried. I greased (spray) a bowl and poured/blobbed the whole mess into it. Within an hour it had risen a lot, so I tried S&Fs and tension pulls with less than total success—OK, with far from total success. I dumped the oozing blob into a well floured banneton preheated the oven to 500°F.
Maybe 40 minutes later, it had proofed to about 50% larger and Into the oven on the pizza stone it went. Thankfully, it didn’t stick to the unlined banneton. I sprayed the surface of the "boule" (LOL) well with water and did three actually pretty decent, parallel docks. It looked good, er, OK, for a few seconds, then began to ooze sideways, mostly perpendicular to the three docks, running off the side of the stone and spreading too far out to be able to use my SS bowl as a cover. I blobbed it back together by scraping the oozed stuff back on top of the loaf, then covered it with a large aluminum foil turkey roasting pan and closed the oven door. 25 minutes later, off with the foil pan and down to 425°F with the oven. After 30 more minutes, I took it out and put it on a cooling rack . It was more golden than medium brown, but I didn’t want to let it cook longer given its thinness.
The loaf actually showed some decent oven spring, perhaps comparable percentage-wise to a normal loaf. It looked to me like an ugly Irish soda bread at this point. It measured a sad 14-inches X 10-inches. The crumb was fair—possibly OK for a 26% rye/WW bread—my experience is zilch in this regard. It tasted fine, though the crust was a bit too hard, IMO.
Live and learn. :«)
After the first four minute knead in the KitchenAid, it became apparent that the large amount of starter made the dough too soupy, so, quick like a bunny, I made a 170 g addition at 70% hydration, maintaining the same ratio of flours. I let it autolyse for about 15 minutes, then added it to the rest of the dough for the second four minute knead. Voila—it helped a lot. Or not. The dough did tighten quite well, but then went slack again (much like what happened when I used citric acid powder). I did another four minute knead (the third), then turned the dough out onto the counter. Sticky, sticky, sticky! Very runny.
I did a lot of slap and folds, to no avail. The dough was so relaxed that it just spread to maybe an inch or less in height, looking like a super naan, albeit too thick. Little yeast bubblegum bubbles appeared everywhere on the surface of the fresh dough. I added 45 g more BF and kneaded it in via stretch and folds that were pretty much ridiculously ineffective, though I tried. I greased (spray) a bowl and poured/blobbed the whole mess into it. Within an hour it had risen a lot, so I tried S&Fs and tension pulls with less than total success—OK, with far from total success. I dumped the oozing blob into a well floured banneton preheated the oven to 500°F.
Maybe 40 minutes later, it had proofed to about 50% larger and Into the oven on the pizza stone it went. Thankfully, it didn’t stick to the unlined banneton. I sprayed the surface of the "boule" (LOL) well with water and did three actually pretty decent, parallel docks. It looked good, er, OK, for a few seconds, then began to ooze sideways, mostly perpendicular to the three docks, running off the side of the stone and spreading too far out to be able to use my SS bowl as a cover. I blobbed it back together by scraping the oozed stuff back on top of the loaf, then covered it with a large aluminum foil turkey roasting pan and closed the oven door. 25 minutes later, off with the foil pan and down to 425°F with the oven. After 30 more minutes, I took it out and put it on a cooling rack . It was more golden than medium brown, but I didn’t want to let it cook longer given its thinness.
The loaf actually showed some decent oven spring, perhaps comparable percentage-wise to a normal loaf. It looked to me like an ugly Irish soda bread at this point. It measured a sad 14-inches X 10-inches. The crumb was fair—possibly OK for a 26% rye/WW bread—my experience is zilch in this regard. It tasted fine, though the crust was a bit too hard, IMO.
Live and learn. :«)
If this happens again, put a little olive oil in the bottom of a 9 X 13 inch cake pan, then pour the dough in, bake it, and call it ciabatta.
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