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My Best Sourdough Yet

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    My Best Sourdough Yet

    I have been experimenting with Sourdough Bread since the Pandemic started. I always had good tasting bread but finding the soft, light, fluffy, open crumb has been elusive. I have had difficulty in building strong gluten structure and getting a dense crumb as a result.

    Lessons Learned:
    1. I'm finding an extended autolyse (3-4 hours or more) is crucial in building a strong gluten structure. It seems for me 1 hour is not enough time for the dough to work well.

    2. Also I learned a trick from jhapka to remove the dutch oven bottom from the stove half way through the preheating process. And return it with the bread so as not to overcook the bottom. I had he best oven spring yet.

    3. I also increased the hydration level to about 78%

    4. I also increased my initial temperature to 525°, then reduced to 500° when I put the bread in, then reduced to 450° after 25 minutes when I removed the cover.

    I am very happy with the results of this bake and have enough notes to hopefully consistently re-produce.


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    #2
    Looks phenomenal!! What’s your technique for the sesame seeds?

    Comment


    • troymeister
      troymeister commented
      Editing a comment
      I use a cloth liner in a plastic colander (poor man's banneton) I sprinkle them in the cloth when I put the dough in for the final proof. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't. This time I got lucky...lol

    #3
    Dude nice

    Comment


    • troymeister
      troymeister commented
      Editing a comment
      Your discovery was and is spot on!! Best I can figure is that a too hot bottom kills much yeast before bread has a chance to rise all the way. Using your method, this loaf became a near sphere. First time ever. I will try to provide more data soon.

    #4
    Interesting. What flour(s)? How are you working the dough during the first rise?

    Comment


    • troymeister
      troymeister commented
      Editing a comment
      450 grams of King Arthur bread flour and 50 grams of whole wheat. 160 grams of 50/50 bread flour and whole wheat @100% hydration. Stretch and fold 4x every 30 minutes for 2 hours. More or less. Then let almost double in size. Pre shape, rest, shape, final proof overnight in the fridge.

    #5
    So...no mixing or kneading? Just autolyse and S&Fs?

    NICE loaf, btw!

    ETA: Did you add the starter right away or after autolyse?
    Last edited by Willy; October 9, 2020, 02:15 PM.

    Comment


    • rickgregory
      rickgregory commented
      Editing a comment
      Starter and salt go in after an autolyse. The folding is the mixing. It's a very different feel than the traditional kneading many of us learned years ago. Here's a good short video on it by Ken Forkish https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CQHuWDEo3SA

    • troymeister
      troymeister commented
      Editing a comment
      Starter and salt after autolyse. Only a series of 4 S&F’s.

    #6
    Very nice troymeister . I think you have it figured out pretty well.

    Comment


      #7
      That's a great lookin' boule. It's great you are starting to get the results you want.

      Comment


        #8
        Good article on everything autolyse ...

        Everybody has their own way of baking sourdough bread. I’ve certainly experimented with many different methods. Some bakers wouldn’t dream of baking bread without doing …

        Comment


        • troymeister
          troymeister commented
          Editing a comment
          Very Good article....I have it bookmarked and I am studying. Over all I feel, in a home setting, Sourdough is a personal and subjective experience. There are fewer ways to control the myriad of variables that control the quality, flavor and texture of your product. So my methods in my kitchen may not work for someone else in their kitchen. (Or living Room for that matter..lol) That's what makes Sourdough exciting.

        #9
        Nice looking boule. I have zero bread game, BUT I have a good eating game please tell me about the sammich.

        Comment


        • troymeister
          troymeister commented
          Editing a comment
          The sammy was a Grilled BLT with Mozzarella cheese, tomatoes from the garden and some garlic aoli for fun. The garlic aoli was left over from something else. Thought I would use it and it worked well.

        • tiewunon
          tiewunon commented
          Editing a comment
          troymeister Nice it looks pretty darn good. I do have to get a bread game though.

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