The Fresh Loaf

A Community of Amateur Bakers and Artisan Bread Enthusiasts.

What do these loaves tell you?

Solano's picture
Solano

What do these loaves tell you?


Both were made using the same method. White flour, 68% total hydration, levain 100% hydration, 1kg of total bread dough each, 12g of salt. I mixed the water with flour and salt and left it on the counter. 2 hours later I added the levain that was on top, more than doubled in size, mixed with the rubaud method, 5 minutes, rest, 5 minutes more. I left in my oven with the light on and the temperature was at 25 ° C, I did stretch and fold at 30, 60, 120 and 180 minutes, I let it rest for another 1 hour and then shaped it and put it in the refrigerator (8 ° C) . After 13 hours I baked the first loaf (the second in the photo) in an iron pan with a lid for 20 minutes and about 25 minutes without a lid. The oven was preheated together with the pan to 250 ° C and reduced to 230 ° C when the lid was removed, but due to the opening the thermometer marked 200 ° C at this stage. Then I baked the other bread and the result was very different as you can see in the photos. I've been thinking about these breads since Sunday, trying to understand what happened and how to get better. The best conclusion I've come so far was that the first fermentation was short and the temperature in my refrigerator is very low and prevented the fermentation going on. The first loaf I baked was better, but I still did not think it grew so much for a 1kg loaf.

dmsnyder's picture
dmsnyder

If you like the second-baked loaf better, hey, it's your bread.

However, the first-baked has better crust coloration, better oven spring and better bloom, not to mention a better ear.

The second-baked is the opposite. It is slightly over-proofed, as the cause. Now, the crumb is more open. That could be for a number of reasons, but proteolysis is probably one of them.

In any case, both loaves look quite nice.

Happy baking!

David

Solano's picture
Solano

When I did the touch test on the first bread I had the impression that it was under-proofed, but I needed to bake the loaves at that moment or I would lose the doughs because I had to leave the house. As I did both at the same time, I figured they were the same and the other one would be a little less under-proofed when it was baking. My mistake, it looks like it should already be over-proofed or at the right spot and should have gone into the oven first.

 

Thank you for your help!

leslieruf's picture
leslieruf

than I am.  My thoughts are perhaps a few very big bubbles from shaping but I am just guessing.  Did you reheat your oven and DO between breads?

Leslie

Solano's picture
Solano

As they were already hot I did not try to warm it up again until the correct temperature, but I will do it in the next times, because clearly they lose a good temperature in the time that the DO stays out of the oven while I remove the bread and I place the next one.