June 13, 2020 - 12:00pm
lack of oven spring , oven limitation
hi guys! I’m very new to sourdough baking; about 3 weeks old , and would like to seek your expert advice! i’m on my 8th loaf and still havent achieved the coveted ear and nice open crumb. I use 78% hydration, 3.5 hrs bulk ferment ( i live in hot and humid Singapore!), and 12 hrs cold proof in the fridge. My small convection oven’s max is at 220 so ive been using this temp for the 1st 20 mins and lowering to 200 for remaining 30-40 mins. Any recommendation or workaround to achieve a nice open crumb and oven aoring under these conditions? thanks in advance!
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3.5hrs bulk plus 12 hours cold proof in your climate likely leads to overproofing. Try 3.5hrs cold bulk and 3hrs cold proof and see what happens.
220C is lower than I like to bake. If you don't have a higher temperature option, then you need to work with it. Can you put a baking stone or ceramic tile in the oven? This will retain heat. A thick piece of (clean) metal will also work. The loaf does look undercooked.
Open crumb is not something to be coveted IMO. It is a cosmetic-only feature of bread propagated by social media.