February 9, 2021 - 11:33pm
how to observe doubling if doing coil folds while bulk proof period?
Hello,
I've been doing 2 rounds of S&F and then putting the dough to raise in a marked squared containers until doubled. I got interested in coil folds to add strength, however if I do that during BF, how am I supposed to observe the doubling? especially if, for ease of folding, I use a larger container. Some people put a sample in a separate small jar to observe, however the criticisms I've heard make sense and I don't trust the method (chief the fact that a smaller sample in a diff container will most likely hold a different temperature).
thanks,
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Short answer is you can't, and using an aliquot jar is the best thing available, afaik.
Longer answer is, there are other signs of fermentation that you can look out for (jiggle, bubbles, puffiness of the dough) so you don't need to rely on increase in volume. But while you are figuring that out, still, using an aliquot jar will help you compare from one bake to another and to nail down the fermentation just right. You have to keep it as similar to the main dough as you can, and as long as you are consistent between bakes it'll be helpful.
You're using the aliquot jar simply to calibrate the process. If you do the same thing each time, it will guide you. If you want to get obsessive about it (I am) you could embed the jar in the dough to assure the temperature is the same.