February 27, 2021 - 7:22am
Overnight in the fridge? Bulk Fermentation or Final Proofing
Which would people prefer? To engineer a schedule so that the bulk fermentation took place overnight or so that the final proofing was completed overnight? It has to be one or the other? Which is perferred and why?
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It doesn't. What has to be is something that fits the schedule, and that's just working the fundamentals to whatever advantage you want. Enjoy!
I have gone away from long bulk fermentations and final proofs. This has been accomplished using warm water during the mixing stage, a warm bulk ferment location and a warm final proof location.
I do not use sourdough, I don't think this matters. Levain is levain, however flavor is different among the various types.
I use an overnight poolish. Very easy to assemble the night before. It sits on the counter, covered in plastic, during it's maturation.
This is the cadence/schedule I like to use.
Hi S. M. If you do BF in fridge, how do you know when it's done? and how much longer is it gonna take? days??
cc
I like doing an overnight levain build and a saltolyse (autolyse with salt). The bulk fermentation during the day with the folds to build structure and then overnight cold retard. This works for my schedule.
Benny
Hi Benny! So you mean you do your final proof (after shaping) then overnight cold retard then straight into hot oven?
cc
Sorry if I wasn’t clear and detailed enough, after I shape and place in a banneton, I do a final proof on the countertop or even back in the proofing box. Recently I’ve been waiting for the aliquot jar to show 80-90% rise and then finally start cold retard overnight. Then after up to 26 hours in the fridge I’ll bake right out of the fridge.
Benny
only unclear to inexperienced bakers like me I'm sure.
Benny, if i wanted to do add ins to my basic sourdough recipe, like dried fruit or nuts. at which stage do you recommend i put it in? I put dried rosemary at my third set of s and f and found it didn't get distributed evenly enough.
I’m not sure if you do a lamination or not but that is when I like to add my inclusions. My typical procedure is add levain and Rubaud, then slap and folds. Rest then bench letterfold. Rest then lamination then coil folds etc. I find that adding inclusions during a lamination can get you very even distribution of inclusions.
Here’s how I do it.
Sorry but was that the last set of lamination in the video?
I only do that one lamination, after the bench letterfold and before the coil folds.
btw, i don't do laminations, just stretch and folds . i'm too lazy
People will often add inclusions during the second set of stretch and folds, adding in quarters with each stretch and fold.
I recently "settled" into this method:
30 minute fermentolyse then add salt
3 to 4 stretches and folds
3 coil folds
Preshape and rest
Final shape and proof until 20% rise
All the above at 80°F to 82°F over a 5 to 6 hour period
12 hours in the fridge at 38°F then bake straight from the cooler.
Works for me. "Don't let perfection become the enemy of the good".
Nice crumb shot. Cute bunny with ears in the wind :)