nnehme's blog

I have been trying to achieve an open crumb with 75% hydration but today I managed to achieve a nice open crumb with 65% hydration. This was the result of long autolyse and fermentation, gentle handling and lower than normal temperature baking. I am happy with the results and got me to appreciate that what goes on to achieve an open crumb is many other factors than just increasing the hydration level. 

Have you managed to get an open crumb too ? any other technique you can share ? 

I have been practicing for several months the scoring and this one seems to have worked. This is a 80% bread flour , 20% spelt flour with 75% hydration. 

It is the second time I bake a tight loaf of bread that has been shaped as a Batard and proofed overnight. whenever I take off the top lid from the double Logde iron skillet, the dough would have expanded and didn’t rise in volume ( see picture ) - can you help please ? What do you think I am doing wrong ?

So Skibaum (ski) generously shared with me his sandwich bread recipe which I adapted and created a dairy free version and yes yummy version of it.

Here it is below: 

Makes 1 loaf 

300 gr bread flour 

166 gr coconut milk 

35 gr pure honey

35 gr butter 

1/2 tablespoon salt 

60 gr sourdough starter 

1/ mix all 

2/ bulk ferment 6 hours With stretch and fold every hour 

3/pre-shape

4/ shape and proof overnight in a pan loaf coated with olive oil 

yesterday was my first attempt for the tartine style bread - I like how the holes turned and open with apparent gluten. The preshaping / shaping was difficult and couldn’t build much tension: Elements to practice next time! But the taste is the best I had so far sweet crumb and crust. 

Recipe 

300gr bread flour

100gr spelt flour 

60g stiff sourdough starter (50% hydration) 

280g water 

8g salt 

autolyse for two hours ( only flour and water )