Hello, all. I've been working on a Tartine-style country loaf for a few weeks now and think I'm getting the hang of it, but my crumb is still denser, gummier, and less open than I'd like. I'm following the basic Tartine method with a few minor tweaks: 50/50 rye and AP starter fed 1:1:1 twice a day, baking in a romertopf 99111 clay baker, halving the recipe, overnight cold proof before baking. My starter seems nice and active, and I'm getting decent oven spring, although more in the middle than on the sides, creating a slightly domed batard. I've been checking the internal temp to make sure it's around 210°F before pulling out of the oven, and I've let cool completely before cutting.
Any idea how I can get a more open crumb? My two best guesses are that I'm over-proofing somehow or that I'm putting too much dough in the romertopf. Thanks in advance for any suggestions.
If you don't wait till it is completely cool before cutting, the crumb can end up gummy. As to the open crumb, I think you are doing very well. I have been at war with the breads in Tartine 3 and finally had to give up on Robertson's method and quantities. So like I said, you are doing very well in my humble opinion.
Usually wait a couple hours before cutting!
Its the nature of the rye, with 50% rye your bread is perfect!
Actually the loaf itself is mostly AP flour with some whole wheat. My starter is 50/50 rye and AP. (Levain is AP and whole wheat too.)
the clay baker and finish baking it on a stone or right on the rack using convection. It doesn't look like you have too much dough in the baker. Once the bread hist 210 F then shut the oven off and leave the dough in the oven with the door ajar for 5 more minutes. It doesn't look very gummy to me with no crumb slicing balls that tell the tale or have a dense crumb either but you know what you want. You can also sift out the bran in the whole grain portions and feed that to the starter for the levain build to help open the crumb. It just won't have a the crumb of an all white flour bread or be as dry either. Worst case you can can cut back on the hydration a bit too but that might not help with the open crumb wishes. Hopefully this will help.
I was thinking if thats was a loaf of 50% rye flour that was fantastic. What was your baking temperature and time?
Preheated oven and romertopf at 500 for an hour. Dough added, lid on, temp dropped to 475 for 20 minutes. Lid off for another 20-25 minutes or so, and then a minute or two directly on a baking steel to make sure the bottom is cooked.
How much rye is in there?
Your loaf isn't overproofed, it's underproofed. If your loaf was overproofed it would collapse when you cut it and you wouldn't get that nice ear. Your crumb has good structure, it's just a bit tight. And underproofed loaves tend to be somewhat gummy. Simply letting the loaf proof longer should correct the problem.
Cheers!
Trevor
Thank you! Will try a longer proof and report back.