Hello peer bakers, I would like to ask for your help! My starter "goose" is too active lately, probably because of the scorchy and humid weather (32°C) in Taiwan. This morning I baked Longan Walnut bread. The flavor was great, but the look and texture were off. Does anyone know what happened to this sticky and flat dough? My guess is that it's over-hydrated and over-proofed in hot and humid weather. How can I adjust it next time? Many thanks, and happy baking!
Why not try bulk fermenting in the fridge? Develop the gluten then pop it into the fridge for the remainder of the bulk ferment. Not knowing what your recipe is I'd give it a few stretch and folds with rests in-between and give it some room temp time so the bulk ferment is under way then I'd refrigerate for 12-24 hours. Then shape and final proof at room temperature.
Or you can drop the percentage of starter and/or use chilled water for the dough.
I followed the Walnut Levain Bread recipe from Ken Forkish's Flour Water Salt Yeast. I mixed and folded the dough for the first 1.5hrs at room temperature, shaped it 3 hrs after mixing. And then let it rest for another 2 hrs before placing it in the fridge for 14hrs overnight before baking. Switching the placements at room temperature and in the fridge between bulk fermentation and final rise is interesting. I'll try it next time.
I also learned using less starter and cooler water now.
Thanks for the suggestion! --
"My guess is that it's over-hydrated and over-proofed in hot and humid weather."
Might also try reducing the hydration a little bit as this can also slow down fermentation. Another is to try a smaller pan to bake in so that it supports the dough for an upward rise during baking. Don't delay adding salt in the recipe, get it in right away as salt controls the rate of fermentation.
Not only can you use chilled water, but chilling the flour ahead of mixing can also lower the dough temperature if you want to raise the dough with room temps or not overheat the dough with a mixer or warm hands.
Speaking of salt, I have to confess that I forgot to add it after autolyse this time. No wonder the fermentation was unstoppable. Thanks for providing another solution: chilling the dough. I'm sure my dough will be very happy next time. :D
Anytime a normal dough, one you're familiar with, suddenly goes sticky, the first thing to suspect is forgetting the salt. Taste the over-fermented dough to see if salt is missing and how sour it has become. Then continue the detective work. Add fresh dough if the dough has turned into a large pre-ferment. Mix well and immediately shape loaves for one final rise. Put one or more loaves into the fridge to "stagger" timing if oven space is limited. Ice bags can be place under and on top of dough to slow down even more.
I used to park my salt shaker on the rising dough to remind me to add salt. That doesn't work if someone comes by and moves the salt shaker. So I park the salt in a small dish or just leave it in my spoon scale parked on top of the rising dough.
Now in the tropics, I rarely delay salt. If I do, I park the dough bowl in the fridge and leave the salt bowl in plain sight to remind me there is dough in the fridge! :) I suppose I will start using magnets and sticky notes when I have staff around. Staff tend to put things away all the time to keep "order." (Unlike kitchen elves who tend to mess up the place.)