I have been suffering a bit of an over proofing issue this last few weeks with my bakes. I have been retarding my shaped loaves in the fridge for roughly 18-20 hours and figured that may be pushing it a little. I mixed up my routine a bit yesterday opting to hydrate my flour mix and salt around 10am (this loaf also had a handful of multi coloured quinoa thrown in), also feeding my levain and allowing both to mature during the day. By 6pm the levain looked perfect so I carefully amalgamated the two and began bulk by 6:15pm. Several stretch and folds between 7-11pm but the dough was far from billowy when it was shaped and fridged in its banneton at roughly 11:30 - I'm in the UK and the house was around 21deg C in the evening.
Upon waking at 8ish this morning the dough was still quite stiff although it had certainly increased in volume maybe 30-40%. It seemed to pass the poke test after a twenty minute warm up so I rolled it into the DO slashed and crossed my fingers... All the while thinking, I know this is under proofed.
The strange shape is down to me loading an oblong banneton sideways as I've seen on a video in tartine bakery, Chads don't come out all weird shaped mind you! However the oven spring is immense? I'm yet to see the crumb, and I'm still convinced another hour or so wouldn't have hurt before the oven but what do you guys think? Maybe I've been over proofing from day one?
I find retardation of shaped loaves is a bit of a dark art. I usually take them out of the fridge (after 12 - 14 hours; I'm not sure I would risk any longer) and think "they're underproved". Often they don't seem to have risen much compared to when I frij'd them.
But then when they go in the oven I get fantastic oven spring (usually!) and everything is good.
A couple of points to note: an average UK fridge seems to exhibit quite a bit of "zoning": I've had overproving from loaves retarded on the top shelf, but the ones on the lower two shelves have been fine. I don't use the top shelf now.
The other point is that, at least in the summer, my fridge doesn't run cold enough, so on dough preparation day I turn up the dial a couple of notches (why do fridge thermostats work backwards?)
Lance
Thanks Lance,I too have fallen foul of the top shelf! I wonder if it has just been during the warmer weather I've been suffering the disappointing results. I'm still unsure if this loaf was under, it will need further experiments with this new timing. I tried the bread today and was very impressed, just the right sour and crumb seems ok if perhaps a little tighter than usual, although I only had a couple of slices from the end. I'll know for sure tomorrow.