Hi. I am not a new baker. I have been baking sourdough for sometime now. I have a recipe that I love and that is generally consistent. My question is I struggle with inconsistent oven spring. I never change my process or ingredients and yet my oven spring results can differ significantly. My loaf is never flat, but sometimes it can be higher or lower by 50%.
I use a low hydration recipe (60%) with a long room temperature bulk ferment, then shaped, followed by 24 hours in the refrigerator. I also use a 60% stiff mother dough, which is mature and vigorous.
I bake in a 500 degree oven (Forneau) covered with steam.
I use a good bread flour with a high protein level (13-14%) it’s an organic unbleached white flour, (as I don’t care for rye or WW). My mother dough is fed with a medium protein white flour (11-12.5%) and spring water.
Any suggestions on how to gain consistency in my oven spring. I am wracking my brain and can’t figure it out.
Much appreciated.
1. Shaping is inconsistent? Not tight enough?
2. Fridge temperature varies from opening and closing so your bread overproofs some of the time?
3. Using time rather than the state of your dough to decide when bulk is done?
I think I would try baking the bread after 10-12 hours in the fridge and see what you get.
Thanks for your response. I am a pretty good shaper, my loafs are nice and tight. I have a separate dedicated small dough refrigerator, where the temperature stays consistent. I let my dough double during my bulk ferment, it usually takes 7 hours. I leave my dough in the refrigerator to retard longer, because my recipe calls for it. It is a Fisherman’s Wharf style San francisco sourdough, meant to be quite sour, that comes from the long cold retard. The real issue is why I am seeing inconsistencies in my oven spring from batch to batch? I really am a careful baker, and always follow my recipe and process to a tee. I have to say this has been one of the most exasperating legs of my sourdough baking journey. Thank you again for your thoughtful response.