I'm looking for some advice re repeated "tunnelling"/big hole problems.
I keep getting these big holes in my boules but also suspect similar crumb patterns in ciabatta/focaccia I've been baking. At first I thought it was underfermentation, as my ambient temp is quite cold, so went longer with bulk fermentation time. The crumb is less dense than my previous attempt, but there was significantly less oven spring and the same large holes persist which makes me wonder if the problem is something else. For context, I have baked some great loaves especially last summer but this starter is one I re-started from a sample I froze 18 months ago.
Autolyse 1 hour: 450g white strong bread flour (14% protein) including around 60 gram whole (ran out of white!); 337g water
Starter: fed 1:3:3 with whole/white mix 9 hours before adding, was doubled, bubbly and passed float test. Added 90g plus 10g salt.
Kitchen is probably around 21c (don't have thermometer) but it's winter and probably gets a bit colder than that.
Eight hours bulk fermentation including stretch and folds/coil folds every half hour for first 3 hours. Dough did not visibly increase in size, but was bubbly, jiggly and very soft to touch. Pre-shape was very billowy but also quite sticky (put this down to hydration but was it overfermented?) and the ball did not hold as well as when I did the shorter (under?) fermentation time, when it sat very perky and ball-like. Shaped it into a boule and admittedly didn't do a great job, it's been a while since I tried a higher hydration loaf! (last summer!) and put it in the banneton before trying to build up surface tension. Put in fridge for cold proof for about 16 hours. When I took it out it had grown and seemed jiggly and gassy.
Baked in cast-iron pan at 230c for 20 mins then a further 35 minutes without the lid.
For context, my previous attempt I had bulk fermented for 4 hours (following my method from summer, without thinking of temp difference!) and result was underfermented, with better oven spring and ear but denser dough and big holes. I had a sensation that this loaf would be overfermented when I was shaping it so didn't expect the big holes again and yet here they are. Is it my starter, do I need to strengthen it? My folding/shaping technique? Would love some troubleshooting help... Thanks!
Looks underproofed to me...
Under proofed. However, that being said, you are right there! So close! Take notes and log all your times and temperatures, good luck!
cordially
Will F.
Interesting, thanks. I was going to shorten the bulk fermentation next time as I thought it might have gone too long. But will try going longer next time and see what happens.
"For context, I have baked some great loaves especially last summer but this starter is one I re-started from a sample I froze 18 months ago. "
Welcome to TFL!
My frozen (wet) starters all died at 4 to 5 months. 3 months was the longest I could go and reliably revive a frozen starter. You have to dry a starter to (reliably) go beyond that.
Instead of "reviving", I'm thinking you might have effectively started a new starter, with some old dead stuff thown in.
If that is the case, do maintenance feeding on what you have, giving it time to mature and balance out. Which is normally 10 to 14 days since the time it started to double.
Your (this) starter's performance for this loaf is typical of what happens when a new baker starts baking with their newly created starter before it's ready for prime-time.
Net: This loaf's crumb is not because bulk/proof was too short or too long. The starter just wasn't ready to use yet. At least that's how I read your photos/story.
Let us know how the next one works out.
HTH.
I think you got it. The proof is in the pudding.
Thanks :)
It definitely revived after freezing. I let it defrost (at which point I saw a few bubbles!), fed it at 1:1:1 and left it for about 24 hours and it doubled in size. I had been worried that after 12 hours it wasn't doing much but after it doubled in size I started feeding it every day for a couple of weeks before using it for baking. Also, after posting the initial post I used it to make focaccia, letting it bulk ferment for a lot longer and it came out really well - dough doubled in size overnight (about 13 hours).
Here's some pics because I was really proud of it...
It may or may not be under. But let’s say it was. Then I’d go longer on the proof rather than the bulk fermentation -if it’s billowy/sticky etc at shaping, why make that worse? And anyway - how is more time either in the bulk or proof going to make big holes in the dough disappear? I suspect you might be folding in some air - could be wrong…
yes i wonder if folding is an issue - how do I avoid folding in air?