Feedback needed

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Squid on 11 Mar 2007 at 12:02

I just baked my first loaves of sourdough bread using Nancy Silverton's starter method. It turned out very nice and I could taste the sourness of the bread. The crumb was very open, which really pleased me, being a beginning baker. However, when the loaves went into the oven, the bottoms of the loaves split open. It's a very rustic looking loaf, so all is not lost. It kinda gives it character, but I don't think I want to reproduce it. LOL

Any feedback on why this happened? I couldn't find any info about this when I did a search. The only thing I did differently was use Saltillo tiles that I just purchased and seasoned yesterday.

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Srishti on 11 Mar 2007 at 15:03

You didn't close the seams tightly enough! and when the bread starts rising super fast in that heat of the oven, it starts expanding and the first place it explodes is at the weak surfaces, like the seams at the bottom, and the slashes on the top! Did you give nice deep slashes to the bread? Also make sure that the seams sre tightly pinched.

I did slash the bread and I think they were deep enough. I thought I'd pinched the seam well, but I guess I didn't. I'll try and do better next time.

Thanks for your help.

I finally got around to taking a picture. Here's the crumb if anyone wants to give me any pointers. There wasn't much else to take as the loaf was half eaten by the time I picked up my camera from the office.

This is my very first sourdough bread using Nancy Silverton's sourdough starter, my 5th bread-making attempt. It had a definite sour taste, but I don't have any personal experiece to compare it to (other that what I've bought). My next attempt will be with SourdoLady's starter and I also have an Italian starter that I can really compare my homemade starters to.

I have made breads for seven years now (as long as I've been a mom) and I was so frustrated with that loaf in particular, a seemingly simple loaf!  I proof mine in a basket, and I've had enough go-rounds with that loaf (I have two in my oven now, as a matter of fact) and this is how I determine if it's ready to go in the oven: If I press down with my finger, nail first so that I make a big indention, if it springs back not at all, it's ready.  If I don't proof it to the point that I think I've gone too far, I'll get very odd loaf shapes.  I don't know why this loaf in particular is such a problem for blow-outs or odd shapes, but it is.  Ideas, anyone?