Trying to figure out bulking and proofing times. I think this looks a bit under proofed. The current iteration is:
75% Type 1050 wheat flour
25% whole wheat rye
80% water
2% salt
0.3% instant yeast
Mixed in a stand mixer until the gluten developed (window pane). 2x stretch & fold and 2x coil folds at 30 min intervals. Bulked until +50% volume. Pre-shaped, benched then shaped. Proofed in the fridge at about 4-5°C for ~17 hours. Baked with steam at 230°C for 30 mins and 20 mins without steam.
It had risen very little coming out of the fridge. Oven spring wasn't huge, but I guessed I'm not expecting a huge spring given the high bran content.
At this point I'm considering a longer bulk (I have one in the fridge that I bulked to about 70%), that my fridge is too cold, increasing the yeast, and maybe using a smaller proofing basket, given that the loaf was a little flat. It may just be too broad. Mine is 25 cm which seems to be suggested for 1kg loaves (I'm using 500g total flour weight) but it doesn't even fill half of it.
Any thoughts or suggestions?
Dough after proofing: (only rose about one 'rung' of the basket)
On a side note: What's the easiest method of adding photos? I keep writing posts from mobile and the editor isn't super mobile friendly. Plus my photos are all too big and I need to resize them.
Maybe a tiny bit going from the last photo, but for the flours used I would say this looks pretty good and very tasty.
Maybe a slightly longer BF and slightly shorter proving can help, as would a smaller banneton. I would be inclined to do a loaf without retarding it in the fridge till I have something that works with standard proving, and then take it from there. Also, maybe consider another scoring as the cross score can allow the dough to spread if the structure is not too strong. Maybe a single slightly curving cut?
But I would be quite happy with this. How is the taste and texture?
The loaf didn't last s day. I'd like it a bit darker and crustier, but that's down to the baking zone I think. I'm putting the longer bulk attempt in the oven today, so I'll try a different scoring pattern.
Main photo doesn't look under proofed. But then again different slices can tell a different story. If I was only shown the send crumb shot photo then i'd say it was a little under. From the way how it looks in the banneton, how it has spread flat, i'd say a little too hydrated hence the modest oven spring.
Looks delicious all the same.
I may have to accept that this flour can't handle 80%. It was delicious though!
I would agree with trying open air and skipping the fridge. Viscosity of the starter will vary with temp. Maybe try a cold starter (thicker). And I agree with you on 80% being too high perhaps.
At the end of the day, the exact same formula can vary based on starter condition and ambient temps. But that's what I'd try for more rise. I like to see the bottom edge a little rounded from oven spring. That's usually a good sign. I don't get that every single time unfortunately. But when I do and the bread is high, I know everything turned out right. I use the same formula every time and have done so for 10-15 years.
EDIT to add: I look for about a 30% rise in volume in banettons. Less than that and it's underproofed. More than that and my greed for extra rise is wasted in collapsed bread when it gets dumped into the oven. If it's proofed just right, the oven spring will be nice and high. It doesn't happen every time unfortunately. I never count one try of any given formula with bread a failure until it's happened a few times.