All my breads are coming out flat! They are still tasty but definitely don’t look as pretty. My first ever loaf was my best one yet and not sure why I can’t seem to reproduce it or make it better. My recipe:
75g sourdough starter
335g water
500g flour
10g salt
1) mix starter and water
2) add flour
3) let rest for an hour
4) add salt and mix
5) rest for 30min
6) stretch and fold for 4-6x every 30min
7) shape and add to banneton
8) rest an hour and pop in the fridge
I started the whole process at 8am (the starter I feed the night before) and pop in the fridge at around 3-4pm. We have 22-23°C in the house.
Important to mention: I usually let the dough rest in fridge for 2 nights as I don’t have time during the week to bake it in the morning. I’ve noticed that the dough keeps rising even in the fridge. The fridge is 5°C.
Flour used:
50% white flour with 11% protein
50% so called “Ruchmehl”, which is flour that still contains part of the outer shell layers (approx 85% grinding) with a 13% protein content
It also deflates slightly when I score it. I’m guessing it’s due to over fermentation but it feels like it’s happening in the fridge?! the first loaf I had in the fridge only overnight but otherwise had the same timeframe, though there I used double the starter in the recipe.
by magmaggster
3 Comments
*** I bake it in a preheated dutch oven at 230°C for 30min with added ice cubes for humidity and remove the lid for the next 20-25min.
I’m not a pro. But from what I’ve read in learning all this myself, it seems maybe your active starter got hungry in the fermentation process and thus went a bit liquid. That’s just my guess. I’m trying to troubleshoot my own as well.
Aside from it being a bit flat it looks beautiful!
Try an initial autolyse – that’s flour and water only – to sit for 1.5 – 2 hours before adding the starter and salt. As you are currently doing it you are promoting fermentation before you have the gluten strength to contain the gases.