What are your thoughts? Third attempt at sourdough. This hobby has consumed me lol. What does the dense crumb usually mean? It tastes great but I want that fluffy, airy and light crumb🥲
Recipe I followed:
Feed starter, use at peak.
100g active starter
360g water
500g KA Bread flour
10g salt
Mix starter and water until bubbly
Add flour and sprinkle salt all around top
Mix and knead for a few min until shaggy dough forms
Cover and rest for 30 min
Stretch and fold 8 times. Rest for 30 min
Stretch and fold 4 times. Rest for 30 min
Coil fold 4 times. Rest for 30 min
Coil fold 4 times. Bulk ferment 3-6 hours checking occasionally
Preshape into nice ball. Rest for 30 min
Final shape. Spread into rectangle and envelope fold. Flip bottom side up Into proof basket. Stitch. Refrigerate for 12 hours.
Bake in preheated Dutch oven at 450 for 35 min with lid on and then 30 min with lid off. Let cool for 2 hours.
by stratusnimbo
9 Comments
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Looks underproofed to me. I don’t think your bulk was long enough. Especially in the winter when it gets cold it might take quite a while for the dough to be fully proofed, depending where you are!
Beautiful exterior! As the other commenter mentioned, it didn’t have enough time to proof.
great job! A bit more bulk ferment and you have arrived, keep grinding!
As others have pointed out, it’s underfermented. While you can bulk ferment it for 3-6 hours, it needs to be warm. You’ll want it to be about 80 degree Fahrenheit for three additional hours (to the 2 you already have under your belt).
Congrats on your third loaf. I too have been consumed.
I think it’s underproofed. I also struggled with this and ruined some loafs that way. I started measuring the temperature of my dough and used the following charts [link](https://thesourdoughjourney.com/the-ultimate-sourdough-bulk-fermentation-guide/)
This definitely helped me time my dough better. Hope it helps.
Looks like bread to me…How does it taste?
That’s quite a lovely ear! Definitely proof longer next time! How does it taste?
Beautiful! It’s underproofed, but I dare say it’s much better than most of our first loaves were.
Try to push your bulk rise a little more each time. Sourdough is actually a lot more forgiving than you’d think. I’ve left loaves sitting in a hot (>88 degrees F) house for hours after I wanted to, and it came out great.
Something that someone said to me early on that stuck in my brain: under proofed bread can be a gummy, inedible mess. Over proofed bread will still be tasty, it just isn’t as Instagram-able.