I’m pretty satisfied with my sourdough bread so far. But I would like the crumb to be more open. I have proofed it for only a couple hours outside the fridge and then the rest in the fridge. I believe that if I leave it a few more hours out, I would get more of that inflation in the dough and then finalize it in the fridge. Any suggestions here?
My recipe is:
Levain:
30 g mm starter
60 g bread flour
60 g water @ 90F
Let it double in size
Then,
375 g bread flour
231 g water @ 90 F
9 g salt
4 folds, one every 30 minutes
Fold, shape & place in baneton
About 3 hours proofing on kitchen counter, about 80F ambient
Proof in refrigerator about 12 hours
Turn over, score and place in dutch oven preheated to 450F
Bake 30 minutes @ 450F covered
Remove lid and bake 15 minutes @450F
Remove from oven & rest for 2 hours on counter
Enjoy!
by cyberintrepid
7 Comments
Watch Tom and The Sourdough Journey. He has tons of great videos but he has a specific video on what you’re hoping to improve. I can’t recommend him enough – he’s great and his content and downloadable tools are free!
How old is it? Mine took nearly a year of baking and feeding to get more active. And try to get some fresh ground organic flour If possible. I geht mine from a mill outside the City and the sourdough loves it
Make more levain. I do the same process but with 100g flour/water at the levain
I suggest changing one thing at a time. Your bread already looks really good. Your proofing time is quite short, so I’d try increasing that by an hour, and continuing to increase until you get the crumb you want. Is your house on the warm side?
Time is the fridge isn’t proofing, it’s a retard. It may rise very slightly in the fridge, but that time is mainly to develop flavor.
Increase water to 280g. This is a 60% hydration loaf. Higher hydration, like 75% (280g water to 375g flour) will create a more open crumb. Also, watch your shaping. Try not to de-gas it while you’re shaping it. Be gentle with the air bubbles.
What kind of flour are you using?
My sourdough game changed when I switched to bread pan and cooked in oval roaster pan with lid on/off with ice cubes!