This is my second loaf with my fairly young starter (since December 2024). My first attempt was godawful beause we had a cold snap so that is not pictured lol.
I was itching to make some bread and didn’t want to spend time making a levain so I adapted a recipe by /u/breadisbeautiful.
It’s my first time getting a decent ear which I’m super happy about, but I haven’t baked enough sourdough to determine if this crumb is considered gummy? It’s a bit chewy in places but I’m not sure if all sourdough is just inherently chewy lol.
by mooriarty
8 Comments
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100g starter
500g flours – 350g bread, 100g AP, 50g WW
350g warm water
12g table salt
mix starter with warm water until incorporated, then combine with flour & salt
rest for 1 hr
4-8 stretch and folds, then rest 30 min (repeat 2 times)
4-8 coil folds, then rest 30 min (repeat 2x)
Let dough rest in oven with light on until bulk ferment is complete (5-5.5 hours total)
(Criteria: almost doubled in size: 50% rise, bubbles on surface, convex/domed top, jiggly dough, windowpane test, etc)
Shape dough into a ball, then place into a flour-lined banneton
cover the dough with plastic wrap and place in fridge overnight
Set oven to 475F. Allow the Dutch oven to preheat in the oven as it comes to temperature
Transfer the dough to parchment paper
Add rice flour to the top of the dough & score
Once the oven is at temp, place the parchment paper & dough in the Dutch oven. Cover with lid and let bake for 25 min.
Remove the lid & reduce temp to 450F for ~25 min
following because i’ve been having the same problem!
Think it’s underproofed based on crumb and gumminess. I’m confused by what you said about the rise. Doubled would be 100% rise. If that’s what the recipe called for and you only got to 50%, that would explain it.
Did you let it cool before slicing?
next time try an extra 5/10 minutes. 30-35 minutes covered in the dutchy
Your crumb looks perfect to me, in terms of it not being dense at all and having a nice amount of larger bubbles. If you didn’t cut into it early, then I think it’s probably just in your head about the gummy texture. In general sourdough is definitely not as dry of a bread as other loaves. I’d say reduce your water levels, but looks like you’re already at 70% hydration, I think most sourdough are at 75% so not sure if you wanna go lower than 70%.
You could try cooking it longer, a lot of people like a darker crust to their bread. Also, maybe give it like 2-3 hours to cool, not sure how quickly you are cutting into it.
What temperature is your oven with the light on? Mine is 88°F, others here get 90-120°F with just the light on.
It is unusual to bulk ferment to 100% rise (doubling) in warm temperature when you are following it with a shaped cold proof.
– If your dough temperature is 80°F you would only want about 30% rise in the dough before shaping and cold proofing.
The warmer your dough is the longer it takes the refrigerator to cool the dough and slow down the rise.
I read this dough as over-fermented with some large gas bubbles left in during delicate shaping. Most of the small and medium holes are ragged edges and collapsing.
Your dough does not look so over-proofed as 100% rise in a warm temperature would show. Either your oven with the light on is not warm or you did not get a doubling of dough.