Need some help. I made a blueberry lemon loaf the other day. It was my first time using these inclusions. I used the OONI spiral pro mixer for all of the stretch and folds as well and then did one set of stretch and folds before bulk fermentation.
Recipe is at the following website – https://ooni.com/blogs/recipes/ooni-sourdough-bread
I unfortunately had to rush my bulk fermentation (which with the ooni is usually okay). I added zest of 2 lemons, juice of 1 lemon with 1 tsp of sugar, and fresh blueberries coated in flour. I stretched my dough as far as I could like I was going to do laminations. After adding the inclusions I folded them in. I couldn’t do much beyond the folding of them in or the blueberries would have busted through. So I couldn’t really shape either. It was nicely balled up with as much tension as I could give it. But not like I like it. I put it back into bulk fermentation and then didn’t touch for 2 more hours. I then transferred to my refrigerator overnight. I baked next day in my preheated DO for 20 min covered and then turned down the heat to 450 uncovered for 20 more minutes. My issue is, I couldn’t shape and it was FULL OF AIR POCKETS! The bread itself was also a little gummy for my liking. Any advice on how and when to add inclusions like blueberries that are super delicate?
by Whowantsahighfive
6 Comments
With inclusions, I end bulk fermentation earlier. Then I stretch out the dough for lamination. Add inclusions, shape, and then it do a 2nd rise in the banneton for the rest of what I would have done for bulk fermentation, then I cold proof overnight.
You could also consider using dried blueberries that you rehydrate. The idea is that they aren’t as delicate that way
So I have made lemon/blueberry inclusion sourdough and here are a few tips. Do not add whole blueberries – pop them and add the skins. I know this sounds crazy but trust me on it. Whole blueberries just can’t be handled with dough well, and you’ll end up popping them while mixing and you’ll have a tremendous amount of extra hydration to deal with. When mixing in the inclusions, mix the dough more than you regularly would – trust me it’ll come together nicely, just needs more time. Your dough may have had air pockets due to the residual sugars from the blue berries – extra sugar, extra fermentation. Here is my example:
https://preview.redd.it/0f3q4pmkikig1.jpeg?width=1179&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=590f2c8e5ff490cb44a0cb82aed0dd8529c0a015
dried blueberries?
Freeze dried fruit are a lot easier to work with and have really intense flavors.
For some loaves with inclusion that tend to ‘pop’ out while working the dough I have taken to putting a ‘skin’ of dough over the loaf once shaped.
So, just before adding the inclusions I take off about 100gm of the dough and put it aside.
I work the inclusions in the main dough while not being too concerned about what pops out, just put them back in while folding.
Once I have shaped the loaf I take the small bit of dough and stretch it over the surface of the loaf. This gives a thin dough skin and reduces the problem of inclusions popping out.
I recently made a lemon blueberry loaf with rehydrated freeze dried blueberries in lemon juice! Came out with a wonderful lemon flavor. I added them in during my 3rd round of stretch and folds. I have a post here with more details:
https://www.reddit.com/r/Sourdough/s/ZGdbPyR64n