More Good Boules!

I let a loaf go too long in primary fermentation and the dough got a little sloppy. The gluten was clearly starting to break down. The dough was very extensible and somewhat mushy. I was afraid it would be a total loss, but it still came up a bit in the oven and was actually quite good. I took most of it snowshoeing with Andy and Ryan, and everyone seemed to enjoy it. The long fermentation (overnight in the fridge, plus all day on the counter) but out a lot of dark color in the crust, and I pulled it out of the oven early (to make room for some nachos that were going in for dinner). I was afraid that the crumb would be gummy and underdone, but it was actually quite moist and tasty. More like the chewy quality of Great Harvest loaves than the dry crumb of most bakery hearth breads.

The rice flour is working quite well to prevent sticking in the willow proofing basket, and my zero bench flour policy (I use water instead—on the counter, on my hands, and on my bench knife) is holding up. I keep forgetting to dust the top of my shaped loaf with the rice flour before inverting it into the basket—I think that would minimize sticking even further.

My spreadsheet is working quite well, too. I should add a section that calculates varying percentages and admixtures of other flours, such as whole wheat and rye.

In today’s loaf, I cut down the proportion of barm in the final dough, and I noticed better gluten strength. That makes sense. The gluten in the ripe, wet barm is quite broken down and too much of that soupy material in the final dough ought to yield a weaker dough (and it appears to do so). I’m currently mixing about 25% barm into my final dough, with an overnight retard in the fridge and completing bulk fermentation at room temp on the counter on day 2. Still keeping the barm at 150% hydration.

Tonight I mixed a slightly stiffer dough, at 65% hydration. We’ll see what that yields tomorrow. I’m beginning to think about getting a couche and trying to make some baguettes or batards. Perhaps I’ll order one once my Cloche arrives.