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1070 lines
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TeX
1070 lines
60 KiB
TeX
In this chapter, you will learn how to make
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free-standing wheat sourdough bread.
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\begin{figure}[!htb]
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\includegraphics[width=\textwidth]{loaf-pan-free-standing.jpg}
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\caption{A free-standing sourdough bread next to a bread made in a loaf pan.
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The free-standing sourdough is considered the supreme discipline of sourdough bread by many bakers.
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}
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\end{figure}
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A free-standing sourdough bread is my favorite
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type of bread. It combines a great crunchy crust, superb
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flavor, and a soft fluffy crumb. This is the type of bread
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that is being inhaled by my friends and family. Unfortunately
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making this type of bread requires a lot more effort, patience,
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and technique than other types of bread. You have to perfectly
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balance the fermentation process. You can not ferment for too
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short and also not for too long. The techniques you need to
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learn require a bit more skill. It took me several attempts
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to get this right. One of the challenges I faced was that
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I had the wrong flour. I didn't properly know how to use my oven.
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When should I stop the fermentation? There is a lot of information
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out there. I dug through most of it and have tried almost everything.
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In many cases the information was wrong, in other cases, I
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found another valuable puzzle piece. Aggregating all this
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information was one of my main motivations to start the bread code.
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My key learning was that there there is no recipe that
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you can blindly follow. You will always have to adapt the recipe
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to your local available tools and environment.
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But do not worry. After reading this chapter you will know
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all the signs to look out for. You will be able to read your dough.
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You will turn into a confident hobby baker that can bake bread
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at home, at high altitudes, at low altitudes, in summer, in winter,
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at your friend's place, and even on vacation. Furthermore,
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you will know how to scale your production from 1 bread to 100 loaves of bread.
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If you ever wanted to open up a bakery, consider this knowledge to
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be your foundation.
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Mastering this process will enable you to make amazing bread
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that tastes much better than any store bought bread.
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\section{The process}
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\begin{figure}[!htb]
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\begin{tikzpicture}[node distance = 3cm, auto]
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\node [block] (init) {\footnotesize Ready starter};
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\node [block, right of=init, node distance=3cm] (mix_ingredients) {\footnotesize Mix ingredients};
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\node [block, right of=mix_ingredients, node distance=3cm] (dough_strength) {\footnotesize Create dough strength};
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\node [block, right of=dough_strength, node distance=3cm] (bulk) {\footnotesize Bulk ferment};
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\node [decision, below of=dough_strength, node distance=3cm] (divide_test) {\footnotesize Making 1 loaf?};
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\node [block, left of=divide_test, node distance=3cm] (divide) {\footnotesize Divide};
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\node [block, left of=divide, node distance=3cm] (preshape) {\footnotesize Preshape};
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\node [block, below of=preshape, node distance=3cm] (shape) {\footnotesize Shape};
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\node [block, right of=shape, node distance=3cm] (proof) {\footnotesize Proof};
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\node [block, right of=proof, node distance=3cm] (bake) {\footnotesize Bake};
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\path [line] (init) -- (mix_ingredients);
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\path [line] (mix_ingredients) -- (dough_strength);
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\path [line] (dough_strength) -- (bulk);
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\path [line] (bulk) -- (divide_test);
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\path [line] (divide_test) -- node{yes} (shape);
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\path [line] (divide_test) -- node{no} (divide);
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\path [line] (divide) -- (preshape);
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\path [line] (preshape) -- (shape);
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\path [line] (shape) -- (proof);
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\path [line] (proof) -- (bake);
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\end{tikzpicture}
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\caption{The typical process of making a wheat based sourdough bread}
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\label{j:wheat-sourdough-process}
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\end{figure}
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The whole process of making great sourdough bread starts with
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readying your sourdough starter. The key to mastering
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this process is to manage the fermentation process properly.
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For this, the basis is to have an active and healthy
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sourdough starter.
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Once your starter is ready you proceed to mix all the ingredients.
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You want to homogenize your sourdough starter properly. This
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way you ensure an even fermentation across your whole dough.
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After a short break, you will proceed and create dough strength.
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Kneading will create a strong gluten network. This is essential
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to properly trap the CO2 created during the fermentation.
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Once you kneaded the bulk fermentation starts. Bulk fermentation
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because you typically ferment multiple doughs together in one bulk.
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Understanding when to stop this step will take some practice.
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But nothing to worry about, you will learn the exact signs to look out for.
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Once this is completed you need to divide your large blob of
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dough into smaller pieces and preshape each piece. This allows
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you to apply more dough strength and shape more uniform loaves.
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The proofing stage follows where you finish the fermentation process.
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Depending on your time you can proof at room temperature or in the fridge.
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Mastering proofing will turn your good loaf into a great loaf.
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Lastly, you will finish the whole process by baking. You will learn different
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options on how to properly steam your dough. This way your
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dough will have a beautiful oven spring. During the second
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stage of the baking process, you will finish building your crust.
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All the steps rely on each other. You will need to get each of
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the steps right to make the perfect bread.
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\section{Readying your starter}
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The most crucial part of the bread-making process is your starter.
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The starter is what starts the fermentation in your main dough.
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If your starter is off, then your main dough is also going
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to cause trouble during the fermentation. Your starter's
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properties are passed on to your main dough. If your starter
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doesn't have a good balance of yeast to bacteria, so will your
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main dough.
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\begin{figure}[!htb]
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\begin{tikzpicture}[node distance = 3cm, auto]
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\node [decision] (init) {\footnotesize Starter last fed within 3 days?};
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\node [block, right of=init, node distance=4cm] (feed_no_branch)
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{\footnotesize Feed starter twice. 48 hours before and 6-12 hours before};
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\node [block, below of=feed_no_branch, node distance=3cm] (feed_yes_branch)
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{\footnotesize Feed starter once 6-12 hours before making dough};
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\node [block, right of=feed_no_branch, node distance=6cm] (high_ratio)
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{\footnotesize Use a 1:10:10 ratio. 10g starter, 100g flour, 100g water};
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\node [block, right of=feed_yes_branch, node distance=3cm] (low_ratio)
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{\footnotesize Use a 1:5:5 ratio. 10g starter, 50g flour, 50g water};
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\node [block, below of=high_ratio, node distance=6cm] (check_starter)
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{\footnotesize Check if starter is ready to be used};
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\node [decision, below of=init, node distance=6cm] (size_check)
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{\footnotesize Bubbly? Increased in size?};
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\node [decision, below of=size_check, node distance=5cm] (smell_check)
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{\footnotesize Vinegary or yogurty smell?};
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\node [block, right of=smell_check, node distance=6cm] (make_dough)
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{\footnotesize Prepare dough};
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\path [line] (init) -- node{no} (feed_no_branch);
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\path [line] (init) -- node{yes} (feed_yes_branch);
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\path [line] (feed_yes_branch) -- (low_ratio);
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\path [line] (feed_no_branch) -- (high_ratio);
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\path [line] (high_ratio) -- (check_starter);
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\path [line] (low_ratio) -- (check_starter);
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\path [line] (check_starter) -- (size_check);
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\path [line] (size_check) -- node{no} (feed_yes_branch);
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\path [line] (size_check) -- node{yes} (smell_check);
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\path [line] (smell_check) -- node{no} (feed_yes_branch);
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\path [line] (smell_check) -- node{yes} (make_dough);
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\end{tikzpicture}
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\caption{The process to ready and check your sourdough starter when making a wheat based dough. In practice
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I frequently use a stiff sourdough starter. The stiff starter features enhanced yeast activity. In that case you can
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use the same ratios as shown in the chart except the water quantity. The stiff starter has a hydration of 50 to
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60 percent. So you would half the shown water quantities. I.e. if the chart shows 100g water, use 50 to 60g of water
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for your stiff starter.}
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\label{fig:process-starter-wheat-sourdough}
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\end{figure}
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Generally, think of the dough you are mixing as a big starter with salt.
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After mixing all the ingredients you have a green field environment again.
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The yeast and bacteria start to fight again to outcompete each other.
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There is plenty of food available and they all do their best to win.
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Depending on the starter you mix into your dough some of the microorganisms
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might have an advantage over the others.
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The first option to achieve a good balance is to apply feedings.
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If your starter hasn't been fed in a long period the
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bacteria dominate. This happens if your starter has been
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sitting unused in the fridge for instance. As more and more
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acidity piles up the environment is becoming more and more hostile
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to the yeast. The lactic acid bacteria tolerate this environment
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better. Your dough fermentation would be more towards the
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bacterial side with this starter. By applying a couple of
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feedings the yeast becomes more active. The older your
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starter the more acid resistant the yeast becomes. Initially,
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I had to feed my starter 2-3 times to fix the balance. With my
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more mature starter, one feeding seems to be enough to balance
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the microorganisms.
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Some people use a 1:1:1 ratio to refresh the starter. This would
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be one part of the old starter (10g for instance), 1 part of flour,
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and one part of water. I think this is utter rubbish. As mentioned
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your starter is a gigantic dough. You would never a 1:1:1 ratio to
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make a dough. You might use a maximum of 20 percent starter to
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make a dough. That's why I advocate using a 1:5:5 ratio or a
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1:10:10 ratio depending on how ripe your starter is. As I almost
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always use a stiffer sourdough starter due to its enhanced
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yeast fermentation advantages (see section \ref{section:stiff-starter})
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my ratio is never 1:5:5. My ratio would be 1:5:2.5 (1 part old starter,
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5 parts flour, 2.5 parts water). If it is very warm where you live
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you could opt for the aforementioned 1:10:5 or 1:20:10. This
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way you slow down the ripening of your starter. You can use this
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trick too to make starter feeding work with your schedule.
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If your starter is typically ready in 6 hours but today you need it
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ready later, simply increase how much flour/water you feed your starter.
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These are all values that you need to experiment with on your own.
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Every starter is unique and might behave slightly different.
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The second option at your disposal is the starter quantity that
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you use to make the dough. As previously stated your starter
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regrows inside of your main dough. While I would normally use
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10-20 percent of starter based on the flour, sometimes I go
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as low as 1 percent starter. This way the microorganisms have
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more room to balance out while fermenting the dough. If my sourdough
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starter has not been fed in a day I might use 5 percent of sourdough
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to make a dough. If I push this to 2 days without feedings
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I lower the starter amount even further. I would opt for the
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previously mentioned 1 percent starter. If the food is very scarce
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your microorganisms will sporulate. They need to regrow again
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from the spores they created. In this hibernation state, it takes
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longer for them to become fully active again. I have tried
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several times to make dough directly out of a dry starter.
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I wasn't successful because the fermentation took too long.
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The microorganisms had to regrow from spores and then begin
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the fermentation. As explained earlier there is a limit to
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fermentation times as your dough naturally breaks down.
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Furthermore, you want your microorganisms to outcompete
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other pathogens contained in the flour. The less starter
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you use the easier it is for them to reproduce. A strong
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starter will outcompete other germs. While the method of
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reducing the starter works, I recommend option one more.
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It will reliably create better bread. Option 2 is typically
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what I use when I fed my starter in the morning but didn't
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manage to make a dough in the evening. I don't want to feed
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my starter again the next morning. I would like to make a dough
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directly without waiting and thus use less of the very ripe starter.
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Over time you will become more accustomed to your starter
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and how it behaves. You will be able to read the signs of its
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activity and judge its state.
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\section{Ingredients}
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All you need to make a great sourdough bread is flour water and salt. You
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can of course add additional things to your dough such as seeds. I personally
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enjoy the hearty taste of whole wheat. Thus I like to add around 20-30 percent
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of whole wheat flour to the mix. You could also make this recipe with 100 percent
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whole wheat flour directly. In this case look out for a strong whole wheat
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flour that is made from flour with higher protein. If you don't like whole
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wheat you can omit the flour from the recipe. Simply replace the listed
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quantity with bread flour. One thing to consider about whole wheat
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flour is the increased enzymatic activity. By adding some whole wheat
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flour you will speed up the whole fermentation process.
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Especially when getting started I recommend to use a bread flour which
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contains more gluten than all purpose or cake flour. This is essential
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when trying to bake a free standing loaf with sourdough.
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Find below an example recipe for 1 loaf including baker's math calculation:
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\begin{itemize}
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\item 400g of bread flour
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\item 100g of whole wheat flour
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\item \textbf{500g of flour in total}
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\item 300g-450g of room temperature water (60 percent up to 90 percent). More on
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this topic in the next chapter.
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\item 50g of stiff sourdough starter (10 percent)
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\item 10g of salt (2 percent)
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\end{itemize}
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In case you want to make more bread simply increase the quantities based on
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how much flour you have. Let's say you have 2000g of flour available. The
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recipe would look like this.
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\begin{itemize}
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\item 1800g of bread flour
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\item 200g of whole wheat flour
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\item \textbf{2000g of flour, equalling 4 loaves}
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\item 1200g up to 1800g of room temperature water (60 to 90 percent)
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\item 200g of stiff sourdough starter (10 percent)
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\item 40g of salt (2 percent)
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\end{itemize}
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This is the beauty of baker's math. Simply recalculate the percentages and you
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are good to go. If you are unsure about how this works please check out the
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full chapter \ref{section:bakers-math} which looks at the topic in detail.
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\section{Hydration}
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Hydration refers to how much water you use for your flour. When
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beginning to make bread I always got this wrong. I followed a recipe from the
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internet and my dough never looked like a dough shown in the recipe.
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The amount of water your flour requires is not fixed. It depends on the flour
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you have.
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When a seed gets into contact initially the outer layers soak up the water.
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That's why when using whole wheat (still containing these layers) you have to
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use a little bit more water.
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By forming gluten strands water is absorbed into your dough. The higher the
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protein value the more water can be used.
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Some bakers like to use a highly hydrated dough to create a fluffier dough.
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\footnote{Sometimes it almost feels like a comparison of skill value between bakers. The
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more water they can handle, the more skillful the baker.} The reason for this
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is the dough's improved extensibility. The wetter the dough the easier it is
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for the dough to be stretched. When you pull it, the dough will hold its
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shape. In comparison a very stiff (low hydration) dough will maintain its
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shape for a longer period of time. To visualize this think of your extensible
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dough as a balloon. The stiff dough is a car tire. The yeast has a much harder
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time to inflate the care tire compared to the balloon. That's because the
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rubber of the car tire is much more elastic. It requires much more force to
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inflate the tire. For this reason an extensible dough will inflate more in the
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oven. The loaf will be visually bigger and offer an airier more open crumb structure.
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While this might sound great, the high hydration causes several side effects.
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\begin{enumerate}
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\item Your dough becomes more difficult to handle. Your dough will be stickier
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\item Your dough has to be kneaded for longer in order to build a proper gluten
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network.
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\item During the fermentation your dough might become too extensible and lose
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some of the dough strength. To circumvent this stretch and folds are applied
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compared to a regular dough.
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requiring you to invest a lot more work.
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\item Shaping becomes much more of a hassle as the dough is very sticky.
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\item The dough can stick to the banneton a lot easier while proofing.
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\item If you wait too long during proofing the dough won't have enough strength
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left to pull upwards and stay flat.
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\item Generally the higher the water content the more bacterial fermentation you
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have. Thus a wetter dough will reduce in gluten faster than a stiffer dough.
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This is why you have to start the fermentation with a sourdough starter in
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perfect shape. Bakers use a process called autolyse to shorten the main
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fermentation time to circumvent this.
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\item The crumb in the end might be perceived as somewhat sticky. It still
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contains a lot of water. Personally I love this crumb, but this is a personal
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choice.
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\end{enumerate}
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To achieve a high hydration dough it is best to slowly add the water to
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your dough. Start with 60 percent hydration, then slowly add a bit more water. Knead
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again until the water is absorbed. Repeat and add more water. As your dough
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has already formed a gluten network, new water can be absorbed much easier.
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You will be surprised by how much water your dough can soak up. This
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method is commonly known as the bassinage method. More on that later.
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By opting for this technique I was easily able to push a low
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gluten flour to a hydration of 80 percent. This
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is also my method of choice when making a dough now. I keep adding water until
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I can feel that the dough has the right consistency. As you bake more bread
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you will develop a better look and feel for your dough. When mixing
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by hand this can be quite cumbersome. It is a lot more easy when using a stand
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mixer.
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All in all increasing the hydration requires a lot of trial and error. There
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is however one option that makes things easier and causes less headache:
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Slow fermentation. You get the same extensibility advantages the high hydration
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offers by simply letting your dough ferment for a longer period of time.
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Slowing the fermentation process is easy. Use less
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sourdough starter or ferment in a cooler environment.
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There are two reasons for slow fermentation advantages.
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As explained earlier both the protease enzyme and bacteria break down your
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gluten network. So as fermentation progresses your dough will automatically
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become more extensible. This is because the rubber layers of your care tire
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are slowly converted and eaten. Ultimately your car tire turns into a balloon
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that can very easily be inflated. When waiting too long the
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balloon will burst. You will have no gluten left anymore and your dough
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becomes very sticky. Finding the sweet spot of enough rubber eating and not
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too much is what the perfect wheat sourdough bread bread is about. But don't worry, after reading
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this chapter you will have the right tools at your disposal.
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The advantages of slow fermentation can be nicely observed when experimenting
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with a fast fermenting yeast dough (1 percent dry yeast based on the flour). The
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crumb of such a dough is never as
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open as a dough made with sourdough. Furthermore the protease enzyme
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can not do its job within such a short fermentation period.
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Large industrial bakeries add active malt which contains a
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lot more enzymes. This way the time required to make a dough is shortened. You
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will most likely find malt as an ingredient in supermarket bread. It is a
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great hack. The baked turbo fermentation bread will feature a relatively dense
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and not fluffy crumb. That is because only very little gluten is broken down when
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finishing the fermentation period in 1 hour. If you were to slow down things
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the dough would look completely different.
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Try this again and use way less yeast. This is the
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secret of the Neapolitan Pizza. Only a tiny bit of yeast is used to make the
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dough. In fact my default pizza recipe calls for around 150 milligrams of dry
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yeast per one kilogram of flour. Give it a shot yourself the next time you
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make a yeast based dough. Try to push the fermentation to at least 8 hours.
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The difference is incredible. You will have made a bread with a much more
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fluffy and open crumb. The flavor of the dough is drastically improved. Your
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crust becomes crisper and features a better taste. This is because amylases have
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converted your starches into simpler sugars which brown better during baking.
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If you take away one learning from this book, it is that slow fermentation is
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the key to making great bread.
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For this reason my default hydration is much lower than the hydration of other
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bakers. I prefer a slower fermentation for my recipes.
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The sweet spot for my default flour is at around 70 percent hydration.
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Again this is a highly subjective value that works for my flour.
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If you are just getting started with a new batch of flour
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I recommend to conduct the following test. This will help you to
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identify the sweet spot of your flour's hydration capabilities.
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Make 5 bowls with each 100g of flour. Add different slightly increasing
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water amounts to each of the bowls.
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\begin{itemize}
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\item 100g of flour, 55g of water
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\item 100g of flour, 60g of water
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\item 100g of flour, 65g of water
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\item 100g of flour, 70g of water
|
|
\item 100g of flour, 75g of water
|
|
\end{itemize}
|
|
|
|
Proceed and mix the flour and water mixture until you see that there
|
|
are no chunks of flour left. Wait 15 minutes and return to your doughs.
|
|
Carefully pull the dough apart with your hands. Your dough should be elastic
|
|
and hold together. Stretch your dough until very thin. Then hold it against a light.
|
|
You should be able to see through it. The flour water mixture that breaks without
|
|
seeing the windowpane is your no-go zone. Opt for a dough with
|
|
less hydration than this value. You will know that your flour mix can go up to
|
|
65 percent hydration for instance. Use the left overs of this experiment
|
|
to feed your starter.
|
|
|
|
|
|
\begin{figure}[!htb]
|
|
\includegraphics[width=\textwidth]{window-pane-effect}
|
|
\caption
|
|
{The window pane test allows you to see if you developed your gluten well enough}
|
|
\end{figure}
|
|
|
|
|
|
From an economic perspective water is the cheapest component in your bread
|
|
dough. When running a bakery a higher hydrated dough will weigh more have
|
|
lower production costs. The profit will be higher. This comes at the price
|
|
of increasing labor costs and more potential failures due to the enhanced
|
|
difficulty.
|
|
|
|
\section{How much starter?}
|
|
|
|
Most bakers use around 20 percent sourdough starter based on the dough mass. I
|
|
recommend to go way lower to around 5 to 10 percent.
|
|
|
|
By adjusting the amount of preferment you can influence the time your dough
|
|
requires in the bulk fermentation stage. The more starter you use the faster
|
|
this process is. The smaller the amount of starter the slower. With a higher
|
|
quantity of starter you are introducing more microorganisms to your main
|
|
dough. The higher this quantity the faster the rate of fermentation in your
|
|
dough is.
|
|
|
|
The other factor influecing the rate of fermentation is the temperature of
|
|
your dough. The warmer the temperature the faster the process, the colder the
|
|
slower the process.
|
|
|
|
While food is available the microorganisms will reproduce and increase in
|
|
quantity. The process is a self limiting process that stops when there is no
|
|
more food available. This can be compared to whine making where
|
|
the yeast ultimately dies as ethanol levels increase and turn the environment
|
|
toxic. The ethanol creates a preservant that makes it impossible for other
|
|
microorganisms to join the feast. The same thing happens with the acidity
|
|
created by the bacteria. The high acidity slows the fermentation process and
|
|
prevents new microorganisms from entering the system.
|
|
|
|
Initially your starter's properties are carried over to the main dough. Then
|
|
as time progresses the microorganisms adapt to the new environment. If your
|
|
starter is very bacterial then so will be your main dough's fermentation. You
|
|
end up with a dough that is not as fluffy as it could be. It will taste quite
|
|
sour, too sour for most people.
|
|
|
|
If you were to use an extreme value of around 90 percent starter based on your flour there
|
|
would be very little room for the microorganisms to adjust in the main dough.
|
|
If you were to just use 1 percent, your microorganisms can regrow into a
|
|
desirable balance in the dough. Furthermore you need to consider that a high value
|
|
of starter means a high inoculation with already fermented flour. As
|
|
mentioned earlier enzymes break down the dough. This means the higher this
|
|
value the more broken down fermented flour you have. A too long fermentation
|
|
always results in a very sticky dough that can not be handled. The more
|
|
starter you use the faster you will get to this point. If you were to use a
|
|
very little amount of starter your flour might have naturally broken down
|
|
before the fermentation has reached the desired stage. You can observe this
|
|
when using a small quantity of around 1 percent sourdough starter. The small
|
|
amount of added microorganisms will not be able to reproduce fast enough
|
|
before the protease has broken down your dough completely.
|
|
|
|
As explained earlier the key to making great bread is a slow but not too slow
|
|
fermentation. Enzymes require time to break down your dough. Taking all this
|
|
into consideration I try to aim for a fermentation time of around 8 to 12 hours. This seems to be
|
|
the sweet spot for most of the flours that I have worked with. To achieve this
|
|
I use around 5 percent of sourdough starter in summer times (temperatures are
|
|
at around 25°C in the kitchen.). In winter times I opt for around 10 percent
|
|
up to 20 percent sourdough starter (kitchen temperature around 20°C). This
|
|
allows me to use a sourdough starter that's not in perfect condition. Your
|
|
bread dough is essentially a gigantic starter. The low inoculation rate allows
|
|
the starter to regrow inside of your main dough into a desirable balance.
|
|
Furthermore the enzymes have enough time to break down the flour. This also
|
|
allows me to skip the so called autolysis step completely (more in next chapter).
|
|
Making a dough becomes very simple.
|
|
|
|
\section{Autolyse}
|
|
|
|
The autolysis describes the process of just mixing flour and water and letting
|
|
this sit for a period of around 30 minutes up to several hours. After this
|
|
process is completed the sourdough starter and salt is added to the
|
|
dough.\footnote{I have tested adding the salt at the start and end of the
|
|
autolysis process and could not notice a difference. Based ony my current
|
|
understanding the importance of adding salt later seems to be a myth.}
|
|
|
|
The overall time flour and water is in contact is extended. Thus you get the
|
|
beneficial enzymatic reactions that improve taste and characteristics of the
|
|
dough. I do not recommend an autolysis as it adds an additional step in the
|
|
process. Instead I recommend the fermentolyse which will be covered in the
|
|
next chapter of this book.
|
|
|
|
The effects of the autolysis are very interesting. Try to mix just flour and
|
|
water and letting that sit for a day. During the day check the consistency of
|
|
your dough. Try and stretch the dough. If you dare you can also taste the
|
|
dough throughout the day. With each hour progressing your dough will become
|
|
more extensible. It will be easier to stretch the dough. At the same time your
|
|
dough will start to taste sweet and sweeter. The protease and amylase enzymes
|
|
are doing their job. The same process is used when making oat milk. By letting
|
|
the mixture sit for some time enzymes work the oats. The taste is perceived as
|
|
sweeter and more appreciated. This process is further accelerated the more
|
|
whole wheat your flour is. The hull contains more enzymes. The gluten network
|
|
will ultimately tear and your dough flattens out. For wheat sourdough this is
|
|
your worst enemy. When this happen your dough will become leaky and release
|
|
all that precious gas created during the fermentation. You need to find the
|
|
right balance of your dough breaking down just enough and not too much.
|
|
|
|
When you use a high inoculation rate of around 20 percent sourdough starter
|
|
your fermentation can be very quick. At 25°C it could be finished in 5 hours
|
|
already. If you ferment longer your dough becomes leaky. At the same time in
|
|
these 5 hours the enzymes have not broken down the flour enough. This means
|
|
the dough might not be as elastic as it should be. Furthermore not enough
|
|
sugars have been released and thus the flavor after baking is not good enough.
|
|
\footnote{I have not seen studies yet looking at enzymatic speeds depending on
|
|
the temperature. But I assume the higher the temperature the faster these
|
|
reactions. This goes up until to a point when the enzymes break down under
|
|
heat.} That's why bakers opt for the autolyse. The autolyse starts the enzymatic
|
|
reactions before the microorganism fermentation begins. This way after 2 hours
|
|
of autolysis (an example) and 5 hours of fermentation the dough is in the
|
|
perfect state before beginning proofing.
|
|
|
|
When you try to mix your salt and starter into the flour/water dough you will
|
|
notice how cumbersome this is. It feels like you have to knead again from scratch
|
|
one more time. You will spend more time on mixing a dough.
|
|
|
|
For that reason I am advocating to utilize the fermentolyse which simplifies
|
|
the mixing and kneading process greatly.
|
|
|
|
\section{Fermentolyse}
|
|
|
|
The fermentolyse creates you the same advantageous dough properties the
|
|
autolysis creates without the headache of mixing your dough twice. You do this
|
|
by extending the fermentation time of your dough. Rather than doing a 2 hour
|
|
autolysis and 5 hour bulk fermentation you opt for an overall 7 hour
|
|
fermentation period.
|
|
|
|
To do this you use less sourdough starter. A conventional recipe including the
|
|
autolysis step might call for 20 percent sourdough starter. Simply reduce this
|
|
value to 5-10 percent. The other option could be to place the dough in a colder
|
|
environment and thus reduce the speed at which your microorganisms replicate.
|
|
|
|
\begin{table}[!htb]
|
|
\begin{tabular}{|l|l|l|l|}
|
|
\hline
|
|
\textbf{\begin{tabular}[c]{@{}l@{}}Temperature\\ in °C\end{tabular}} & \textbf{\begin{tabular}[c]{@{}l@{}}Temperature\\ in °F\end{tabular}} & \textbf{\begin{tabular}[c]{@{}l@{}}Starter\\ recently fed?\end{tabular}} & \textbf{\begin{tabular}[c]{@{}l@{}}Amount\\ of starter in\%\end{tabular}} \\ \hline
|
|
30 & 86 & Yes & 5 \\ \hline
|
|
25 & 77 & Yes & 10 \\ \hline
|
|
20 & 68 & Yes & 15 \\ \hline
|
|
30 & 86 & No & 2.5 \\ \hline
|
|
25 & 77 & No & 5 \\ \hline
|
|
20 & 68 & No & 10 \\ \hline
|
|
\end{tabular}
|
|
\caption{A table visualizing how much sourdough starter to use depending on temperature and the starter's activity level}
|
|
\end{table}
|
|
|
|
Based on my experience and my sourdough my ideal breads always take around 8
|
|
to 12 hours during the bulk fermentation. Based on my availability throughout
|
|
the day I use more or less starter. If I wanted to achieve a completed
|
|
fermentation in 8 hours I would opt for 10 percent sourdough starter. If I
|
|
wanted it to be ready in 12 hours I would use less starter, around 5 percent.
|
|
Simply mix together all the ingredients and your fermentation begins. The
|
|
enzymes and microorganisms commence their work. On a very warm summer day the
|
|
mentioned quantities no longer work. With 10 percent starter the same dough
|
|
would be ready in 5 hours up to a point of no return. Another additional hour
|
|
would cause the dough to break down too much. In this case I would opt for 5
|
|
percent sourdough starter to slow the whole process down to reach the 8 to 12
|
|
hour window again. If it is very hot I might use as little as 1 percent
|
|
sourdough starter.\footnote{Please take these values with a grain of salt as
|
|
they depend on your flour and your sourdough starter. These are values that
|
|
you have to experiment with. After baking a couple of breads you will be able
|
|
to read your dough much better.} You have to play with the timings on your own.
|
|
Rather than relying on timing I will show you a much better and more precise approach
|
|
by using a fermentation sample. This will be covered later in this chapter.
|
|
|
|
Even for yeasted doughs I no longer use an autolysis. I just reduce the amount
|
|
of yeast that I am using. Opting for the fermentolysis will
|
|
save you time and simplify your bread making. As mentioned in previous chapters,
|
|
the secret to making great bread is a slow but not too slow fermentation.
|
|
|
|
\section{Dough strength}
|
|
|
|
Dough strength is a fancy way to describe the bread kneading process. As you wait and
|
|
knead the gluten bonds in your dough become stronger. The dough
|
|
becomes more elastic and holds together better. This is the basis for trapping
|
|
all the gases during the fermentation process. Without the gluten network
|
|
the gases would just diffuse out of your dough.
|
|
|
|
\begin{figure}[!htb]
|
|
\begin{tikzpicture}[node distance = 3cm, auto]
|
|
\node [block] (init) {\footnotesize Homogenize recipe ingredients};
|
|
\node [block, right of=init, node distance=3cm] (wait1) {\footnotesize Wait 15 minutes};
|
|
\path [line] (init) -- (wait1);
|
|
\node [block, right of=wait1, node distance=3cm] (knead1) {\footnotesize Knead 5 minutes};
|
|
\path [line] (wait1) -- (knead1);
|
|
\node [block, right of=knead1, node distance=3cm] (wait2) {\footnotesize Wait 15 minutes};
|
|
\path [line] (knead1) -- (wait2);
|
|
\node [decision, below of=wait2, node distance=3cm] (windowpane_test) {\footnotesize Window-pane?};
|
|
\path [line] (wait2) -- (windowpane_test);
|
|
\path [line] (windowpane_test) -- node{no} (knead1);
|
|
\node [decision, left of=windowpane_test, node distance=4.5cm] (more_water) {\footnotesize Bassinage for more water?};
|
|
\path [line] (windowpane_test) -- node{yes} (more_water);
|
|
\node [block, left of=more_water, node distance=4.5cm] (add_water) {\footnotesize Add water};
|
|
\path [line] (more_water) -- node{yes} (add_water);
|
|
\path [line] (add_water) -- (knead1);
|
|
\node [block, below of=add_water, node distance=4cm] (wait3) {\footnotesize Wait 15 minutes};
|
|
\path [line] (add_water) -- (wait3);
|
|
\node [decision, right of=wait3, node distance=4.5cm] (dough_sample) {\footnotesize Aliquot jar?};
|
|
\path [line] (wait3) -- (dough_sample);
|
|
\path [line] (more_water) -- node{no} (dough_sample);
|
|
\node [block, right of=dough_sample, node distance=4.5cm] (dough_ball) {\footnotesize Make round dough ball};
|
|
\path [line] (dough_sample) -- node{no} (dough_ball);
|
|
\node [block, below of=dough_sample, node distance=3cm] (extract_sample) {\footnotesize Extract sample};
|
|
\path [line] (dough_sample) -- node{yes} (extract_sample);
|
|
\path [line] (extract_sample) -- (dough_ball);
|
|
\node [block, below of=dough_ball, node distance=3cm] (begin_bulk) {\footnotesize Begin bulk fermentation};
|
|
\path [line] (dough_ball) -- (begin_bulk);
|
|
\end{tikzpicture}
|
|
\caption{The gluten development process for a wheat based dough}
|
|
\label{fig:wheat-sourdough-kneading-process}
|
|
\end{figure}
|
|
|
|
It might sound odd but the most important part of kneading is waiting. By
|
|
waiting you are allowing your flour to soak up water. This way the gluten
|
|
bonds of your dough form automatically and your dough becomes more elastic.
|
|
So you could be kneading for 10 minutes initially just to be surprised
|
|
that kneading 5 minutes and waiting 15 minutes has the same effect.
|
|
|
|
The gluten proteins glutenin and gliadin virtually instantly bond after being
|
|
hydrated. Disulfide bonds enable the longer portions of
|
|
glutenin to join with one another and form sturdy, extensible molecules.
|
|
Glutenins add strength, whilst the more compact gliadin proteins allow
|
|
the dough to flow like a fluid. Ultimately the longer you wait, the more
|
|
your gluten network transforms into a web like structure. This is what
|
|
traps the gases during the fermentation process. \cite{how+does+gluten+work}.
|
|
|
|
\begin{figure}[!htb]
|
|
\includegraphics[width=\textwidth]{dough-strength-sourdough-yeast}
|
|
\caption{A schematic visualization of
|
|
automatic gluten development. The doughs are not kneaded, just initially
|
|
mixed. Note how the dough strength
|
|
deteriorates over time as enzymes break down the flour. The effect
|
|
is accelerated for sourdough due to the bacteria's gluten proteolysis.
|
|
}
|
|
\label{fig:wheat-yeast-sourdough-degradation}
|
|
\end{figure}
|
|
% See https://www.figma.com/file/wTUVe6Nm2INOvT82mJhQur/Dough-strength-visualisation?node-id=0%3A1&t=fjdPvXYuJpsdQfWN-1 for
|
|
% the source of this visualization
|
|
|
|
The soaking process has to be extended the more whole wheat flour is used.
|
|
The purpose of the wheat kernel's outer bran is to soak up water as fast
|
|
as possible. The enzymes become activated and start the sprouting process.
|
|
Because of this less water is available for the gluten bonds to develop.
|
|
Either wait a bit longer, or proceed and use slightly more water for
|
|
the dough.
|
|
|
|
This is the same principle that popular no-knead recipes follow. By making a less
|
|
hydrated dough and waiting your gluten network automatically forms. You still
|
|
have to mix and homogenize the ingredients. You wait a few minutes just to
|
|
find your dough having developed incredible dough strength with no additional
|
|
kneading.\footnote{Give it a shot yourself. The automatic formation of gluten
|
|
networks is an amazing phenomenon that still fascinates me every time I am
|
|
making a dough.}
|
|
|
|
If you over hydrate your dough at the beginning it becomes more difficult
|
|
for the gluten chains to form. The molecules are not as close together in
|
|
a wetter dough compared to a stiffer dough. It is harder for the molecules
|
|
to align and form the web structure. For this reason it is always easier
|
|
to start with a lower hydration and then increase the water quantity if needed.
|
|
This is also commonly known as the \textit{Bassinage method}. The gluten
|
|
bonds have formed at the lower hydration and can then be made more extensible
|
|
by adding water and kneading again. This is a great trick to make
|
|
a more extensible dough with a lower gluten flour. \cite{bassinage+technique}
|
|
|
|
When machine kneading a dough opt for the same technique shown in figure \ref*{fig:wheat-sourdough-kneading-process}.
|
|
Initially opt for a low speed. This helps the homogenization process.
|
|
After waiting to allow the flour to soak up the water, proceed on a higher speed
|
|
setting. A good sign of a well developed gluten network is
|
|
that your dough lets go of the container. This is because the gluten's elasticity.
|
|
The elasticity is higher than the urge of the
|
|
dough to stick to the container.
|
|
|
|
\begin{figure}[!htb]
|
|
\includegraphics[width=\textwidth]{dough-strength-sourdough}
|
|
\caption{A schematic visualization of
|
|
gluten development in sourdoughs with different kneading techniques.
|
|
A combination of techniques can be utilized to achieve maximum
|
|
dough strength.
|
|
}
|
|
\end{figure}
|
|
% See https://www.figma.com/file/wTUVe6Nm2INOvT82mJhQur/Dough-strength-visualisation?node-id=0%3A1&t=fjdPvXYuJpsdQfWN-1 for
|
|
% the source of this visualization
|
|
|
|
Generally the more dough strength you create, the less sticky your dough is going to
|
|
feel. As the dough holds together it will no longer stick to your hands as
|
|
much. This is a common problem beginners face. A sticky dough is frequently
|
|
the sign of a not well enough developed gluten network.
|
|
|
|
\begin{figure}[!htb]
|
|
\includegraphics[width=\textwidth]{dough-surface-touchpoints}
|
|
\caption{A schematic visualization of how a rough dough surface
|
|
creates more touch points compared to a smooth dough surface.
|
|
By touching the rough surface the dough will swell and get into
|
|
contact with more areas of your hand.
|
|
}
|
|
\label{fig:dough-touch-points}
|
|
\end{figure}
|
|
|
|
Kneading more is great in almost all cases. You'll have a stronger
|
|
gluten network. Only in case you are making soft milk breads you
|
|
might want to have a more extensible dough to begin with. For every
|
|
other type of wheat based dough kneading is helpful. When you use
|
|
a stand mixer, you can run into the issue of kneading too much. This
|
|
is hardly possible though. Even after kneading for 30 minutes on medium
|
|
speed my doughs hardly ever were over-kneaded. The moment you knead
|
|
too much the color of the dough can begin to change. You mostly
|
|
notice this though during baking. The resulting loaf looks very
|
|
pale and white. This is because mixing dough causes oxidation,
|
|
which is necessary for the development of gluten.
|
|
However, if the dough is mixed too much, the compounds that contribute
|
|
to the bread's flavor, aroma, and color may be destroyed, negatively
|
|
affecting the quality of the bread.\cite{oxidization+dough}
|
|
|
|
The last step before beginning bulk fermentation is to
|
|
create a smooth dough ball. By making sure your dough's surface is
|
|
smooth you will have fewer touch points when touching the dough.
|
|
See figure \ref{fig:dough-touch-points} for a schematic visualization
|
|
of how your hand touches a rugged and smooth dough.
|
|
With the smooth surface your dough is going to stick less on your hands. Applying
|
|
later stretch and folds will be a lot easier. Without a smooth
|
|
surface, the dough becomes almost unworkable. Folding the dough later
|
|
becomes an impossible task. This is a frequent mistake I see many
|
|
new bakers commit.
|
|
|
|
\begin{figure}[!htb]
|
|
\includegraphics[width=\textwidth]{dough-ball-steps}
|
|
\caption{The transformation of a sticky dough blob to a dough
|
|
with a smooth surface. The goal is to reduce surface touchpoints
|
|
with your hands to make the dough less sticky when working it.
|
|
}
|
|
\label{fig:dough-ball-steps}
|
|
\end{figure}
|
|
|
|
|
|
To make the dough's surface smooth place your dough on a wooden board or
|
|
on your kitchen's countertop. Drag the dough with your palm over the surface.
|
|
A dough scraper could be used here for assistance.
|
|
Drag the dough towards you while making sure the top center of the dough stays in place.
|
|
It can help to gently place your second hand on top of the dough so that
|
|
the dough mass moves while retaining its orientation. Once the whole dough
|
|
is too close to the edge of the container/countertop gently move it back
|
|
with two hands. By doing so you are stretching the outer surrounding gluten layer.
|
|
For this reason, it is important to not use any flour during this process.
|
|
By using flour you can no longer drag the dough over the surface and thus
|
|
you can't stretch the gluten. Always imagine you are touching something utterly sticky.
|
|
By doing so you will automatically try to touch the dough as little
|
|
as possible. Keep repeating the process until you see that the dough
|
|
has a nice smooth surface. The final dough should look like the dough
|
|
shown in \ref{fig:dough-ball-steps}.
|
|
|
|
If your outer gluten layer tears you have overstretched your dough. In
|
|
that case, take a 10-minute break leaving your dough on the kitchen countertop.
|
|
This allows the gluten to re-bond and heal. Repeat the same process
|
|
and the damaged rugged areas should disappear.
|
|
|
|
The same dough-rounding technique is used later during
|
|
the pre-shaping process. After creating dough strength you
|
|
have all the time you need to practice rounding. Round the dough
|
|
as much as possible until it tears. Then wait the mentioned 10 minutes and repeat.
|
|
Later you don't have any room for error. Your technique has to be on point.
|
|
An over-pre-shaped dough can potentially not recover.
|
|
|
|
|
|
\section{Bulk fermentation}
|
|
|
|
After mixing the starter into your dough the next stage of
|
|
the process known as bulk fermentation begins. The term
|
|
bulk is used because in bakeries multiple loaves are fermented
|
|
together in bulk. If you are a home baker you might bulk
|
|
ferment a single loaf. The bulk fermentation ends when you
|
|
divide and preshape, or directly shape your final loaves or loaf.
|
|
|
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The hardest part when making sourdough bread is controlling
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the fermentation process. Bulking long enough but not too
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long is the deciding factor for making great bread at home.
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Even with poor shaping and baking techniques, you'll be able
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to make excellent bread, solely by mastering the bulk
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fermentation process.
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With a too-short bulk, your crumb will be
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perceived as gummy. Your crumb will feature large pockets of
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air commonly referred to as "craters". A too-long fermentation
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results in the dough breaking down too much. The resulting
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dough will stick to your banneton and spread while baking
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into a pancake-like structure.
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The key is to find the sweet spot between not too little
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and not too much bulk fermentation. I'd always recommend pushing
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the dough more toward a longer fermentation. The
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flavor of the resulting bread is better compared to a pale
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underfermented dough.
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\begin{table}[!htb]
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\small
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\begin{tabular}{|l|l|l|l|}
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\hline
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\textbf{} & \textbf{\begin{tabular}[c]{@{}l@{}}Too short\\ fermentation\end{tabular}} & \textbf{\begin{tabular}[c]{@{}l@{}}Too long\\ fermentation\end{tabular}} & \textbf{\begin{tabular}[c]{@{}l@{}}Perfect\\ fermentation\end{tabular}} \\ \hline
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\textbf{\begin{tabular}[c]{@{}l@{}}Crumb\\ texture\end{tabular}} & \begin{tabular}[c]{@{}l@{}}Unbaked gummy areas\\ towards the bottom of\\ the bread\end{tabular} & \begin{tabular}[c]{@{}l@{}}Crumb can be\\ perceived as\\ gummy, as most\\ gluten broken\\ down\end{tabular} & \begin{tabular}[c]{@{}l@{}}Crumb evenly baked.\\ Crumb can be perceived\\ as moist, but not\\ gummy\end{tabular} \\ \hline
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\textbf{Alveoli} & \begin{tabular}[c]{@{}l@{}}Overly large alveoli\\ in the crumb "craters"\end{tabular} & \begin{tabular}[c]{@{}l@{}}Many tiny alveoli\\ equally distributed\end{tabular} & \begin{tabular}[c]{@{}l@{}}Alveoli evenly\\ distributed, no\\ "craters"\end{tabular} \\ \hline
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\textbf{Taste} & Pale neutral taste & \begin{tabular}[c]{@{}l@{}}Strong acidic flavor\\ profile. Acidity\\ overweighs when\\ tasting\end{tabular} & \begin{tabular}[c]{@{}l@{}}Balanced flavor profile,\\ not too mild but also\\ not too sour. Depending\\ on starter vinegary\\ or lactic notes\end{tabular} \\ \hline
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\textbf{Texture} & Overall poor Texture & \begin{tabular}[c]{@{}l@{}}Good consistency,\\ crumb is not as fluffy\\ as it could be\end{tabular} & \begin{tabular}[c]{@{}l@{}}Great combination of \\ textures\end{tabular} \\ \hline
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\textbf{\begin{tabular}[c]{@{}l@{}}Oven\\ spring\end{tabular}} & \begin{tabular}[c]{@{}l@{}}Vertical oven spring,\\ mostly due to water\\ evaporating and\\ inflating the dough\end{tabular} & \begin{tabular}[c]{@{}l@{}}Very flat pancake like \\ structure after baking\end{tabular} & \begin{tabular}[c]{@{}l@{}}Great vertical oven\\ spring. Dough grows\\ more upwards rather\\ than sideways\end{tabular} \\ \hline
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\end{tabular}
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\caption{The different stages of sourdough fermentation and the effects on crumb, alveoli, texture, and overall taste.}
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\end{table}
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The worst thing you can do when fermenting sourdough
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is to rely on a recipe's timing suggestions. In 99 percent
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of the cases, the timing will not work for you. The writer
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of the recipe probably has different flour and a different
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sourdough starter with different levels of activity. Furthermore,
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the temperature of the fermentation environment might be
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different. Just small changes in one parameter result
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in a completely different timing schedule. One or two hours
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difference results in the dough not fermenting long enough, or
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turning it into a gigantic sticky fermented pancake. This
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is one of the reasons why the current baking industry prefers
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to make solely yeast-based doughs. By removing the bacteria
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from the fermentation, the whole process becomes a lot more
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predictable. The room for error (as shown in figure \ref{fig:wheat-yeast-sourdough-degradation})
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is much larger. The doughs are perfect to be made in a
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machine.
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Experienced bakers will tell you to go by the look and feel of
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the dough. While this works if you have made hundreds of loaves,
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this is not an option for an inexperienced baker. As
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you make more and more dough you will be able to judge
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the dough's state by touching it.
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My go-to method for beginners is to use an \textbf{Aliquot jar}.
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The aliquot is a sample that you extract from your dough. The
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sample is extracted after creating the initial dough strength.
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You monitor the aliquot's size increase to judge the
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level of fermentation of your main dough. The aliquot
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jar is extracted after creating dough strength. As your
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dough ferments, so does the content of your aliquot jar. The moment your
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sample reached a certain size your main dough is ready
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to be shaped and proofed. The size increase you should
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aim for depends on the flour you have at hand. A flour
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with a higher gluten content can be fermented for a
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longer period. Generally, around 80 percent
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of your wheat flour's protein is gluten. Check your flour's
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packaging to see the protein percentage. The actual size increase
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value is highly subjective depending on your flour composition.
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I recommend beginning with a size increase of 25 percent and testing
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up to 100 percent with subsequent bakes. Then identify a value
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that you are happy with.
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\begin{table}[!htb]
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\begin{tabular}{|r|r|}
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\hline
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\multicolumn{1}{|l|}{\textbf{Flour protein content}} & \multicolumn{1}{l|}{\textbf{Relative aliquot size increase}} \\ \hline
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8-10\% & 25\% \\ \hline
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10-12\% & 50\% \\ \hline
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12-15\% & 100\% \\ \hline
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\textgreater 15\% & \textgreater 100\% \\ \hline
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\end{tabular}
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\caption{Reference values for how much size increase to aim for with an aliquot jar depending on the dough's protein content}
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\end{table}
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The beauty of the aliquot is that no matter the surrounding
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temperature, you will always know when your dough is ready.
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While the dough might be ready in 8 hours in summer, it could
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easily be 12 hours in winter. You will always ferment your
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dough exactly on point.
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\begin{figure}[!htb]
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\includegraphics[width=\textwidth]{aliquot-before-after}
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\caption{An aliquot jar to monitor the dough's fermentation progress.
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It took 10 hours for the dough to reach a 50 percent size increase.}
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\end{figure}
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While the aliquot jar has enabled me to consistently bake
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great loaves there are limitations to consider. It's crucial
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to use a cylindrical-shaped container to properly judge
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the dough's size increase. Furthermore, it is essential
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to use room-temperature water when making your dough. If the
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water is hotter, your aliquot due to its smaller size
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will cool down faster. The aliquot will ferment slower
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than your dough. Similarly, when you use too cold water,
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your sample will heat up faster than the large dough mass.
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In that case, your aliquot is ahead of your main dough. You
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would probably stop the fermentation too early. Make sure
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to keep the dough and aliquot close together. Some people even
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place the aliquot in the same container. This makes sure that
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both are in the same environment temperature. The aliquot
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is also less reliable if your ambient temperature changes
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a lot during the day. In that case, your aliquot will adapt
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faster than your main dough. The readings will always be slightly
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off. If you are making a large chunk of dough with more
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than 10kg of flour the jar is also less reliable. The biochemical
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reactions happening inside your dough will heat it.
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The fermentation itself is exothermic which means
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that it produces heat.
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Another but more expensive option is to use a pH meter
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to monitor your dough's fermentation state. As the lactic
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and acetic acid bacteria ferment, more acidity is piled
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up inside your dough. The acidity value (pH) can be
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measured using such a meter. The more acidity the lower the pH
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value of your dough. The pH scale is logarithmic meaning
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that each digit change will have a 10x increase in acidity.
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A sourdough dough might begin fermenting at a pH of 6,
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then shortly before baking has a pH of around 4. This means
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that the dough itself is 10x times 10x (= 100x) sourer
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than at the beginning. By using the meter you can always
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judge the state of your dough's acidification and then act
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accordingly.
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To use the pH meter successfully you need to find pH values
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that work for your dough. Depending on your starter,
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water, and flour composition the pH values to look out
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for are different. A stronger flour with more gluten
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can be fermented for a longer period. To find out
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the pH values for your bread I recommend taking
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several measurements while making your dough.
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\begin{enumerate}
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\item Measure the pH value of your sourdough starter before using it
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\item Check the pH after mixing all the ingredients
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\item Check the pH before dividing and pre-shaping
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\item Check the pH before shaping
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\item Check the pH of your dough before and after proofing
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\item Check the pH of your bread after baking
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\end{enumerate}
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If the bread you made turned out successful with your values
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you can use them as a reference for your next batch. If the
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bread didn't turn out the way you like, either shorten
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the fermentation or extend it a little bit.
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\begin{table}[!htb]
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\begin{tabular}{|l|r|}
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\hline
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\textbf{Step} & \multicolumn{1}{l|}{\textbf{pH Value}} \\ \hline
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Starter ready & 4.20 \\ \hline
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Mixing & 6.00 \\ \hline
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Dividing/preshaping & 4.10 \\ \hline
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Shaping & 4.05 \\ \hline
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Before proofing & 4.03 \\ \hline
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After proofing & 3.80 \\ \hline
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After baking & 3.90 \\ \hline
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\end{tabular}
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\caption{Example pH values for the different breakpoints of my own sourdough process}
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\label{table:sample-ph-values}
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\end{table}
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The beauty of this method is its reliability. Once you found
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out your good working values, you can reproduce
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the same level of fermentation with each subsequent dough.
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This is especially handy for large-scale bakeries that want
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to achieve consistency in each bread.
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While this method is very reliable there are also certain
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limitations to consider.
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First of all the pH values that work for me likely won't work for
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you. Depending on your own starter's composition of lactic
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and acetic acid bacteria your pH values will be different.
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You can use the values shown in table \ref{table:sample-ph-values}
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as rough ballpark figures. Regardless you need to find values
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that work for your setup.
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Another limitation is the price. You will need to purchase
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a high-tech pH meter. Ideally, a meter featuring a spearhead.
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This way you can directly poke the meter deep into the dough.
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At the same time, automated temperature adjustments are a
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feature to look out for. Depending on the temperature
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the pH value varies. There are tables you can use to
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do the adjustment calculations. More expensive meters
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have this feature built-in. The pH meter loses accuracy
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over time. For this reason, you need to frequently
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calibrate this. The process is cumbersome and takes time.
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Lastly, you need to carefully rinse the pH meter before
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using it in your dough. The liquid surrounding the
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head of your pH meter is not food-safe and thus should
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not be eaten. I rinse the meter for at least one minute
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before using it to measure my dough's fermentation stage.
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The last method to judge the state of bulk fermentation
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is to read the signs of your dough. The more bread you are
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made the more accustomed you will become to this process.
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Look out for the dough's size increase. This can sometimes
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be a challenge when your dough is inside a container.
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You can help yourself by marking your container. Some bakers
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even use a transparent rectangular bulk container. You
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can use a pen to mark the initial starting point. From there
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on you can nicely observe the size increase. Similar to the
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mentioned aliquot jar look out for a size increase that works
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for your sourdough composition.
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\begin{figure}[!htb]
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\includegraphics[width=\textwidth]{bulk-finished-dough}
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\caption{A dough in a good state to finish bulk fermentation. Notice
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the tiny bubbles on the dough's surface. They are a sign that the dough
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is inflated well enough.}
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\end{figure}
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Look out for bubbles on the surface of your dough. They
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are a good sign that your dough is inflated with gas. The
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further you push the bulk fermentation the more bubbles
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will appear. If you overdo this stage the dough becomes leaky and
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the bubbles will disappear again.
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Take note of the dough's smell. It should match the same
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smell of a ripe starter shortly before collapsing. As mentioned
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before, your dough is nothing but a gigantic starter. You
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can also proceed and taste your dough. It will taste like
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pickled food. Depending on the acidity you can judge how
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far the dough is in the fermentation process. The final bread
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will taste less sour. That's because a lot of acid evaporates
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during baking.\footnote{More on this topic later.
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Just by baking longer and/or shorter, you can control
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the tang of your final baked bread. The longer
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you bake the less sour the final loaf. The shorter
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the more acidity is still inside the bread. The resulting
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loaf will be sourer.}
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When touching the dough it should feel tacky
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on your hands. The dough should also be less sticky
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compared to earlier stages. If the dough is overly
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sticky you have pushed the fermentation too far.
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If you pushed the bulk fermentation too far you won't be able
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to bake a free-standing loaf with the dough anymore. But don't
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worry. You can move your dough into a loaf pan, or use parts
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of the dough as the starter for your next dough. When using
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a loaf pan make sure it's properly greased. You might have
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to use a spatula to transfer your dough. Allow the dough
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to proof for at least 30 minutes in the loaf pan before
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baking it. This makes sure that large cavities induced
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by the transfer are evened out. You could push the proofing
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stage to 24 hours or even 72 hours. The resulting
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bread would feature an excellent very tangy taste.
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\section{Stretch and folds}
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This chapter is still pending and will be added soon.
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\section{Optional Preshaping}
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This chapter is still pending and will be added soon.
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\section{Shaping}
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This chapter is still pending and will be added soon.
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\section{Proofing}
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This chapter is still pending and will be added soon.
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\section{Scoring}
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This chapter is still pending and will be added soon.
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