I am a crumb enthusiast and have not been able to bake my ideal crumb for a long time. Therefore, I have decided to conduct an experiment with different lengths of bulk fermentation time (7 hours, 7 hours 40 mins, 8 hours 20 mins and 9 hours).
The result was phenomenal! My dough temperature was between 72-76°F (final dough temperature 75°F).
The dough rises to 1.5 times its original size at 7 hours, almost 2 times at 7 hours 40 mins, and approximately 2.5 times at 8 hours 20 mins. It reaches 3 times its original size at 9 hours. As expected, the pH of the dough decreases with longer bulk fermentation.
I honestly thought I would bake 1 or 2 frisbees, but all 4 loafs turned out to have good oven spring. 8 hours 20 mins had the best oven spring, follow by the 7 hours 40mins loaf, and the least oven spring ones are 7 hours and 9 hours loafs.
I think the 7 hours loaf is slightly underproofed due to the presence of a slightly dense crumb. The crumb opens a bit more in the 7 hours 40 mins loaf. The 8 hours 20 mins loaf seems to be the most properly proofed loaf. The 9 hours loaf seems slightly over-proofed as the crumb begins to close down a bit.
The scoring expansion wideness seems irrelevant with bulk fermentation. Yet, I am still clueless in regard to how I used to bake wild open crumb half a year ago. But, I can now confirm that the perfect timing to end bulk fermentation at 72-76°F is when the dough is more than doubled in size (over 100% percentage rise).
My recipe :
- Levain 12 hours 1:6:6, pH 4.01
- Autolyse 9 hours in the fridge, 100% Bobs red mill artisan bread flour, 80% hydration
- 20% Leivain
- 2% salt
- 1 fold
- 1 lamination
- 3 coil folds separated by 45 min
- Shaping
- 7 hours (dough final pH 4.65), 7 hour 40 mins (pH 4.57), 8 hours 20 mins (pH 4.50), 9 hours (pH 4.41) bulk fermentation at 72-76F. (dough final temp 75F)
- Retard at 35F, between 13 hours 20 min ~ 15 hours
by No_Nefariousness_364
2 Comments
Love this! I think this is the best way to tweak your process, by experimenting
I’m struggling with going from a cold kitchen in winter to a warm one in summer and adjusting my times, but I also think starters change over the years and that can impact your crumb. As well as changes in the flour used etc.
My wildest, most open crumbs have always come from a long cool bulk, but that’s only possible at certain times of the year.
Nice! I could assume the different might be in shaping? Maybe the 9 hour loaf was shaped a bit tighter than the other loaves.