CAN ANYONE HELP ME PLEASE!!!
I RECENTLY MADE MY FIRST STARTER. HAVE BAKED 5 BATCHES OF BREAD. THE FLAVOUR GREAT; TEXTURE FAIRLY DENSE BUT ALL MUTI WHOLEGRAIN. ALL THE DOUGH IS VERY VERY MOIST AND DIFFICULT TO HANDLE. (I MEASURE CAREFULLY). DO THE OVERNIGHT IN FRIDGE, ETC. RISES NICELY, UNTIL I PUT ON BAKING SHEET AND INTO OVEN (HIGH HEAT/ STEAM TO START). THEN THEY GROW SIDEWAYS INSTEAD OF UP!
IS MY STATER TOO WET? IS THE LIQUID OF STATER (50/50) SUPPOSED TO BE PART OF LIQUID MEASURE? I KNOW VANCOUVER IS VERY HUMID, BUT CAN IT HAVE THAT GREAT AN AFFECT? I WOULD LIKE MY BOULE TO BE ROUND NOT LOOK LIKE A PANCAKE ON STEROIDS!
PLEASE PLEASE HELP! I LOVE TO BAKE, THE FALVOR OF MY BREADS AND KNOWING WHAT'S IN THEM.
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Hi there, i haven't been baking sourdoughs for all that long but possible reasons why your bread might be flat are:
the dough needs to be proved with support, e.g. in a banneton. i've baked breads that were unsupported and supported during proving and found that doing the final proof with support made a noticeable difference.
the dough is not being shaped properly before their final proving (there is probably advice on shaping doughs on this website somewhere). my first loaves were very wonky as i was not shaping the doughs very carefully.
other possibilities according to one of my baking books is that the gluten level of your flour is too low (it should be 12% protein/gluten minimum), or the dough is under-kneaded.
anyone else have suggestions?
Pearlanddragon has identified the common culprits, but it's not possible to pinpoint your possible problems without seeing your recipe.
Shooting 'blind', something I'd add to P&D's list is your dough formula of 100% whole grain flours (if I've interpreted you correctly). It's typical of 100% whole grain naturally leavened breads not to rise as much as those with a proportion of white flour. Maybe try using about 60% whole grain with 40% good quality white flour. You can use all-purpose or plain white flour, but bread flour will give your loaf a stronger structure, which is what you want if you're after a good rise.The payback can be a crumb that is not as soft as a lower gluten flour will give you. If you want to stick to all whole grain, you'll probably have to resign yourself to having flattish loaves. Nothing wrong with that, as long as the bread has good flavour and the crumb is not too dense.
I have been baking sourdough bread only for about a year, and only with whole grain flour ( spelt, kamut, rye), home milled, in Toronto. I have resigned myself to the fact that I have to proove and bake my loaves in a glass or metal loaf pan, or else I end up with flat bread. Like you, we love the nutritional benefits of whole grains, and love the flavor. I have found that making the dough with lower hydration makes for dryer bread, which we don't enjoy as much. So, I got used to dealing with sticky dough that I can't knead, instead I do some stretch and folds. Yes, our bread is denser than bread made with white flour, and that's how traditionally it used to be. I have never much cared for sponge bread anyhow, so its no big sacrifice...