hey all,
this is probably my 6th (ish) batch of sourdough I've made. I'm still working with a basic recipe from SourDom's blog, because I want to get the techniques down before I start doing trickier stuff or using expensive ingredients.
I'm pretty happy with how my loaves are turning out, the taste is great and the crumb is open enough for my liking (though more would always be nice!).
This loaf was 500g of flour, so it's medium size i s'pose. The slash opened up a lot which makes it look oval-shaped but it was proofed in a round, deep-ish bowl. I used a teatowel with slight pattern which is where the surface texture (which i like) comes from.
The side view shows the shape... should it be higher than that? I have this idea in my head that good oven spring should send it up pretty high, and i've seen some loaves from people like Jeremy which seem nearly round, but mine never seem to. Maybe I am overproofing a bit so it slumps a lot? I don't have a crumb shot to show...
[img]http://www.sourdough.com.au/gallery/d/7964-2/P4152429.JPG[/img]
[img]http://www.sourdough.com.au/gallery/d/7968-2/P4152432.JPG[/img]
Replies
Hey, that looks amazing!
I've learnt not to compare my sproings with bread porn kings like Jeremy et al.
ILP
what a fantastic looking loaf of bread! I would certainly buy one of those in a bakery (if I bought bread, which I do rarely these days)
you are doing very well for your 6th batch of sourdough. My shaping and slashing was certainly not up to your standard at that stage of my baking.
A few things can help with getting a less flat loaf (though yours is not overflat by any means). As you suggest if the dough is overproved it will tend to flatten out.
Secondly - make sure that when you are unmoulding/slashing/getting the loaf into the oven that you do it all as quickly as possible.
Thirdly - if you are not already, do a few folds during bulk fermentation (first rising) - that will improve the 'resilience' of the dough
Fourthly - use a bowl that does not have a flat base, and curves up steeply (if you can find one). Think noodle bowl rather than soup bowl (though obviously both of these types of bowl are too small - but you get the idea).
well done again
cheers
Dom
Hey Pie Fan,
I think you should change your login name to ILikeSD!
That is one mighty good looking loaf you baked!
Proficiat!
Maybe next time, when slashing your dough, (if the dough is round) in a # pattern, and not too deep.
Looking at the picture, i feel you may have given it an allmighty slash in the middle of the dough... If you hadn't, your dough had excellent oven spring.
All in all, welcome to the wondrous world of sourdough!
Happy baking
Roland
A very nice loaf of bread especially the patterns & the slash.
ILP, your bread looks excellent, even more so that you are new to the game.
That is not over proved at all, and seriously good bread is often flatter still. Don't forget that proving the dough fully will enable the flavour to develop also fully. The hydration (amount of water relative to flour) and many other things will affect the shape, spring etc.
You are more than ready to make whatever bread takes your fancy.
A final thought from me - I recently repeated a complicated recipe that I had posted pictures of (my first attempt) and had got some praise for the porn effect but on the second atttempt I was forced by commitments on the day to bake when my schedule allowed - bread did not look quite as good but tasted sensational...
Looking forward to seeing your next loaves.
Pete
Fantastic looking loaf I'll take 2 . How was the taste? It's alway exciting to see something like that take form in the oven!
Please let me know how you posted the pictures as I'd love to post some in the future.
Cheers Barry
can i get a slice please
awww thanks everyone
I had forgotten about posting this, then i come back and get all these nice comments and tips!
Unfortunately i've been so busy i've been just maintaining my starter without baking... today i'm gonna do some non-SD because my schedule isn't working too well for the starter (though i know many of you manage to squeeze it in, i've read Dom's tutorial about timings which is good).
anyway, Barry, if you want to post pictures, you need to sign up for some gallery space. If you click the "Gallery" link at the very top, you'll see a whole bunch of albums - you want to go to the one called "personal albums". There's some text on that page which explains what you do next. Note that you have to "register" for an album... i thought we just used our login details from the forum but it's separate.
Thanks I'll give it a go next time.