I finally cracked the code on my sourdough crumb structure

After about 8 months of baking every weekend, I finally got that open, airy crumb I kept seeing in pictures. The game changer was switching to a 70% hydration dough and doing a cold proof in my fridge for 18 hours instead of just 4. I used a local stone mill flour from Barton Springs Mill in Austin and it made a huge difference. Anyone else notice a big jump in quality after lengthening their bulk fermentation?

3 comments

3 Comments

the_max26d ago

Open, airy crumb" is the holy grail for real. I had the same thing happen when I bumped my bulk to 6 hours at room temp. That cold proof for 18 hours sounds intense but I bet it made a huge difference. These flours from local mills really do act different, I started using one from Janie's Mill in Illinois and my dough stopped ripping during shaping. Nice work sticking with it for 8 months, that patience paid off big time.

the_sam25d ago

Agree on the local mill thing being a game changer. I switched to Cairnspring Mills flour last year and it felt like cheating - less tearing, better spring, way more forgiving of my lazy shaping. The 18 hour cold proof is worth it if you can plan ahead. I do mine in a lidded cambro and let it hang out in the back of the fridge where it's coldest. That extra time lets the dough relax and the flavor gets that tangy depth you can't rush. The real trick I found is to watch the dough during the last 2 hours of bulk, not the clock. Some days it hits that window faster, others it drags, and that's where the local flour really shows its personality.

joel_hall1725d ago

You mentioned watching the dough instead of the clock, and that took me a minute to really get. I used to be pretty rigid about timing, like I thought if it wasn't a certain amount of hours then I messed up. But now I get it, the dough just knows when it's ready. That local flour really does have a personality, it's not like the same bag from the grocery store every time. Some days my dough is wobbly and happy at 4 hours, other days it needs a full 6 before it stops feeling tight. I finally stopped fighting it and started paying attention to how it looks and feels instead. That's what made the biggest difference for me honestly, the flour telling me what it needs instead of the other way around.

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