I have been making sourdough bread for a while and have been quite pleased with the results.
But my last 2 attempts haven't been very good and the only thing that really differs is that we are at the start of the rainy season and it is now much more humid than normal.
What happens is that the dough seems much more sticky and less firm as compared to normal, and after proofing in the bannetons, the dough sticks to the linen and doesn't come out properly (doesn't release)
It also doesn't hold shape at all and uses up the whole of the cast iron pot I use.
I am quite convinced this is because of the increased humidity. The actual temperature hasn't changed much (and I have been making this bread successfully in higher temperatures).
I am wondering what the best way is to solve this problem (it is still a nice bread, but very flat in shape and with hardly to no oven spring).
- Should I increase the number of stretch and folds?
- Decrease the time between stretch and folds?
- Decrease proofing time
- Increase flour or decrease water?
- Proof in the fridge?
The recipe is as follows:
45 gr liquid sourdough starter
227 gr water
227 gr bread flour
mix and let sit for 8-12 hours (or if that doesn't fit in with the timing, retard in fridge)
All of the above
457 gr bread flour
228 gr whole wheat flour
400 gr water
17 gr salt
autolyse 20-30 minutes
primary fermentation (kneading for 5-10 minutes, 3 stretch and folds about 45 minutes apart)
pre-shape & divide
final shape and rest for about 2 hours
baking for about 40 minutes at as hot as any of my ovens will go (initially in cast iron pot with steam, then on its own to brown properly).
But my last 2 attempts haven't been very good and the only thing that really differs is that we are at the start of the rainy season and it is now much more humid than normal.
What happens is that the dough seems much more sticky and less firm as compared to normal, and after proofing in the bannetons, the dough sticks to the linen and doesn't come out properly (doesn't release)
It also doesn't hold shape at all and uses up the whole of the cast iron pot I use.
I am quite convinced this is because of the increased humidity. The actual temperature hasn't changed much (and I have been making this bread successfully in higher temperatures).
I am wondering what the best way is to solve this problem (it is still a nice bread, but very flat in shape and with hardly to no oven spring).
- Should I increase the number of stretch and folds?
- Decrease the time between stretch and folds?
- Decrease proofing time
- Increase flour or decrease water?
- Proof in the fridge?
The recipe is as follows:
45 gr liquid sourdough starter
227 gr water
227 gr bread flour
mix and let sit for 8-12 hours (or if that doesn't fit in with the timing, retard in fridge)
All of the above
457 gr bread flour
228 gr whole wheat flour
400 gr water
17 gr salt
autolyse 20-30 minutes
primary fermentation (kneading for 5-10 minutes, 3 stretch and folds about 45 minutes apart)
pre-shape & divide
final shape and rest for about 2 hours
baking for about 40 minutes at as hot as any of my ovens will go (initially in cast iron pot with steam, then on its own to brown properly).