Proofing

I mixed up a batch of Basic White sourdough using Northwest Sourdough Starter.

The batch mixed up nicely and I poured out the dough and shaped it into four loaves. Two loaves in the smaller bannetons were one pound loaves and the other two were two pound loaves.

This batch was done up as a preferment and not an overnight in the refrigerator with the loaves already shaped. Meaning, that I mixed up the final dough on the day of baking, bulk fermented and shaped the loaves, letting them proof all together before baking. When you do this sometimes you have to push the first loaves into the oven a little earlier than you would like, to avoid having the last loaves very overproofed. This is when you can really notice that proofing correctly makes a big difference. The first two smaller loaves were not completely proofed and the color of the crust is not fully developed.

 I even left the second small loaf in longer and at a higher temperature, but it did not color up as nicely as the two last loaves. I will say that the first loaves were close to being proofed, there are no blowouts and the crumb was a nice even, open crumb, but you can tell that the bloom was just not there.

 In the last two loaves, the crumb is wonderfully crisp and the color is fully developed.

The bread tastes better because of it. I just thought it would be interesting to show what even a small amount of proofing difference can do for a loaf of sourdough.