Slow Ferment

A bread diary. Mostly failures, occasionally not.

Bake 41 — overproofed, again

Flour

85% bread, 15% whole wheat

Hydration

76%

Levain

20%, 4h at 26°C

Bulk

5h — too long for that room temp

Result

Flat, gummy crumb, pale crust

The dough told me at hour four and I did not listen. Next time pull it when the edges dome, not when the clock says so.

Notes on the starter

Switched to a 1:5:5 feed and the sourness dropped off noticeably within three days. Peak is now around six hours instead of four, which suits an evening mix much better.

Things that turned out not to matter

• Filtered vs. tap water — no difference I could taste
• Expensive banneton vs. a bowl and a floured tea towel
• Scoring pattern, beyond one decent-depth cut for expansion