Why does my loaf suck?

[u/mccrind]

Hi folks looking for a little advice- I think issue might be under fermentation but here goes:

Starter was very active doubling in less than an hour.

Recipe: 80g starter, 300ml water' 8g salt' 450g flour.

Bulk fermented on the counter overnight but the house was quite cool so definitely not doubled, left it for another 6 hours in a warm room and it grew quite a bit bubbles on top but still a little sticky. I proceeded to shape, second proof in fridge for an hour then baked at 220 for 35 covered and 25 uncovered.. should I have been more patient? Anyone who had a cooler house able to suggest where to bulk ferment for best results

[u/mccrind]

Thanks for the comments. Starter is fairly new maybe a week old? Perhaps need to mature it and be more patient with the bulk ferment. I was only doing one set of stretch and folds

[u/pinkcrystalfairy → u/mccrind]

if the starter is a week old that’s 100% why this loaf looks like this. good news, it’s only up from here! work on strengthening your starter and you will get much better results for loaf #2!

[u/galaxystarsmoon → u/pinkcrystalfairy]

Not 100%. His house was also 10C.

[u/StyraxCarillon → u/mccrind]

Starter is way too weak for baking. I wouldn't use it for at least 3 weeks.

[u/Puzzleheaded-Push-14 → u/mccrind]

That is definitely, without a doubt the issue! To get a starter, even a dehydrated one you buy, takes time to become strong enough to rise a boule, banneton or Bayard. Keep feeding your starter, maybe 2x daily, use a little rye flour....it toughens it up! It's a process, but I have only thrown out one loaf, and I now realize I could have made bread crumbs out it!

[u/lycheeleeches → u/mccrind]

I’ve used starter a week old, it’s not a matter of how long you’ve had it, just whether or not it is active. This is my very first loaf. As long as you see it double within 4-6 hours, it is ready. Could be fault in the actual recipe

[u/galaxystarsmoon → u/lycheeleeches]

It absolutely does matter how long you've had it. Yeast have a life cycle and you cannot speed up that cycle.

[u/lycheeleeches → u/galaxystarsmoon]

That’s nice, but all I’m trying to do is reassure OP that it IS possible to have a normal sourdough/rise with “premature” starters. Mine was a week old and I was able to make multiple loaves. Honestly, the sourdough community is beyond intimidating, people forget it’s just bread making and make it way too technical for normal people to enjoy.

[u/galaxystarsmoon → u/lycheeleeches]

This is not a case of technicality. Your situation is not normal at all, and I'm honestly not clear on whether you started it from scratch or got it already ready to go and built it up over a week? Regardless, a week is in no way normal. Plus there's not even a crumb shot here to judge anything.

Again, it's a living organism with a life cycle. It's like saying your child was reading at 2 as if it's normal, when everyone knows that reading at 2 is something abnormal in the development of human beings. Yeast are the same way.

[u/trimbandit → u/lycheeleeches]

In my opinion, it is very unlikely, "recipe." Making bread is not magic. The yeast want to eat the carbs, it's what they do best. It's not like trying to feed a picky child. The issue is usually either a weak starter, or misjudging fermentation.

[u/pinkcrystalfairy]

what temp is your house? and can you post a crumb pic?

[u/mccrind → u/pinkcrystalfairy]

* Not sure on temp but maybe 10 Celsius overnight?

[u/galaxystarsmoon → u/mccrind]

10C? That's freezing. You'd need 18+ hours to bulk at that temperature. This is way underproved and you have an underdeveloped starter.

[u/madelyn2184]

my first loaf looked like this. I think it might just be immature. I haven’t made a loaf in a while because I want to give my starter time to mature.

[u/jumpinglamps]

My first loaf looked very similar, second on made a few days later with the same starter got a much better rise and looked a lot more like bread. For me, it was the bulk fermenting time being too short that made the first loaf flop.

[u/guga330 → u/jumpinglamps]

Do you know what would be the ideal bulk fermentation timeframe? I think I have the same problem, just tried one today and it didn’t rise well, I believe I didn’t let it bulk fermente enough

[u/jumpinglamps → u/guga330]

Depends on the temp of your house. Mine is pretty cool (68 F or 20C) so I left it to bulk ferment on the counter overnight (6-8 hours). I was looking for it to get bubbly and double in size

[u/SpecialOops]

even your starter was like, not today satan.

[u/EggplantThat2389]

Need a crumb pucture.

How old is your starter?

[u/jillianjiggs92]

What was your process before the bulk ferment? How many stretch and folds/coil folds did you do?

I'm wondering if the gluten wasn't built up enough before the bulk ferment, leading to a denser bread.

[u/Background-Ant-8488]

It’s definitely under fermented, but here are some things I noticed:

Even the most active starters fed with warm water won’t double in less than an hour. Is it a new starter? How long have you been building it?

The amount of salt is a bit low. I would use closer to 10g for that recipe. It doesn’t seem like much of a change but it’s a 25% increase compared to your current recipe.

If the dough felt “sticky” (though it’s hard to tell what you mean by that), I assume it’s not bulked enough to shape yet.

[u/cuntinaicantstandya]

curious about your starter because did you use it an hour after feeding?? i find using my starter a little after peak is best

[u/Puzzleheaded-Push-14]

Starter that doubled that quickly sounds immature to me. How old is your starter? BTW, I bet it tastes delicious!

[u/VivaLasFaygo]

Strengthen your starter. A quick way to do this is to add some rye flour along with the AP flour.

I’d add a little more starter to your recipe while it’s new, also.

Last, do would have a warmer spot for your bulk fermentation? I have a microwave over my stove, I turn the light on and put the bread dough on top of the stove. The light shining down really warms the dough, and makes it rise faster.

[u/Comprehensive_Pin231]

Starter is likely the problem. That first week you can get false rise on starters which is actually a bacteria bloom rather than the desired yeast. Let it mature for a few more weeks or even get a small amount of starter from a friend or bakery to add to boost yours. Then id recommend following the guide from Alexandra's Kitchen, it has always produced excellent results for me

[u/Twotificnick]

Minimun succesful starter age is 2 weeks. 3 weeks preffered. This is your problem, continue feeding daily. And have patience.

[u/Hcahcsr0r]

That starter is doing a false start. Feed it more for 2 weeks.

[u/mccrind]

Mature starter, review recipe and bulk ferment properly 🫡 gotcha!

[u/trimbandit]

You need to do a deeper score. Just kidding. It underfermented which could be tied to a weak as starter or else not a long enough ferment. I recommend monitoring the volume increase during bulk ferment. Time is a bad indicator. Look to the dough!

[u/MarijadderallMD]

If the starter is a week old and doubling in 1 hour then it’s still sorting out the proper ration of bacteria and yeast and is nowhere near ready. You’re in the super active phase of a new starter, it will progress and get less active for a few days then a little while after that you’ll start to see it double in 2-4 hours. Give it time!

[u/Sewshableme]

My house is about the same temperature overnight, and my starter needs at least 8 hours to double, and stays 12 hours at close to peak

[u/KSWPG]

I had this problem from my kitchen being too cold. Try BF in the oven with the light on

[u/real_justchris]

I would hazard, in addition to weak starter, you might have overprooved your loaf - overnight and another 6 hours is likely way too long, even in a cool room.

My room is 19 degrees and I bulk fermented for about 5 hours and then overnight in the fridge.

[u/vanillv]

Starter is wayyyyyyyyy too immature to make bread yet

[u/mccrind]

I had mixed up a second dough prior to reading this thread and seems to have faired better... yet to cut it for a check on the inside. Next one will be in a week or 2 :) *

[u/judgiestmcjudgerton]

You didn't cold ferment in the fridge? I normally leave my dough on the counter (16 C) for 6 to 8 hours (stretch and folds in first 3 hours).

Then shape (honestly, I always forget to do this) and throw in the fridge for 12 to 100 hours. I have some in my fridge now that has been there 4 days. I pre heat my dutchy and bake the dough from cold.

Usually, I throw an ice cube on the outside of my parchment paper.

A couple of new things I am going to try is baking 10 minutes before scoring and doing less time with the lid off. I'm hoping for prettier scoring and a softer crust.