I made a batch of sourdough a couple of nights ago and I was pretty
pleased with the flavor. I made two loaves from the same batch: one a
pan loaf and the other a boule. The pan loaf turned out great - with
fairly uniform density throughout the crumb. The boule, on the other
hand, didn't turn out so great - it looked fine when it came out of
the oven, but when I cut into it, the bottom half was fairly dense,
and there was a huge hole all the way across the top - as if all the
expanding air from the oven spring had collected at the top of the
loaf.

So, two questions: first, why would two loaves from the same dough
turn out so differently, and second, how do I avoid the air collecting
at the top of my boules? I'd really like to have the huge, irregular
holes throughout the crumb, but I have yet to really achieve that. Any
ideas? Thanks in advance.

Dustin

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On 17 Jan 2004 08:21:06 -0800,
(Dustin) wrote:

>I made a batch of sourdough a couple of nights ago and I was pretty
>pleased with the flavor. I made two loaves from the same batch: one a
>pan loaf and the other a boule. The pan loaf turned out great - with
>fairly uniform density throughout the crumb. The boule, on the other
>hand, didn't turn out so great - it looked fine when it came out of
>the oven, but when I cut into it, the bottom half was fairly dense,
>and there was a huge hole all the way across the top - as if all the
>expanding air from the oven spring had collected at the top of the
>loaf.
>
>So, two questions: first, why would two loaves from the same dough
>turn out so differently, and second, how do I avoid the air collecting
>at the top of my boules? I'd really like to have the huge, irregular
>holes throughout the crumb, but I have yet to really achieve that. Any
>ideas? Thanks in advance.
>
>Dustin

Hi Dustin,

Had you slashed the boule? The pan loaf? Were these two loaves baked
side by side, or was one baked after the other?

That "huge hole" problem is called "flying crust" and often, it can be
avoided by slashing....

I ask about the baking order because I believe that the flying crust
problem may be caused by using a dough that is over risen. The acid
lower pH decreases the ability of the dough to hold the gas and it can
be trapped under the hardening crust as the bake gets started. If you
baked the boule second, that would be my guess.

HTH,

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Kenneth

If you email... Please remove the "SPAMLESS."

Kenneth,

Thanks for your reply.

No, I didn't slash either loaf, and they were parked right next to
each other during the bake. Perhaps on my next boule I'll try
slashing.

Dustin


Kenneth > wrote in message >. ..
> On 17 Jan 2004 08:21:06 -0800,
> (Dustin) wrote:
>
> >I made a batch of sourdough a couple of nights ago and I was pretty
> >pleased with the flavor. I made two loaves from the same batch: one a
> >pan loaf and the other a boule. The pan loaf turned out great - with
> >fairly uniform density throughout the crumb. The boule, on the other
> >hand, didn't turn out so great - it looked fine when it came out of
> >the oven, but when I cut into it, the bottom half was fairly dense,
> >and there was a huge hole all the way across the top - as if all the
> >expanding air from the oven spring had collected at the top of the
> >loaf.
> >
> >So, two questions: first, why would two loaves from the same dough
> >turn out so differently, and second, how do I avoid the air collecting
> >at the top of my boules? I'd really like to have the huge, irregular
> >holes throughout the crumb, but I have yet to really achieve that. Any
> >ideas? Thanks in advance.
> >
> >Dustin
>
> Hi Dustin,
>
> Had you slashed the boule? The pan loaf? Were these two loaves baked
> side by side, or was one baked after the other?
>
> That "huge hole" problem is called "flying crust" and often, it can be
> avoided by slashing....
>
> I ask about the baking order because I believe that the flying crust
> problem may be caused by using a dough that is over risen. The acid
> lower pH decreases the ability of the dough to hold the gas and it can
> be trapped under the hardening crust as the bake gets started. If you
> baked the boule second, that would be my guess.
>
> HTH,

On 17 Jan 2004 21:57:54 -0800,
(Dustin) wrote:

>Kenneth,
>
>Thanks for your reply.
>
>No, I didn't slash either loaf, and they were parked right next to
>each other during the bake. Perhaps on my next boule I'll try
>slashing.
>
>Dustin

Hi Again Dustin,

Hmmm, the side by side bake does make it a bit more confusing. I do
think that the slashing of the boule will help.

Please let us know...

--
Kenneth

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