Been nurturing my sourdough starter like my firstborn for weeks now. Today was go time, and guess what, after hours of proofing n' folding, thing comes out of the oven denser than a black hole. Taste's fine but it doubles as a doorstop. Where'd I mess up, y'all?
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Sourdough gone wrong
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hahaha, I’ve made a few of those ‘frisbees’ myself! 😂💀 Next time, try doing a poke test before baking, if the indentation fills back slowly, it's ready to go. If it stays put, might need more proofing time.
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Don't feel bad, sourdough can be as temperamental as a cat on a hot tin roof. Was your kitchen cold? That can really slow down the rise, man. You want a cozy spot for that baby to puff up right. Also, I swear by a Dutch oven for baking, helps with that oven spring big time.
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Yikes, doorstop bread, been there. Two things to watch for: proofing temperature and hydration ratio. Sourdough loves a consistent, cozy temp. Too cool and it won't rise properly. Too warm and it rises too fast and collapses. Hydration is tricky; too little water makes the dough tough. Experiment with different ratios until you find what works with your flour.
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Ohh the classic lead loaf. Did you name it yet? Gotta show some love even when they let you down 😆
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Wait, so this isn't normal? Here I am proud of my dense bread thinking it's just 'rustic'. 😅 How long do you guys proof for usually?
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Just slap some butter on it and call it a day, no one will know 😂
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The density of your final bread is directly linked to the lifecycle of the yeast and bacteria in your starter. Max pro tip: monitor the peak activity of your starter. Once it doubles in size, it's in its prime. Use it then for killer oven spring. Also, water temp during mix can massively affect enzyme activity. Aim for the 75°-80°F sweet spot for most yeast activity.
Sounds like your gluten network didn't develop enough or got degraded. This could happen if the dough was overproofed or if there wasn't enough strength built up during those folds. You may wanna check the protein content of the flour you're using – higher protein flour helps trap those gas bubbles!