Today marks one month of when my first sourdough starter begun. It certainly has been a journey, accumulating several litres of discard to making no discard starters has been quite the lesson. All along the way, everyone around has been enjoying different variations of sourdough bread.
Recently I was struggling with getting my dough to become puffy and jiggly with inconsistent results.
I was going through the stretch and folds much like a computer programmer without listening to the dough. I would mix the flour and water, then the levain and salt. Rest at least 30 minutes and complete 4 sets of stretch and folds roughly half an hour apart. I was noticing that the dough was firming up more compared to the beginning, almost like a rubbery texture and not like what I had observed in other videos. Nonetheless I would complete the stretch and folds. I noticed though if I let them rest longer after that before shaping the dough and putting them into their loaf pans/ banneton for cold proofing in the fridge it would sometimes turn out puffy and jiggly. Sometimes I would be bothered because I wasn’t shaping them properly, I kind of tucked around the edges of the dough into the shape I wanted and put them into the loaf pans. If the dough was tighter and not risen, puffy and jiggly, they looked a little anemic and sunken in the containers. Sometimes it would rise and fill up, but not on a regular basis.
On the other hand, if the dough was risen, puffy and jiggly, I wasn’t shaping them properly so when placing them into the. Loaf pans, they would already be bulging and perhaps rise a little more during cold proofing and get out of shape when baking.
I’m learning that there are so many different factors involved. When baking, it’s important to adjust based on how the dough is turning out. If the dough is too tight and has a rubbery feel, I can wait longer with the dough into the bowl covered with a damp towel until it relaxes more, puffs up and fills out a little before the stretch and folds. Also it shouldn’t feel so tough, that means the gluten is over developed and needs a little more time.
Often times I was rushing it and it needed more time or less involvement.
What Dough Should Be Like at the End of Bulk Ferment
1. Puffy & Jiggly
The dough has visibly expanded, usually by about 50–75% (not necessarily doubled). It should jiggle slightly when you gently shake the bowl or container. It feels lighter and airy, almost like a marshmallow under your fingertips.
2. Smooth Surface
The surface should look smooth and slightly domed. There may be a few bubbles under the surface, especially around the edges — that’s great!
3. Passes the “Finger Dent Test”
Lightly poke the dough with a damp finger. If it springs back slowly and leaves a slight dent, it’s ready. If it springs back instantly, it may need more time. If it doesn’t spring back at all and deflates, it’s possibly over-proofed — but can still be salvaged.
