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Dee Randall
 
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"Marcella Peek" > wrote in message
...
>
>> Dee Randall wrote:
>> > I posted this on another newsgroup, but didn't get any thoughts about
>> > it, so
>> > I will try here. It's a puzzlement for me. I'm trying to figure out
>> > why a
>> > bread while baking will 'sometimes' give off a vinegary smell.
>> >
>> > Here goes:
>> >
>> > While the bread was baking (see previous posting: Dough Soup in FP -
>> > Hydration Formula) consisting of
>> >
>> > 14.6 oz. bread flour (my interpretation of 3-1/4 cups flour)
>> > 1-1/2 cups water (90 degrees)
>> > 2 tsp. instant yeast
>> > 1 tsp. salt
>> >
>> > The hydration was 82% (proud that I can say what my hydration was,
>> > thanks!)
>> > baked in a 425 degree oven (2 stones heated 45 minutes) water in
>> > container
>> > inside oven, spraying water in oven 3x, baking 25 minutes, I detected
>> > an
>> > odor of vinegar - maybe it could even be described as a slight amonia
>> > odor.
>> > I am familiar with this odor while cooking bread, as it happens
>> > occasionally, but seldom. I am certainly aware of this smell, as one
>> > time I
>> > had visitors and at that time it was a heavy vinegar odor that occurred
>> > and
>> > I got a thorough teasing by some non-bread bakers.
>> >
>> > After sitting 30 minutes and smelling the bread, it has no hint of this
>> > odor. I haven't cut it yet, but the outside color is good, and the
>> > crust is
>> > a medium softness. I did take the inside temperature - 205.
>> >
>> > This smell is not similar to a sourdough starter gone astray.
>> > Thanks so much.
>> > Dee

>
> Acetic acid is a by product of bread fermentation. Yeasts throw off
> alcohol, carbon dioxide and acids with acetic acid being the most
> prevalent. Acetic acid levels are highest in breads made with a poolish
> (did you do that) or with natural yeasts (and you did say you weren't
> making sourdough). The longer the fermentation, the higher the levels
> of acids. How long did your dough ferment?
>
> I've noticed when I've had this problem that the smell dissipates by the
> time the bread is cooled and ready to eat.
>
> marcella


Looking back over my notes, I see that the last time I had the vinegar-odor
problem was when I made the bread using 1/2 cup less flour than it called
for (from "Bread" Pan Ordinaire - p. 72.)
2 tsp instant yeast, 1-1/2 cup water, 3-1/2 cup bread flour instead of 3-3/4
cup bread flour, 1-1/2 tsp. salt, but when I shaped it, I gently shaped and
incorporated 'quite a bit' of flour into it. I had no problem with the
recipe rising enough in the first rise; as a matter of fact, it rose faster
than I wanted, and I punched it down to let it rise again to double. It had
no trouble rising (45 minutes) while I was heating the stone. I did not
slash the bread.

I later made this same recipe beginning with 3-3/4 cup bread flour and it
did not have this vinegar smell. As I recall even though I did not slash
the first vinegary-smelling bread, I did slash this second bread. I usually
do not use 2 tsp. for this amount of bread flour, so my thoughts at the time
were that I would reduce the yeast to 1-1/2 tsp., as I usually use for this
amount of bread flour. I did not reduce the amount in the second bread.

In the first vinegar-smell baked bread, as you say, the smell did dissipate.
My vinegar-bread wasn't made with a poolish, but the hydration was abt. 82%,
so the whole thing was poolish material!

Any comments always appreciated,
Dee