"Ed Bechtel" > wrote in message
...
> I am happy with the loaf, but it is no Iggy's Francessca. Also, inorder
to get
> this bread close to a loaf shape everything was done is short order (5
hours)
> while the SD yeasts were still active and at the expense of flavor.
> Improvements are always sought.
>
> Thanks,
You are working with WheatMontana which is a high protein flour, why don't
you try 1/2 of the total flour and water as a preferment. I would think
there would still be enough gluten strength in the preferment to support the
loaf, but you should have a flavor gain from the preferment. Or, try
letting the formed loaf just begin to move and overnight it in the
refrigerator. Begin preheating your oven before you take the loaf from the
refrigerator. Preheat for an hour as high as your oven will go. Take the
loaf from the refrigerator and let it begin to warm. It doesn't have to
reach room temperature.(maybe 30-40 minutes) You should have had volume
gain overnight, so you want to put the loaf in the oven just as it begins to
lose the ultra-chill and starts to feel --I don't know how to describe
it--maybe lively? Definitely not flabby or poofy. I discovered the other
day that you can transfer dough to the peel by lifting the parchment with
the dough on it and the dough will adjust it's shape to the movement but not
deflate. Leave the parchment under the dough on the peel and get it in the
oven that way, there is much less jostling with parchment(I think) than with
corn meal or rice flour. Turn your oven down to 450F once you get the loaf
placed. You should have great oven spring and minimal horizontal slump.
Janet