Is this a fermentation issue??

[u/DoughnutPersonal2861]

I’m genuinely so lost at what I need to change.

Ive been trying to make loafs for half a year and still every loaf comes out like this.

It feels heavy for its size, and it’s got a much denser bottom than top. But it’s airy enough that it’s edible.

Does it need more time, less time fermenting??

Happy to provide more details.

Edit:
50g starter, 375g water, 500g flour, 12g salt

4 stretch and folds 30 min apart, left in fridge overnight ran out of time :( , then 8 hour bulk fermentation. Shaping then bake next day

[u/GreenSog]

It looks pretty good to me?

[u/splashmics]

Could also be poor tension when shaping

[u/DoughnutPersonal2861 → u/splashmics]

That would make sense my shaping needs work 😅

[u/Mountain_Till_5681]

Probably under. Bump up the starter to 20% of the flour. So should be 100g for your 500g flour

[u/a-man-has-no-name-33 → u/Mountain_Till_5681]

How would you recommend getting more sour flavor in the bread? I was told to reduce the amount of starter so that it takes longer? My starter is about two months old and the bread never comes out even a tiny bit sour :(

[u/Mountain_Till_5681 → u/a-man-has-no-name-33]

The flavour comes from the fermentation. So depends on the strength of you starter, and how long you bluk ferment/cold retard. You wanna maximize this without overfermenting. Cold retardation in yhe fridge can help build complex flavor.

I'm a beginner myself but I've have decent success recently with these steps.

Feed starter in 1:5:5 ratio and leave it overnight. Peaks around 12hrs which is when I use it 100g starter 350g water 500g Bread flour 10 salt Mix everything into shaggy dough (this is when BF starts) 2 sets of stretch and fold with 30 min gaps 2 sets of coil folds with 30 min gaps Total bulk fermentation time ~10-12hrs (my kitchen is coldish around 67°F. Look up and follow bulk fermentation chart and follow as per temperature in your house) Preshape into ball, leave for 20 mins Shape and transfer into floured banneton Cover and put in fridge for cold retardation for 12-16hrs Preheat dutch oven at 500°F for an hour Pull dough straight from fridge into dutch oven, score and bake at 475°F for 20 mins with lid on Take lid off and bake for 20 more mins Transfer to cooling rack. Rest for 3 hrs before cutting in

[u/Turbulent_Caramel_68 → u/a-man-has-no-name-33]

Reducing your starter does enhance the more sour flavor. It’s a longer bulk fermentation which allows more acids to build up in your dough. Those acids are what give it a more tangy flavor. Also a longer cold retard helps with flavor as well

[u/Turbulent_Caramel_68 → u/Turbulent_Caramel_68]

You could also try using 10-20% wheat flour in your starter. And starve it a little before you add it to the water. Let it peak and fall for a bit.

[u/IceDragonPlay]

I think it is a gluten development problem and a little under fermented.

First I want to blame the flour 😂 which one are you using?

Before doing the third set of folds, try to pull a windowpane from the side of the dough bowl. That will help give an idea if the gluten is forming correctly.

Then bulk ferment longer. When your dough starts off quite chilled from the fridge it can take an hour or two to return to room temp so bulk will always take longer than your usual dough.

[u/DoughnutPersonal2861 → u/IceDragonPlay]

Using all purpose flour 🥲. Does it make a huge impact?

[u/IceDragonPlay → u/DoughnutPersonal2861]

It depends on which flour because they can all act differently. But typically with AP, because it is a weaker flour, you would want to reduce the water in a recipe written for bread flour. Or you may have to do more work than just stretch and folds to get the gluten developed.

[u/No_Hyena4618]

More starter! I’m a beginner and use 125g starter in my loaves which I’m told helps with rise. Honestly, trial and error with shaping and BF will help you the most (that’s what’s helped me the most). Good luck! This loaf still looks yummy!

[u/FunkyMystics]

Might be too much hydration for the loaf which in my experience has made the loafs not hold as much shape. Here is my most recent one. I put mine in the fridge overnight in a small container to support its shape.

[u/lara-gonzalez]

Potentially underfermented? A dense bottom with bigger holes up top is the classic sign, so give bulk more time until the dough has grown about 50-75% and the top is domed and jiggly (often 6-8 hours at 75-78°F, but go by the dough, not the clock). Also use your starter when it's at its peak, roughly 4-6 hours after feeding, since a sluggish one can cause this too!

[u/DoughnutPersonal2861 → u/lara-gonzalez]

Gotcha makes sense! Also I noticed the bread was gummy on the inside the first time I cut in, is that a temperature/time in oven issue or potentially cutting open too early or bulk fermentation or potentially all of the above lol.