Used to rush my bulk fermentation until I ruined 3 doughs in a row

For years I would cut my bulk ferment short because I thought 3 hours was enough at room temp. Then I moved to Portland where it is colder and my bread came out flat every time. Now I let it go 6 to 8 hours depending on how the dough feels. Has anyone else struggled with adjusting timing after moving to a new climate?

3 comments

3 Comments

uma_martinez22d ago

Dang, that is so frustrating to waste three doughs before finding the fix. I moved from a humid place to a dry desert and my proofing times went totally wonky too, took me a while to learn to use feel over a clock. Do you pay more attention to the dough size or a poke test now?

rosebarnes22d ago

Start with the poke test mostly, but keep an eye on size too. Actually, with the poke test you gotta make sure your finger is dry, a wet finger will stick no matter what and throw you off.

faith_carter22d ago

I read somewhere once that bakers in really dry climates actually spritz their dough with a little water before covering it, helps keep that skin from forming too fast. Cuz yeah, that dry air can trick you into thinking it's proofed when it's really just got a crust. And about the wet finger thing, I learned that the hard way too, it's amazing how much a little moisture changes the whole feel. So are you finding the poke test more reliable now that you're paying attention to the dry finger part?