Yes, that is indeed what happened! And I made it a way of living. My life is sourdough baking, in some sense.
Yes, I think that is the optimal range. But even in colder temps it will be fine. It just takes longer. Sometimes in the winter a 3-4 hour fermentation might take 8-10 hours. And that is where experience comes into the equation to know when the dough is right and when it needs more time.
I worked with people in bakeries that did not understand sourdough and tried to approach it similar to normal yeast baking. They never got the "touch" (or if you allow me to become philosophical, practical wisdom, phronesis). They tried to use normal methods and times. So the one baker just let it ferment two hours because the recipe said so, but the breads were always either under-fermented or over-proofed because he did not know how to work with it.
Timing is key but sourdough has a mind of its own!
Sorry for yet another lengthy reply.
That's incredible that you were able to make a living from your knowledge! I really admire people who focus on a craft like that and devote their lives to perfecting it.
I'm about to attempt my second loaf and am taking no shortcuts this time. The first recipe I used skipped many of the traditional steps, like the levain process. This time I'm going all in. Do you mix a little whole wheat into your dough? This recipe calls for 822g white flour and 64g whole wheat flour. Thanks for sharing your knowledge. This process has been an interesting and educational journey for me.
So sorry for only replying now. Things on this side have been hectic.
Yes, I love to add additional flours into the mix. I normally use a mixture between whole wheat, barley, and rye flour. If I use 1000g of total flour I usually add 800g of white and 200g of my mixture. I usually sell this as my "country loaf".
Yes, totally agree with that! Do not skip any steps. I have also tried but I have always failed. The most important thing to have is a very active levain. If you get to know your starter, you will have a solid idea of how to get an active levain.
(This is just my process if you want to read it, if not please just skip this! So normally I feed the starter the night before. The next morning, I use a 1:2:2 ratio of starter, water, flour in proportion to the dough. Say I want 20% starter, and I make 1000g batch, the 200g starter will be 40g:80g:80g starter, water, flour. The 1:2:2 ratio gets the starter really active! I hope this rambling helps a bit, if you read it and want more clarity or anything please ask! I will gladly share what I have learned maybe it can help you.)
If you have not yet started, best of luck on the second batch.
If you have started, how did it go?
No worries at all! Your advice is very helpful and I appreciate it! I've been feeding my starter religiously and will attempt my second bake within the next couple of days. I won't be following any recipes that use shortcuts this time so, hopefully, my luck will be a little different. I'll report back as soon as the bread is done! Thanks!
Please do that will be awesome! Best of luck, and yes, follow that advice: no shortcuts! I wait to hear from you, or to read a post about it! You can always tag me if you prefer!