Barb at King Arthur

August 4, 2023 at 11:43am

In reply to by Scott Petritis (not verified)

Hi Scott, it definitely sounds like your dough could use a bit longer for the bulk ferment before dividing and shaping. If your home is very cool (less than the 72°F recommended in the recipe), or the discard starter you used hadn't been fed recently, then this could explain the sluggish rise. Another possible cause might be if you measured the flour by cups rather than weight, which could result in a stiffer dough than is ideal. For best results we recommend weighing your ingredients or using this method to measure your flour by cups. Placing your dough in a warmer spot (75-78°F) for the next few hours might give your dough the boost it needs. Try to let the dough and its behavior be your guide, but I wouldn't let the bulk ferment go on forever. After another 3 or 4 hours it will probably be best to proceed to the next step, giving the shaped loaves another hour at room temperature before refrigeration, if the dough still seems slow to rise. 

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