Hi Beth, no-knead high hydration recipes can be tricky because often they include an overnight rise at cool (68°F to 70°F) room temperature. The tricky part is that if your home doesn't happen to be that cool, this can cause the dough to rise and ferment too quickly, resulting in dough that is over-fermented by the time you are able to shape and bake it. This  can also contribute to a gummy crumb structure because as dough over-ferments the gluten structure begins to break down. This causes moisture to be released and also contributes to a denser structure because the gluten isn't able to hold the fermentation bubbles in place. This combination of moist and dense often translates to gumminess. A cool room temperature makes a big difference in this type of recipe, so if you have trouble controlling this factor, you might have more success with a recipe that has a more traditional timeline. This blog on Desired Dough Temperature can also be helpful when it comes to regulating the temperature of your dough. 

• Reply