Q:What causes sidewall cave-in (keyholing) after baking?
A:A very likely reason is that the inside wasn't baked all the way through. Did your dough have high hydration? Whenever my loaves cave in at the sides, it's because I got greedy with heavy fillings so the center didn't bake through. High hydration doughs are also more prone to caving in if underbaked.
Q:What is the sponge (Chongzhong) method?
A:The sponge method divides the bread ingredients into two parts: the sponge dough and the main dough. You first mix the sponge ingredients into a dough and let it undergo the first proof. Once fermented, you mix it with the main dough ingredients, knead to full gluten development, shape, give it a final proof, and bake. Bread made this way is much softer and stays fresh longer, remaining soft and tender even on day three.
Q:Does a loaf with lots of condensed milk have a particularly rich milky aroma?
A:Adding milk powder also gives a great milky aroma. Both smell wonderful in their own way, and heavy whipping cream adds milk fat for another lovely flavor profile.
Q:Between sponge (Chongzhong), poolish, and old dough (pâte fermentée), which one makes the softest bread?
A:The difference isn't huge, though poolish tends to make the crumb slightly softer.
Q:If I make a lidded Pullman loaf, should I reduce the dough amount?
A:Around 250g of total flour works well for a lidded loaf, and you can bake once the second proof reaches 70% full in the pan. Adjust the baking time for your oven; in my oven, lidded loaves need a few extra minutes.
Q:I baked this and it is delicious! Still super soft on day three.
A:So happy to hear that, thanks for the feedback!
Q:Can the sponge be fermented at room temperature instead?
A:If you ferment the sponge at room temperature, it will be ready to use in about 3 hours and shouldn't be left overnight.
Q:Do you put the sponge straight into the fridge without fermenting at room temperature first?
A:I put it straight into the fridge without room-temperature fermentation. I've tried fermenting it for an hour at room temperature before chilling in the past and didn't notice a difference.
Q:It looks like a work of art! I haven't baked in a year and my skills are rusty.
A:You'll pick it right back up in no time!
Q:Hi, is the yeast weight for instant dry yeast? Why does this dough use so much yeast (3g in the sponge and 2g in the main dough)?
A:Yes, it is a bit generous since 500g of flour normally takes 5g of instant dry yeast. My yeast was a bit sluggish, and because I weighed small amounts separately, I rounded up slightly to make sure the dough wouldn't under-proof.
Q:I baked this and it is delicious! Still super soft on day three.
A:So happy to hear that, thanks for the feedback!
Q:Does a loaf with lots of condensed milk have a particularly rich milky aroma?
A:Adding milk powder also gives a great milky aroma. Both smell wonderful in their own way, and heavy whipping cream adds milk fat for another lovely flavor profile.
Q:Can the sponge be fermented at room temperature instead?
A:If you ferment the sponge at room temperature, it will be ready to use in about 3 hours and shouldn't be left overnight.
Q:Once when I took my fermented sponge out, it had an alcohol smell. Why is that?
A:It was probably warm and fermented a bit too long.
Q:If I make a lidded Pullman loaf, should I reduce the dough amount?
A:Around 250g of total flour works well for a lidded loaf, and you can bake once the second proof reaches 70% full in the pan. Adjust the baking time for your oven; in my oven, lidded loaves need a few extra minutes.
Q:What refrigerator temperature is best for cold fermentation?
A:Just normal refrigerator temperature on the shelf where you keep milk and yogurt. I don't adjust the fridge settings specifically.
Q:What is the sponge (Chongzhong) method?
A:The sponge method divides the bread ingredients into two parts: the sponge dough and the main dough. You first mix the sponge ingredients into a dough and let it undergo the first proof. Once fermented, you mix it with the main dough ingredients, knead to full gluten development, shape, give it a final proof, and bake. Bread made this way is much softer and stays fresh longer, remaining soft and tender even on day three.
Q:What causes sidewall cave-in (keyholing) after baking?
A:A very likely reason is that the inside wasn't baked all the way through. Did your dough have high hydration? Whenever my loaves cave in at the sides, it's because I got greedy with heavy fillings so the center didn't bake through. High hydration doughs are also more prone to caving in if underbaked.
Q:Do you put the sponge straight into the fridge without fermenting at room temperature first?
A:I put it straight into the fridge without room-temperature fermentation. I've tried fermenting it for an hour at room temperature before chilling in the past and didn't notice a difference.
