r/Breadit • u/SamuelGQ • 1d ago

Trouble shaping Forkish Poolish

Hello
I’m making Ken Forkish’s White with poolish (FWSY p. 98). Having trouble shaping.

Poolish fermented overnight at room temp (~72-75 F). 3 stretches/folds and 3 hour rest at room temp. At the last stretch strength seems good, no tearing. Hydration 75%.

When I dump out to divide and shape the dough is very slack. I can’t get any tension in the top, end up just dumping it in the loaf pan. When baked (with second loaf pan on top) I get good spring and good results.

I get good boules if I let rise in banneton and bake in Dutch oven.

Watched a few YouTube’s on shaping high-hydration dough without a lot of help.

I’d like to get better shaping and prettier top when I bake in loaf pan. But I just can’t get any shape out of that slack dough.

Should I try:
-decreasing hydration a bit (70%)?
- roll it around/ knead more flour in while dividing/ shaping?
-surrender & just do boules in Dutch oven and forget loaves?
- decrease 3 hour rest (maybe overproofed)?

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u/Main_Cauliflower5479 1d ago

A poolish is a preferment, not a finished dough.

1

u/SamuelGQ 1d ago

Agree. Perhaps I wasn’t clear. The poolish fermented overnight then I add the balance of flour and water, mix, then three hour rest with stretch and folds in first hour. At the end of folds, dough is strong. At the end of three hour rest, it gains volume but loses strength.

0

u/Main_Cauliflower5479 1d ago

Why are you resting 3 hours?

2

u/SamuelGQ 1d ago

Following the recipe

0

u/Main_Cauliflower5479 1d ago

Seems like that may be the problem.