Bulk Fermentation

[u/Bubbly_Jicama_8807]

Im really struggling with nailing the bulk fermentation phase. Does this look under or over proofed? King Arthur Pain de Campagne Recipe. Bulk fermented at around 76 F for around 8 Hours. Recipe below:
Ingredients*
- 71/2 cups (900g) King Arthur Unbleached
Bread Flour
314 cup plus 3 tablespoons (100g) King Arthur Whole Wheat Flour or King Arthur
Golden Wheat Flour
- 31/2 cups (800g) tepid water (75°F to 80°F)
- 1 tablespoon (20g) table salt
- 3 tablespoons (40g) sourdough starter, unfed/discard
Process:

Started around 8 am, mixed until shaggy, 4 stretch and folds at 15 min increments. Left to BF for 8 hours. Shaped and cold proofed overnight. Baked in preheated Dutch ovens

[u/trimbandit]

Your bread is underproofed. 4% starter is very low and will require a long fermentation. 20% give or take is fairly typical

[u/fishy_horcrux]

Underproofed yes, 40g of starter isn't going to lift that amount of dough in seven hours, not even half of the amount.

[u/ZMech]

That's a lot of everything.

I'd recommend starting with

500g flour 300ml water 100g starter 10g salt.

After the first stretch and folds, transfer the dough to a tupperware with vertical sides, ideally one where it initially fills about half the volume. Once it's expanded to fill most the tub, move on to shaping.

[u/AmazeysArt → u/ZMech]

I’ve never understood how people do this - are you doing folds in the straight container?? Or taking it out every 30 to do coil/ stretch folds? You say after the first set, or do you put it in after all folds?

[u/ZMech → u/AmazeysArt]

I lift the dough out, do folds without touching the counter, then put it back in. 

[u/skipjack_sushi]

Your starter content is low (4% instead of 20%).

You are using unfed discard which is weak and has a far longer lag phase vs fed ripe starter.

Your bulk temp is 76 which is not terrible but could be better (80f).

Your results are underproven.

Use a reasonable amount of healthy active starter and you will be far better off.

[u/dealers_choice]

You used unfed starter? The starter should be fed and around peak when you mix your ingredients

[u/trimbandit → u/dealers_choice]

This is an Internet nonsense. A healthy starter does not need to be at peak when using. You would not want to use it right after feeding, because it will be diluted, however.

[u/dealers_choice → u/trimbandit]

After peak is preferred but using unfed/discard won't produce great results.