Sourdough Bread Making Guide 55cp8p

SOURDOUGH BREAD MAKING EXPLAINED
Your guide to making great sourdough bread at home
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
1. Introduction
2. Tools
3. My go to recipe & schedule [chart]
4. Step by step explained
a. Starter feeding
b. Water, starter, flour initial mixing
c. Salt inclusion & second mixing
d. Folding the dough
e. Pre shaping & final shaping
f. Scoring & baking
5. Advice on how to improve & troubleshoot
a. A short guide to flour & why adjusting the amount of water in the recipe is crucial
b. Starter feeding is so important [do not underestimate it]
c. The bulk fermentation
i. How do I recognise the end of it?
ii. How to cope with a warm kitchen? What about a cold kitchen?
d. Folding the dough [the different techniques]
e. Sticky dough. Why is that?
f. When is pre shaping required? Advice on the final shaping
g. Final proofing
i. Ambient vs cold proofing
ii. The poke test
iii. Why does my dough go flat after final proofing?
h. Tips on scoring
i. Baking
i. Why is steam important?
ii. Why does my bread come out so dense?
iii. Why do I get a gummy crumb?
iv. How to recognise an overproofed dough? What about an underproofed dough?
v. How to make bread more sour?
vi. I bake in a dutch oven and the bottom comes out burnt. Why is that?
vii. How to keep sourdough bread fresh for longer
6. BONUS. Bread making process record
7. Sourdough baking most common terms
8. Baker’s percentages
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This is your guide to help you learn how to make sourdough bread at home, with step by step instructions.
It is advised to read the entire document before you give it a go as you may find valuable information.
“If I could make this happen, everyone can.”

This is how I like to encourage everyone at the beginning of their journey with sourdough baking. I am not a
trained cook or baker, and I started baking sourdough some three years ago inspired by a friend; I failed a
few times, then started to get decent loaves, and continued to improve. Baking bakery-quality sourdough at
home takes some practice and patience, but it is totally achievable.
Throughout this guide you will find:

🌾The key ingredients to make a loaf
🌾Tools you may consider using (must-have & nice to have too)
🌾The schedule (step by step with timings)
🌾Additional information which will help you understand the process and ultimately equip you with the
🌾Answers to the most common troubleshooting questions
needed information to be able to make adjustments on your own should this be needed
🌾Links to videos showing steps of the process

🌾Template to take notes of your bakes
If you are new to baking sourdough bread, here are some key principles to keep in mind
🌾Patience is key to succeed. The first loaf might not come out great, nor the second. Keep going!
🌾A healthy sourdough starter is essential to the success of your bakes - you may want to check my
🌾The recipe/schedule in this guide should work well for most of you as long as you have a healthy starter
‘Sourdough starter guide’.
🌾Every recipe is written based on the flours, the starter, the kitchen & the experience of the person writing
🌾To make a recipe work for you, some adjustments might be required. And by the end of this guide you
it. Try to stay as close to the recipe when it comes to the flour you use, amount of starter, water amount
🌾Never, but never, add the entire quantity of water stated by the recipe at the first step, unless you’ve
should have a good understanding of that
used this flour before for the same recipe. Save some for later. While you can add water later in the process,
🌾
you can’t really take it out
The type of flours you use will play a crucial role in the way your dough will evolve and how the bread
will come out. Do not underestimate that
INGREDIENTS FOR A TYPICAL LOAF (~800g baked)

➢ 100g starter
➢ 500g bread flour
➢ 350g water
➢ 10g salt
This is scalable using %. You can prepare double the volume of dough, or smaller or larger doughs, all you
need is to adjust all above quantities proportionally.
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TOOLS
🌾
Must haves
Kitchen scale (best to not rely on volume measures like cups)
🌾A bowl to mix the dough in
🌾Kitchen towel to cover your bowl during the bulk fermentation &
proofing
🌾Scraper (will help you in dough handling)
🌾Proofing basket/banneton. Alternatively you can use a bowl or a
sieve, lined with a kitchen towel to absorb the moisture released by
the dough during proofing
🌾A scoring lame, a simple razor can work too
🌾Baking stone / baking steel or a dutch oven / iron cast pan with lid
for baking. You could also use your oven tray
🌾Oven glove to protect your hands
🌾
OPTIONAL TOOLS that can improve your bakes or make it easier for you
Stand mixer
🌾Thermometer to measure water/dough temperature
🌾Cooling rack (you can also use the spare rack of your oven to cool the bread)
🌾Sourdough starter warmer, a great idea when you’re dealing with a cold kitchen. 10% off with ‘SE23’
END-TO-END STARTER FEEDING AND BREAD MAKING SCHEDULE
Here is the schedule that I usually follow. This explains the steps for both proofing methods: ambient
(dough proofed for a 2-3 hours at room temperature) and cold (dough proofed in the fridge overnight)
This is based on an ambient temperature for bulk fermentation of 24°C / 75°F
If the ambient temperature is lower, you will have to extend the bulk fermentation time to up to 6-7h,
depending on how cold it gets to your room. If ambient temperature is higher, you will have to reduce the
bulk fermentation to even 4h.
For reference: at a room temperature of 20°C / 68°F, the bulk fermentation should be around 6-6.5h
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STEP BY STEP EXPLAINED
STEP 1. FEEDING YOUR STARTER
Roughly 8h before preparing the dough

Keep 15g starter in the jar and feed it with 60g water & 60g flour. It will take around 8h for the starter to
double in volume and be ready to use. Remember that it can take longer for it to be ready if your kitchen is
rather cold, while in a hot kitchen it can be ready much quicker.
This will give you enough (100g starter) to prepare your dough and some extra (35g) to carry over to the
next feed.
If your starter has been sitting in the fridge for a week or longer, you should feed it twice before using it.
And by this, I mean feed it once, let it peak. You can now take 15g of it, discard the excess and feed it again.
STEP 2. MIX WATER, STARTER AND FLOUR

This marks the beginning of the BULK FERMENTATION and also the beginning of the FERMENTOLYSE.
More on these terms at the end of the guide.
🌾 Pour 330g of water in the bowl, add 100g of starter. Stir well by hand, TIP
Do not use the entire amount of water
until dissolved
🌾 Add 500g of flour and by hand, mix well for 5-6 min, until there is no dry
stated in the recipe at this step, save 20g
for the next step. While you can add water
flour left. Cover the bowl with a towel and let rest on the counter for 1h
🌾
later on in the process, you cannot really
This will give the flour the chance to absorb the water at its own pace, take it out
the gluten network to start forming and for the extensibility of the dough to
develop without the inhibiting presence of the salt
🌾 The dough will not look great at this point, that is how it is supposed to be. As the dough matures,
gluten develops, ultimately gaining the strength and giving the dough the smoothness you are after
🌾 If you choose to use a stand mixer, make sure you mix on low speed for the first 2-3min, followed by
another 2-3min on 2nd/3rd speed. You don’t want to overmix it.
STEP 3. ADD THE SALT & REMAINDER OF WATER

This marks the end of the FERMENTOLYSE
🌾Before anything else, with wet hands, check on the dough. You will already notice how stretchy and
smooth your dough has become already. If the dough feels slack, refrain from adding all the 20g water
retained at the beginning, just the bare minimum to help you incorporate the salt. Your flour might absorb
less water than the one I use, in which case you should not use the entire 350g of water
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It can also be the opposite, when the dough feels rather stiff at this stage, in which case you might have to
add more than the 20g water. If that’s the case, I would advise to start by adding 20g of water with the salt
and mix it well. If you feel it needs more water, cover the dough and let it for 15 min before adding more. It
could take a while for the flour to absorb water and if you add more at once you risk ending up with a slack
dough
🌾Sprinkle the 10g of salt on the surface and the water you have saved (as per the above)
🌾With your wet fingers push the salt in the dough, and then mix it by squeezing it through your fingers. It
🌾If you choose to use a stand mixer, make sure you mix on low speed for the first 2-3min, followed by
will separate before coming back together. Give the dough a light knead of 4-5 min. Video
🌾Once this is done, cover the bowl, and leave on the counter for another hour
another 2-3min on 2nd/3rd speed. You don’t want to overmix it.
STEP 4. FOLDING THE DOUGH

You will perform 4 sets of stretch & folds, at 30 min intervals each
🌾 This a technique used during bulk fermentation to strengthen the dough,

help with the development of the gluten network, equalising dough
temperature and trapping little air into the dough
🌾It also gives you the opportunity to check on the progress of the dough
🌾To do the fold, grab one side of the dough and pull it up by stretching it
gently and then over itself. Repeat on the other three sides. This will be one
set. Fold the dough 4 times in total = 4 sets
🌾30 min after the last set, the dough should now be ready, feel lighter and
airy. It will have risen (probably not doubled) and feel like a pillow. If it hasn’t
moved much, give it another fold and wait another half an hour. If still not much movement, give it some
more time. If room temperature is low, the overall bulk fermentation will take longer.
🌾If it feels fragile and wobbly it has fermented too much (it can happen if too warm in the room)
🌾You may want to check this video or this one for my folding technique
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STEP 5. PRE SHAPING
🌾
This marks the end of the bulk fermentation
Remove the dough from the bowl and shape it gently into a ball
🌾First bring all the sides of the dough in the middle, then flip it over, pulling it towards you. Repeat until
you have a relatively tight ball.
🌾Dust it with a bit of flour, cover it with the kitchen towel and let it rest for 30 min. Video here
STEP 6. FINAL SHAPING
Getting there now!
🌾Flour your banneton generously. If you have some at hand, use rice flour. TIP
When deciding on the shape of your
It’s gluten free, and won’t stick as much to the dough.
🌾Flip over the dough and repeat the pre shape if you want to give it a round bread, consider the shape of your
shape. Watch this video🌾Should you want to go for the oval shaped bread,
banneton, respectively the dutch oven
if using one
best to watch this video
🌾Once shaped, place the dough, seam side up in the banneton. Flour and cover (with a disposable
shower cap for ambient proofing, or with a kitchen towel for cold proofing in the fridge)
STEP 7. THE FINAL PROOFING

Two ways of doing it
1. Ambient proofing (or at room temperature)
This is when you leave the banneton on the counter for something like 2-2.5h.
TIP
Make sure you cover the dough, to avoid the dough drying out and forming a
When proofing on the counter, it is ok
skin on the surface. to use a plastic cover. However,
Before scoring & baking your dough, move the dough to the fridge for an when proofing in the fridge, avoid
hour or so. This will stiffen up the dough and make scoring easier. Remove the covering your dough in plastic, use a
towel instead.. Covering it in plastic,
plastic shower cap and leave it uncovered in the fridge.
locks in the moisture released by the
2. Cold proofing (also called retard proofing)
dough during the cold proofing,
This is when your dough can go in the fridge overnight (12h-16h)
🌾I use both and get amazing loaves. Consider your schedule & how sour
which can lead to a wet dough,
difficult to score and potentially an
you want the bread over proofed dough.
🌾The dough is ready when it's relaxed, puffed up, but still holding its shape
(once out of the banneton). A poke test will leave a slight indentation and bounce back slowly.
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STEP 8. SCORING & BAKING
🌾
The much awaited moment
If you use a baking stone or dutch oven, place it in the oven now
🌾Preheat your oven at 250°C/490°F for 30min; the stone or Dutch oven
need to get very hot
🌾Flip your dough on a piece of parchment paper, which will help you transfer
the dough on the baking stone or in the dutch oven
🌾Score the loaf and bake
If you use a dutch oven:
Bake for 20 min at 250°C / 480°F with the lid on; after 20 min remove the lid
and bake for another 25 min at 200°C / 390 °F.
For the last 25 min, use the fan mode if you prefer a darker crust
If you use a baking stone:

Bake for 20 min at 230°C / 450°F, with steam. Release steam, bake for another 25 min at 200°C / 400°F, top
- bottom setting. Avoid fan mode, as this might burn your loaf more than you would like.
Unlike the dutch oven that holds in the steam released by the dough, when using a baking stone you need
to re-create the steam.
🌾
How to create the steam?
pour boiling water in a hot tray at the bottom of the oven
🌾spray the dough with water just after placing it in the oven
🌾add ice cubes on the baking stone. Make sure the ice cubes are not getting into contact with the dough
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ADVICE FOR HOW TO IMPROVE AND TROUBLESHOOT
1. EVERY FLOUR IS DIFFERENT AND THE QUANTITY OF WATER YOU USE WILL VARY
The amount of water in a recipe is called hydration. And it’s calculated by dividing the amount of water in
the recipe to the amount of flour. A 70% hydration, which I recommend in this recipe, works best for a white
loaf, made entirely out of bread flour (strong white flour in the UK). 70% = 350g water/500g flour
If you plan on making a 100% wholemeal bread, you might have to go as high as 90% hydration to have a
dough that you can actually work with, as otherwise the dough will be too stiff to handle it. This is because a
wholemeal flour contains all parts of the wheat berry (grain), including the bran. The bran is full of fibres and
works like a sponge absorbing a significant amount of water.
If you mix white wheat flour with wholemeal wheat flour, depending on the % of wholemeal you use in
making your dough, hydration can be anything between 70% - 90%. The below is for guidance only, never
start straight with the maximum amount of water.
Total amount of flour Whole grain flour % White wheat flour % Hydration %
500g / 17.63oz 100% = 500g / 17.63oz 70% = 350g / 12.35oz
500g / 17.63oz 25% = 125g / 4.41oz 75% = 375g / 13.23oz 75% = 375g / 13.23oz
500g / 17.63oz 50% = 250g / 8.82oz 50% = 250g / 8.821oz 80% = 400g / 14.11oz
500g / 17.63oz 75% = 375g / 13.23oz 25% = 125g / 4.41oz 85% = 425g / 14.99oz
500g / 17.63oz 100% = 500g / 17.63oz 90% = 450g / 15.87oz
The flour you use will play a crucial role in the process and in the outcome. Some things to consider:
🌾The more processed a flour is (visually this will be whiter, where all the germ and the bran of the grain
has been removed), the less amount of water it can absorb
🌾A finer flour (more processed) will absorb less amount of water than a much coarser one
🌾A flour lower in protein will develop less gluten and will absorb less water than those higher in proteins
Tip: how to check the protein level of your flour - it is usually on the pack, in the nutrients table, usually
expressed in grams per 100g flour for Europe, could be different for US and other countries. For bread
making you would ideally use a flour which has at least 10-12% protein level, as it needs to be able to
develop a strong gluten network so that it can rise nicely
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🌾Whole grain / wholemeal flour has got all parts of the grain, which
means couple of things:
○ It is more nutritive & healthier than white flour
○ The flavour will be nuttier and bolder than of a white loaf. The
more you use in your flour mix for bread, the stronger the
flavour will be
○ It will absorb more water, so keep this in mind when using
wholemeal flour for your bread
○ Since it contains all parts of the grain, including the bran, when
mixed with water, the sharp bits of bran can interfere with the
gluten network and ‘cut’ it. This means only one thing: it
decreases the ability of the gluten network to hold gas (CO2),
which results in a denser crumb. So don’t be surprised if your
loaf comes out denser when you increase the amount of
wholemeal flour (see photo above, left 100% wholemeal)
🌾If you mill your own flour

○ I would advise you to leave it for at least 48h (even for a week if you can) to age before using it. This
will help with stronger gluten development.
○ Start with a safe hydration, say 75%, before you add more. Freshly milled flour can be a tricky one to
work with, it looks like it can take much more water, but then it becomes sluggish after 20-30min.
○ Try to mix the flour and water first, before adding in the starter, and let it rest like this for 1-2h. This will
give the chance for the gluten to start developing before the fermentation kicks in.
○ If you want a somewhat more aerated crumb, you can sift out the big particles of bran.
○ In terms of flavour, you will get a much sweeter milder loaf compared to using regular wholemeal
🌾Some flours, like spelt or rye, due to the nature of the protein content, will give a rather stickier dough vs
when using wheat flour. Refrain from overmixing/over kneading, as this will do it much worse instead of
doing it good. Mix just enough to well incorporate all ingredients. Wet your hands regularly while handling
the dough
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2. STARTER FEEDING IS SO IMPORTANT. DO NOT UNDERESTIMATE IT
You want a starter that’s active and bubbly, but with a mild profile
You want the wild yeast to be at its best and have enough strength to leaven the dough. And you want the
acidity to be low, as that will not only influence the sourness of your bread, but also how the gluten
develops
🌾
Everything about the starter feeding
First of all is the feeding ratio. This is the ratio between the amount of water and the amount of flour, to
the amount of starter that is being fed. The amount of starter is the reference point.
15g starter fed with 60g water & 60g flour → a ratio of 1:4:4.
🌾The lower the feeding ratio, the quicker it will ferment. A feeding ratio of 1:1:1 (equal quant. of starter,
water & flour) is a lower ratio to 1:4:4 (1 qty of starter to 4 qties of water to 4
qties of flour). Keep this in mind when planning TIP
In a cold environment (<24°C / 75°F),
🌾The temperature will have an effect on the fermentations speed too. The you can use warmer water instead
(36°C / 96°F). In a warm environment
warmer in the room, the quicker your starter will be ready to use. For example, (>26°C / 78°F), it is advised to use
with the same feeding ratio, a 1:4:4, your starter can peak in 4-5h in cold water at feeding, to slow down
summertime or in 7-8h or longer in winter time the fermentation and fit within more
or less the same timings.
🌾The type of flour you feed your starter with will also impact fermentation
speed - the richer in enzymes (e.g rye vs bread flour), the faster it will ferment. It's a slight variation, but
something you would notice if you were to run a side by side experiment
🌾The amount of water used when feeding your starter. If less water than flour is being used, this will not
only result in a stiffer starter, but the fermentation will be slower than when it’s fed to the same quantity of
water and flour. Yeasts and bacteria don't only love warm, but also humid environments
🌾If you want to keep your starter on the counter, plan with 2 feeds/day, morning & evening at 1:4:4, even
1:5:5. However if you don’t bake daily, best is to keep the starter in the fridge to avoid unnecessary feeds
🌾When feeding use at least equal quantities of starter, water and flour. If you use less flour than the
amount of starter you feed, you’ll end up with an acidic starter, and potentially not much activity either
🌾Good to know as well. A high ratio as 1:6:6 or higher, will give a more acidic/sour starter too
🌾My go to feeding ratio is 1:4:4. It’s not only what works best for my schedule, but it also gives me the right
balance of sweetness & sourness in my starter. It’s somewhere in the middle and what most bakers use.
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What is the fermentation peak
It’s the maximum rise in volume that your starter can achieve after it’s being fed. A starter at its peak is also
called a ripe starter
How do I recognise the fermentation peak of the starter?

It's the moment when your starter stops rising in volume, and you can see it starts going backwards -
collapsing / sinking down. Not all starters will show this sign, but most will do. Check this video
What if I can't use my starter at its peak?

In my experience, it's ok to use the starter within 1-2h from its peak (while still on the counter). If plans have
changed and you can’t make your dough any longer, you can move it in the fridge, it will still be ok to use it
within 24-48h without an additional feed
Just remember that the acidity of your starter will likely be slightly more pronounced, which will give you a
more sour bread than if you were to use it right at its peak
What is the difference between starter and leaven?

To begin with, both are pre-ferments used to prepare a dough
A sourdough starter is your mixture of water and flour, fermented by the wild beasts (bacteria + yeasts) that
you maintain over time through regular feeds. You will never use your entire starter, but instead you will use
part of it to either make your dough with or to prepare a leaven (getting there in a second), and the rest you
save it to keep the culture going
The leaven is made by taking a small amount of your main starter and giving it a one off feed with water and
flour, and used in totality to make the dough. For example, you take 30g of your starter and give it 35 g
water and 35 g flour. The total of 100g will be used entirely for the dough.
🌾
Why make a leaven?
you want to use different flours or a different hydration rate for the pre-ferment that goes into your
dough, without changing your main starter. For example you might want to give more sourness to your
bread and in this case what you can do is to prepare a leaven using wholemeal flour, while your main starter
is fed with strong white flour.
🌾you don’t want to maintain multiple starters (as you can change the profile through building the leaven)
🌾but also if you need a large amount of pre-ferment (which might not be the case for most of us, the home
bakers)
More on the maintenance of your sourdough starter in my Sourdough Starter guide
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3. THE BULK FERMENTATION
It starts when the pre ferment has been added to your dough and ends with pre-shaping (or final shaping, if
pre shaping is skipped)
In my experience, bulk fermentation can last anywhere from 3.5 to 7 hours depending on the recipe,
flours, amount & strength of sourdough starter used and most importantly, the temperature
The wild yeasts perform best in a warm environment, anything between 24°- 27°C / 75° - 81°F. If colder, bulk
fermentation will take longer vs in a warmer kitchen
Fermentation speed will also be influenced by the amount of starter in a recipe. If using less sourdough
starter than in the recipe (standard is 20% of the flour amount), bulk fermentation will take longer. And the
other way around
Proper fermentation is crucial in sourdough baking, otherwise can result in an under or over proofed dough.
Bulk fermentation happens at room temperature and it’s when the gluten network and the dough tension is
created through the sets of folds (stretch & folds or coil folds). Performing the folds also helps you sense
how quickly your dough is fermenting
Not enough folds and your dough might be too slack during shaping and flatten during baking. Too many
folds and your dough may have a tight crumb structure
🌾
How do I recognise the end of bulk fermentation?
Use time as a guide, especially when you’re just starting your sourdough baking adventure
🌾The dough has grown in volume, not necessarily doubling. Don’t wait for that as you may over proof it
🌾The dough has gas bubbles throughout the dough (felt at touch). It feels light when you lift it
🌾The dough will become less & less stretchable with every folding. Check this video
🌾The dough is jiggly when you shake it (not so much if you were to use 100% whole grain flour)
🌾The top of the dough is domed and smooth
🌾The dough feels aerated, it should be generally easy to shape. If difficult to shape, rather sticky it’s your
sign that bulk fermentation should have been shorter. Something to try next time
Recognising the end of the bulk fermentation comes with practice. The more you bake, the easier it will get
for you to read the dough and judge its readiness to move to the next step in the process.
If the dough is wet and sticky, can I add more flour later in the process?
It is advised NOT to add more flour. Adding too much flour that hasn’t fermented can create inconsistency in
the texture of the crumb (e.g large holes, tunnel).
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How to cope with a very warm kitchen?
If you have a thermometer, this is the time you might want to use it.
Note: I tend to bulk ferment my dough at around 24°C/74°F for something like 4.5-5h, before placing it in
the fridge for overnight cold proofing.
🌾Use cold water when mixing the dough. With the flour being most likely at room temperature and also
the starter, using cold water helps compensate for that. I go as low as 13-15°C / 55-59°F.
The dough temperature will increase and come eventually to room temperature by the end of the bulk
🌾
fermentation.
Place the mixing bowl in the fridge an hour before mixing the dough. This will keep the dough nice and
🌾
cool for a while.
Use less starter in the dough. Consider reducing from the 20% (100g starter for 500g of flour) to
🌾
something like 15%.
In between 2 folds, pop the dough in the fridge should you need to drop the temperature of your dough
🌾
again. Or place the bowl in which the dough is resting in another bowl with ice cold water.
Find the coolest spot in the house, and take your dough there. The ground floor hallway, directly on the
🌾
tiles seems to be ‘the spot’ for me.
Cut the bulk fermentation shorter
🌾
For your starter
🌾
Use cold water at feeding
🌾
Feed your starter straight from the fridge
🌾
Move the starter into the coldest room in the house
Use higher feeding ratio. A 1:4:4 ratio will peak later than a 1:1:1
🌾
How to cope with a rather cold kitchen?
Use warm water when mixing the dough. With the flour being most likely at room temperature and also
the starter, using warm water helps compensate for that. I go as high as 27-29°C / 80-84°F. The dough
🌾
temperature will decrease throughout the bulk fermentation if the kitchen is cool
Move the bowl with the dough to the warmest spot in the house, can be close to a heating source, but
not too close as you want to avoid overheating
🌾Place the dough in the oven, with the light on. Or just slightly pre-heat the oven to 25°C / 77°F or so
🌾Place the bowl holding the dough in a bowl is warm water (not too hot). This will help raise the dough
before placing the dough in there
🌾Extend the bulk fermentation. At a room temperature of 20°C / 68°F, the bulk fermentation should be
temperature. Check on it from time to time, to avoid overheating it.
something like 6-6.5h. [TIP] you can either increase the time between 2 folds, or if you have finished the
folds, just let the dough rest in the bowl. Good to check on it from time to time though
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🌾
For your starter
🌾
Use warm water at feeding, it can be up to 36°C / 97°F (human body temperature)
🌾
Use lower feeding ratio
Move the starter to the warmest spot in the house, can be close to a heating source, but not too close as
you want to avoid overheating
🌾Place the jar in the oven, with the light on. Or just slightly pre-heat the oven to 25°C / 77°F or so before
placing the dough in there. Make sure you don’t forget about it and bake it!
4. FOLDING THE DOUGH

Stretch & fold vs coil fold
Both are techniques used during bulk fermentation to strengthen the dough, help the development of the
gluten network, equalising dough temperature and trapping little air into the dough. It also gives the baker
the opportunity to check on the progress of the dough regularly
There is no technique better than the other, but for guidance I’ll share with you the way I’m doing it
In my first year or so, I have only used the stretch & fold, found it easier at the beginning for my low
hydration doughs. Only later I would have introduced the coil folds in my routine
I would typically perform 4 sets of folds,, but there are some occasions where I would push it to 5 or even 6
depending on how the dough behaves throughout the bulk fermentation. Performing more than 4 folds
links into giving enough tension to the dough. If the dough still feels slack, if it is still extensible after the 4th
fold, I would do some more.
The first fold for me is always a stretch & fold - at the beginning of the bulk fermentation, dough may feel
quite sticky & wet and a stretch & fold will be easier to manage. After this first stretch & fold I would transfer
the dough to a shallow bowl, which I wet before with water (you can also use oil should you prefer that).
This will avoid dough sticking to it
Why a shallow bowl? It does allow dough handling for the coil folds, unlike a deep bowl.
I shall then continue with coil folds for the rest of the folding sets. I find a coil fold much more gentle to the
dough, as it only relies on the weight of the dough and you can’t over stretch it and tear it as with a stretch
& fold. It also gives that smooth surface to the dough, which you won’t get with the stretch & fold, plus some
lovely small bubbles on the surface
However, if I feel the dough being quite stiff/tight, I would stick to the stretch & folds all the way through, a
coil fold would not work as well. In other words, coil folds would work better for higher hydration doughs
No matter which one you choose, be gentle, do not try to stretch it more than it naturally does, you don’t
want to tear it
16
Always wet your hands before a fold, that should help you avoid the dough sticking to your hands.
There is NO FIXED number of SETS. It’s what your dough allows you and requires.
🌾A stiff dough will require less sets, at longer interval of times. Sometimes you can even skip some
completely. If you cannot really stretch & fold the dough, do not force it.
🌾On the contrary, a higher hydration (wetter) dough will require more sets, sometimes at shorter interval of
times, especially at the beginning of the bulk fermentation (as short as 20min). And this is because by the
end of the bulk fermentation you want to make sure you have given enough tension/strength, so that’s
nicely holding its shape. After all, you don’t want it to collapse as a pancake when you flip it out of the
proofing basket.
🌾The frequency is also given by how much and how quickly the dough relaxes in between. If for example
the dough fills the bowl 20 min after folding it, you can go ahead to the next fold. If your dough takes 40
min to relax properly, that’s your frequency. Ultimately, you want to let the dough relax so that when you
stretch & fold it, you don’t force it.
🌾It might be the case that you start with performing a set every 20 min, increasing to 30min by the end of
the bulk fermentation. Use the above point as guidance.
🌾You know you have given enough strength when the dough stays together, in the middle of the bowl,
after the typical 30 min rest
🌾As long as your dough allows it and there is no force, an extra set cannot harm your dough
🌾Every set involves going round the dough once. If the dough feels very slack, more than increasing the
number of sets, at every set you can go round it twice (especially for the first 2 folds)
5. WHY IS THE DOUGH STICKY AND WHAT CAN I DO ABOUT IT
It is easy to recognize a sticky dough as it basically sticks to everything, no matter how often you would wet
your hands or how much flour you’d use.
Here is what typically causes the dough to be sticky:

➢ The type of flour you are using. For example rye flour will make the dough stickier than wheat flour, so
will whole grain flours vs bread flour
➢ Too much water for the flour you use
➢ The starter. Either not active enough (used too early and not left to reach the fermentation peak). OR
over fermented (high acidity)
➢ High ambient temperature and the bulk fermentation happens too fast
➢ Over fermentation during bulk, will make dough sticky and shaping extremely difficult
17
➢ Over mixing (especially when using a stand mixer, less likely when mixing by hand). This increases the
temperature of the dough and forces fermentation, but it can also start degrading the gluten network
after a certain point.
➢ Insufficient gluten development (you might have noticed the dough becoming less stickier throughout
bulk fermentation, after each fold, as gluten is being developed). Often a dough that has no intervention
during the bulk fermentation will be sticky and more difficult to manage
How to handle sticky dough?

➢ DO NOT add more flour, unless you’re at the very beginning of the process
➢ Adjust the amount of water in the recipe to what your flour needs. If you opt for a higher hydration, do
not add the entire amount of water at once
➢ When mixing your dough, use a whisk or even the scraper to help manage it. Always mix with one hand,
while keeping the other one clean. Wet your hand that’s mixing the dough every now & then, this will
help reduce the dough building up
➢ Keep the sides of the bowl clean, use a scraper to scrape off any leftovers
➢ Wet your hands before every fold
➢ Keep the scraper clean
➢ Be quick & confident when shaping it. If it gets really difficult, flour the banneton well and move the
dough in, stitching it at the end. This is the best you can do
➢ Flour the working surface and your hands at shaping
6. PRE-SHAPING IS NOT ALWAYS REQUIRED
Pre shaping is the action of loosely gathering the dough in a round shape, by going round and tucking it
underneath, which will leave you with a symmetrical piece of dough for the final shape
The scope of pre-shaping is to give additional tension/strength to the dough, should that be required
In case you’re making a larger dough that needs dividing, pre-shaping also helps ‘organise’ the smaller
pieces of dough into round boules, which will facilitate the final shaping
It also helps create a more uniform surface of the dough
A dough that feels rather tight (for example a dough on which is difficult to perform stretch & folds) is an
indication that it would not fully relax (going flat as a pancake or close to that) after pre-shaping.
In this case you should skip pre-shaping and go directly for the final shaping.
Why is that? Since the dough won’t relax, handling the dough for shaping could lead to tearing it, by
forcing it to stretch
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There are 2 ways of pre-shaping. If your dough still feels slack and weak, pre shaping should be more
aggressive, since you want to give that additional strength and surface tension. If the dough feels smooth
and strong, you can be gentle and do less movements
A dough with low hydration - around 70% or under would most likely NOT require a pre-shape as it would
be strong enough
The time between the pre shaping and the final shaping is also known as bench rest, or dough rest, as you
let the dough rest on the counter, covered.
7. FINAL SHAPING TAKES PRACTICE, HERE’S SOME ADVICE
🌾Practice makes perfection, and also watching others doing it. It’s the only way to learn
🌾Be firm and confident when doing it, dust your hands with flour, dust the top of the dough before turning
it upside down on the counter, otherwise the dough might stick and will make handling more difficult
🌾Try not to catch too much flour in the dough when shaping it
🌾Use a scraper for handling the dough, it will make your life easier. If you can, use rice flour, it won’t stick
to the dough
🌾If the dough at this stage is extremely sticky now and can’t be handled - dust the surface of the dough
with flour, and using a scraper flip it directly in the banneton, skipping the shaping. Instead you can do some
stitching directly in the banneton and let it proof. You might get a wild crumb, but will be ok (unless dough is
over proofed)
🌾Do not shape your dough extremely tightly, since this can often lead to a tighter/denser crumb. Again,
judging this comes with practice.
8. PROOFING MAKES A HUGE DIFFERENCE IN THE BREAD’S PROFILE AND FLAVOUR

Depending on what you are after, there are 2 ways of proofing your dough
Ambient method = dough proofing at ambient temperature, for a short period of time, usually between 2-3h
depending on the temperature of the room. This follows the final shaping of the dough, once placed in the
proofing basket. This method produces a milder loaf (less sour) and it enables you to have your loaf ready
for dinner if you start early in the morning
Cold method = this involves dough proofing slower at low temperatures, at around 5 - 6°C / 41 - 43°F in the
fridge, for a longer period of time, usually overnight 12-16h. The slow long proofing not only enhances the
sourness of your loaf, but also increases its digestibility. This method also allows you to bake first thing in
the morning and have a fresh loaf ready for breakfast and a lovely fragrance in your home
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Choose the method that works best to your schedule & helps obtaining the flavours you’re after
Ambient method
➢ Usually between 2-3h, depending on the room temperature. The colder, the longer the final proof
➢ Cover the proofing basket, you don’t want the dough to dry out
➢ At the end of the ambient proofing, the dough will be rather soft and the scoring lame might drag the
dough at scoring. To improve this, I would shorten the ambient proofing by half an hour and move the
dough in the fridge for an hour or so to help stiffen it slightly
➢ It’s ideal if you want to bake same day
➢ Flavour: The bread will be rather mild
Cold/Retarded method
➢ Overnight in the fridge, for anything between 12-16h
➢ Cover the proofing basket with a linen/cotton kitchen towel. Avoid plastic wraps as it creates
condensation & very likely overproofing
➢ Best if you want to bake early morning
➢ Flavour: the bread will be more on the sour side
➢ Properties: long proofing improves the digestibility of the bread
➢ The longer a dough is proofed, the more sour and digestible will be, however from a certain point you
will compromise on how much it will rise during baking and on the ‘ear’ (e.g a 20h proofing vs a 12h
one)
How do I know my dough is ready to bake?

With time you’ll just know. At the beginning it is best to follow the schedule above, and work from there.
There is the well known poke test that you can apply - with your index finger, gently push in the dough. The
dough should come back slowly, but not completely leaving a gentle indent on the surface of the dough.
That’s your sign it’s ready. If the dough springs back quickly, give it more time. If it doesn’t spring back at all,
it’s overproofed, so go ahead and bake it. This video might be helpful
Why does my loaf go flat as a pancake when I take it out from the banneton?
This can happen for a number of reasons and in my view it is best to assess this together with the final
bake.
The dough goes flat AND once baked, the bread will be flat too and feel rather heavy. The crumb will be
dense, possibly tacky too. This is typical for under fermentation. And the cause of this can be either a weak
starter or a bulk fermentation that’s too short.
If the dough goes flat AND the bread looks and feels light like a frisbee. The crumb will be somewhat airy.
That’s a sign of over fermentation. Shorten the timings next time, especially for your bulk fermentation. And
if you cover the dough in plastic during the cold proofing, you might want to address that too. Locking in the
moisture released by the dough, will create a more humid environment, which can accelerate the proofing,
leading again to over fermentation.
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There is one last scenario. Dough goes flat, but it rises to some extent during baking. It could have been
that you’ve used more water than what the flour could take; or you have not built enough tension into the
dough, in which case it can’t hold its shape.
🌾
But how to deal with it?
When refreshing the starter, avoid a 1:1:1 feeding ratio, unless you are building a young leaven (where the
main starter has been fed beforehand at a higher ratio). A 1:1:1 ratio keeps your starter rather acidic, which
can compromise on the yeast activity
🌾If you can’t use your starter at peak, or within 1-2h timeframe, pop it in the fridge to slow down its
fermentation until you can make the dough
🌾The duration of the bulk fermentation will be influenced by the temperature in your kitchen and the
amount of starter you use. The colder in your kitchen, the longer the bulk, and the other way around. The
less starter you use, the longer the bulk, and of course, the other way around. Adjust timings as necessary.
🌾The bulk timings will also be influenced by the flour you use. Flour richer in enzymes tends to ferment
faster (i.e whole wheat vs bread flour).
🌾A dough that has been proofed (final proofing) at ambient temperature tends to collapse more than one
that has been in the fridge overnight. And in my case, 95% of the doughs I post are cold proofed, which
explains why they remain so firm.
🌾If your dough collapses, keep scoring to a minimum - just the deep big slash and pop it in the oven as
soon as you can. Or skip scoring completely, you will hold the gas trapped inside
🌾If you cover the dough in plastic during the cold proofing, you might address that too. Locking in the
moisture released by the dough, will create a more humid environment, which can accelerate the proofing,
leading again to over fermentation. Not to mention the dough will be rather wet and difficult to score. Use a
towel (damp or dry instead)
🌾Using a dutch oven will help to some extend limiting the spread of your dough in the oven, in
comparison with the open bake
Which banneton size should I buy?

Round Oval
19 – 20 cm / 7.5in : 500 – 600g final dough 13x21cm / 5x8in : 500 – 600g final dough
24 – 25cm / 9.5in : up to 1kg final dough 16x22cm / 6x9in : 700 – 800g final dough
15x25cm / 6x10in : up to 1kg final dough
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9. SCORING - WHAT’S THE DEAL AND HOW DO I GET THE FAMOUS “EAR” ON MY LOAF
Why do we have to score in the first place?

For aesthetics, but more importantly to allow the gas to escape from our bread in a controlled way,
otherwise the bread can burst in the weakest point, but also do not expand/rise at its full potential.
🌾
Here are some of my tips to scoring:
Sharp blade, you don’t want it to get stuck in the dough
🌾A comfortable, easy to use scoring lame (I do find the small round ones work best for me). I’ve got mine
from WireMonkey (use this link for a 10% discount, should you wish to purchase one)
🌾First make the small, rather superficial cuts, followed by the deep one. You want to minimise risk of the
dough deflating while you score
🌾If you go for ambient proofing, I would stick to the deep cut only as dough tends to be softer and tends
to be more difficult to score, but also collapse easier.. My trick here: at the end of bulk I would pop the
dough in the fridge for an hour or so. It helps stiffen the dough & make scoring easier.
🌾For the deep cut, make sure you keep the blade at a low angle vs the surface of the dough (something
like 20-30 degrees). Do it in the middle, rather than on the side of the dough. This will help the ‘ear’ form.
For the ‘ear’ to form, there are other things to consider: creating enough steam or using a dutch oven,
enough surface tension is given through shaping, proofing is on point. Don’t obsess about this at the
beginning, with the quality of your starter, dough and shaping technique, it will naturally follow.
10. BAKING - WHAT HAPPENS IN THE OVEN?
Before anything else, some terms you will encounter

Oven spring = is the rise in volume during baking; Open bake = baking your loaf on a baking stone/tray
Why is steam important?

In the absence of steam, the crust forms crust too quickly, which can limit the expansion of your loaf during
baking (the oven spring) and the appearance of the much sought after ‘ear’
The bottom of the loaf gets burnt / hard to cut through

If the bottom of your loaf gets burnt when baking in a dutch oven, try placing a tray underneath the rack
holding the dutch oven. Or sprinkle coarse flour (e.g cornmeal or semolina) on the bottom of the pan before
placing in the dough. Use parchment paper. After 25 min of baking, you can try and remove the loaf from
the dutch oven and place it directly on a rack.
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Is preheating the oven really necessary?
Well, in my experience baking in a cold oven results in a chewier crust and more moist crumb as well. Plus a
much paler crust too. Not my favourite, but you could give it a try, some bakers use & recommend this
method
If you pre-heat, make sure that whatever you use to make your bread (e.g dutch oven, baking stone) is in
the oven during the pre-heat
If your oven has a rapid heating function, do not use the beep signal for ‘good to go’. While the inside of
your oven might have reached that temperature, it doesn’t mean the pan or baking stone are hot enough
🌾
Why does my bread come out so dense?
high % of whole grain flour in the dough. The bran in the flour would interfere & interrupt the gluten
network, which affects its ability to trap the gas released by the yeast during fermentation process. It's
healthy and flavoursome, but obtaining an open crumb can sometimes be a challenge. You could sift the big
particles of bran, that should help improve the airyness of the crumb
🌾low hydration dough - too little water for the flour you have used to make the dough
🌾a starter that's not mature enough, or over fermented, can lead to a dense, but also gummy crumb
🌾underproofed dough - will be dense, flat and feel heavy
🌾a very tight shaping
🌾not enough steam during baking, which will limit dough expansion to its full potential
Why does my bread come out with a gummy crumb?
🌾
This can happen due to a number of reasons
A starter that’s too young or has been used before reaching its fermentation peak. Or a starter that’s
over fermented, overly acidic
🌾A dough that’s too wet in which case you might have to extend the baking time by 5-10min
🌾An under proofed dough, you might want to extend the bulk fermentation next time. 30min to begin with
🌾A cold oven when the dough has been placed inside
My bread comes out dense, heavy, sometimes with few large scattered holes? Why is that?
This sounds like you’re either underproofing your dough (consider extending the bulk fermentation slightly)
or you’re using a starter that’s either not mature (too young), used before it’s peak time or overly fermented,
with no power to rise your dough.
23
How to recognise an underproofed dough? How to recognise an overproofed dough?
- Random unexpected cracks on the crust, - It goes flat as a pancake when flipped over from the
despite the scoring banneton for scoring
- The crumb is mostly dense with few rather - It has very little oven spring (if slightly overproofed)
large holes. Which can sometimes lead to an or completely flat if significantly overproofed
excessive rise in the oven - It doesn’t open up. The scoring fuses back together
- A dough that doesn’t rise much and the loaf - It’s light like a frisbee when you lift it (it’s the
you bake is rather small opposite for an under proofed dough that feels
- A dough that’s significantly under proofed will heavy)
have little to no oven spring, will bake flat and - When cut, the bread has a dense crumb, with some
feel heavy scattered larger holes
- The crumb will be rather gummy - The crust is rather dull in colour
- The crust will be rather pale - The flavour is more sour than it should be
- This video might help to visualise it
What’s to be done? What’s to be done?

You might want to strengthen the starter, and Reduce the fermentation, be it the actual bulk
make sure you use it at peak. fermentation time on the counter, or the final proofing.
🌾
Avoid if you can a 1:1:1 feeding ratio, as this will Remember that
🌾
keep your starter rather acidic the warmer it is, the faster the fermentation
Next time, try and extend the bulk fermentation the more starter you use, again the faster the
🌾
time. Do it in incrementals of 30 min at a time. fermentation
humidity and the type of flour you use will also
have an effect on the fermentation speed
No matter what I do, I can’t get the ‘ear’
🌾The reason no1 is the lack of steam. If you bake in a normal domestic oven, on a baking stone or tray, it
can be quite a challenge to get that 'ear'. I’ve been using a baking stone for the first 3-4 months until I got a
dutch oven & I haven’t seen a ‘ear’, not even one.
🌾How to create steam though - boiled water in a tray at the bottom of the oven, place it in during the
pre-heat already; mist/spray the dough & around the dough once you place it in the oven, ice cubes on the
baking stone, make sure though it's not touching the dough. I've read about lava stones, never tried those
though, but seem to be doing a great job
🌾Scoring is equally important, best done is by holding the lame at something like 30 degrees angle to the
dough, and not perpendicular. This is likely to increase the chances to form an 'ear' for an open bake. Less
strict when using a dutch oven. Make sure you score deep enough and you have a sharp blade. For open
bakes, scoring in the middle of the dough works better for me than on the side. Check this video
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🌾Let’s not forget about the proofing. If overproofed, the dough won't rise and won't open up - yeast won't
have enough strength anymore and the gluten network is weakened too. Same if underproofed.
🌾Not enough tension is given during the bulk fermentation and via shaping. Consider one or two extra
foldings, as well as a thorough shaping
How to make my bread more sour?

The sourness of a loaf is relative, as it’s entirely up to individual perception and taste buds.
It’s the fermentation time. The slower this happens and the longer it takes, the higher the chances to
increase the sourness of your bakes.
🌾
For the starter:
🌾
Feed it in a higher ratio or make it stiffer (less water than flour), so that it takes longer to reach its peak
Less frequent feeds. Keep your starter in the fridge and only feed it before preparing a dough vs keeping
🌾
it on the counter and refresh it often
Let it ferment and reach its peak at cooler temperatures (I don’t mean in the fridge). But if your starter is a
healthy one, you may want to leave it peak naturally on the counter, say at 20°C instead of speeding
🌾
fermentation by putting it in a warmer spot.
Use it after it’s passed its peak and not before
🌾
For your dough:
🌾
Use less starter, as this means an overall longer bulk fermentation and final proofing
🌾
Longer bulk fermentation at a lower temperature (finally an advantage of a cold kitchen in winter)
🌾
Cold proofing overnight instead of same day ambient proofing
The longer the cold proofing, the more sour your bread will be. Although you might compromise on the
oven spring as you can overproof the dough
The longer fermentation time does not only increase the sourness of your bread, but it also increases its
digestibility.
It’s the flour you use, as some are richer in enzymes than others
For your starter:

Use a rye starter instead of a white wheat one. If you haven’t got a rye starter, you can just prepare a leaven
using rye flour. Or even whole grain flour.
For your dough:

Introduce wholegrain or rye flour to your dough, it will add to the sourness. If you are used to white loaves,
you can do this little by little, no need to drastically change it one day. It’s good to experiment.
For a milder bread, consider doing the opposite.
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How to keep sourdough bread fresh for longer?
This is to share my routine, but also what people in my Instagram community have shared with me.
In my house, a loaf doesn’t last more than 2-3 days. I prefer to bake smaller loaves and more often, as
there’s nothing better than fresh bread. I store my bread in a paper bag, sometimes wrapped in a tea towel
(sometimes not), but always in a drawer.
This works best for me, as I don’t like the bread being too soft, especially the crust. If the crust hardens a bit
too much, I would pop it in the toaster, to warm it up.
I have noticed that a 100% bread flour loaf will go stale much faster than if I were to use more wholemeal,
flour I mill myself or even stoneground white wheat flour.
If I were to bake an extra loaf, I would then let it cool down, slice it, put it in a ziplock bag and pop it in the
freezer. I would then take one slice at a time, defrost in the toaster (can also be done in the oven).
🌾
Other ideas for storage some you have shared
in the cool oven or in the cool dutch oven (not when in use though). I have tried this one myself, bread in
🌾
a paper bag and then in the oven, it keeps it soft for 4-5 days.
🌾
on cake stand with glass top
🌾
in reusable ziplock bag
🌾
in a linen bread bag (some of you put this in a bread bin too)
🌾
in a bread box
🌾
beeswax wrap (some of you put this in a bread bin too)
🌾
in the fridge
🌾
in a tea towel, put in a ziplock or put in a bread box or in the oven
🌾
in a paper bag or parchment paper, put in plastic bag
🌾
plastic bag or cling film
in a tote bag
11. IS THERE A MUCH EASIER WAY TO MAKE SOURDOUGH BREAD?

Good news, yes - there is a shortcut
Stick to the same timings as described earlier.

Mix all ingredients at once, instead of adding salt separately. Give the dough a light knead, for 5-10 min.
Since you are going to skip the foldings, you want to help the gluten network start developing.
🙂
Let the dough rest in the bowl for 4-4.5h at room temperature, covered. No foldings required. Go straight to
shaping, proofing, baking. That’s all
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BREAD MAKING PROCESS RECORD - SIMPLIFIED
Taking notes of your bakes is one very important aspect (which I still follow today), as it helps you
understand not only what could have possibly gone wrong, but also see what works best in your case &
which adjustments are necessary.
DATE
ROOM TEMPERATURE
PROOFING METHOD
STARTER
Feeding ratio
Feeding time
Peak time
INGREDIENTS - quantities
Flours (incl types/brands)
Water
Starter
Salt
DOUGH PREPARATION - timings
Mix water, starter, flour
Add salt
1st folding
2nd folding
3rd folding
4th folding
5th folding (optional)
Pre-shape (if applicable)
Final shaping
PROOFING TIME (no of h)
BAKING TIME & TEMPERATURE
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SOURDOUGH BAKING MOST COMMON TERMS
AUTOLYSE
In most recipes autolyse refers to the period right after mixing the starter with the flour and water and just
before adding in the salt. However, the true autolyse happens before the addition of the preferment (starter
or leaven), just by mixing water and flour. This allows the flour to absorb the water at its own pace, before
the fermentation process begins. This helps the dough build extensibility.
BANNETON
It’s the proofing basket. It can also be replaced with a bowl/sieve. Use a towel so that it absorbs the
moisture coming from the dough during proofing.
BULK FERMENTATION
The first fermentation of your dough. This starts once the preferment is added to the dough and finishes
with the final shaping. It’s called ‘bulk’ as you might prepare more loaves at the same time, from the same
dough. At this stage the fermentation rather happens in bulk, for the dough to be later split for
pre-shaping/shaping.
DOUGH FOLDING
Techniques used during bulk fermentation to strengthen the dough, help the development of the gluten
network. It’s also equalising dough temperature and trapping little air into the dough. It also gives the baker
the opportunity to check on the progress of the dough regularly.
Stretch & Fold: as the name suggests, it’s the action of stretching and folding the dough over itself, by
giving the bowl one-quarter turn and repeating the action 4 times (1 set). Using wet hands to pick up a side
of the dough, stretch it up, and fold it over itself. This x 4 times.
Coil Fold: this is when you’re folding the dough under itself, rather than over itself as in the stretch & fold.
Using wet hands, grab it from underneath, in the middle, and fold it underneath. Rotate the bowl by half and
perform from the other side. Rotate the bowl again by a quarter and do it once more and finally, rotate the
bowl again by another half and do a last one. I find a coil fold much more gentle to the dough, as it only
relies on the weight of the dough and you can’t over stretch it and tear it as with a stretch & fold.
DOUGH REST
Also known as bench rest; the time between pre shaping and the final shaping, to allow the dough to relax.
Not allowing this to happen might lead to a stiff dough in final shaping, where tearing is more likely.
EAR
The flap of crust that forms on your sourdough bread while baking, right on where you have scored it. It’s
where the deep score/cut opens up. This video can help to visualise it and more.
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ENRICHED DOUGH
This is the dough where beyond the water, flour, starter and salt, you also add butter or other fats. The
brioche dough is, for example, an enriched dough.
FEEDING RATIO
The ratio between the amount of starter to the amount of water, respectively to the amount of flour you use
to feed your starter. 15g starter fed with 60g water & 60g flour → a ratio of 1:4:4. Starter feeding can also be
called starter refreshment.
FERMENTATION PEAK
The point of maximum fermentation of your starter. After this point, the starter will start decreasing in
volume and that’s normal. The gluten network starts weakening and can’t hold anymore the gas, plus yeast
has finished eating its food and releasing gas.
FERMENTOLYSE
Is the mix of water, starter and flour, before the addition of salt to your dough. Salt inhibits the yeast, slightly
slowing down the fermentation. It also tightens the dough and gives it more structure. It contributes to
flavour too.
HOOCH
The layer of liquid (grey water) that forms at the surface of your starter when it hasn’t been fed in a while. It’s
basically water and alcohol produced through the fermentation that shows that your starter needs feeding.
At the same time it has a protective function against unwelcome micro organisms. Just remove/drain it
before you feed your starter again. You can also stir it in, but your starter will be more acidic & your
dough/bread will be more sour. This video will help visualise it.
HYDRATION
It is expressed in % and calculated as the amount of water used in a recipe vs the amount of flour.
The easy way to calculate dough hydration is by dividing the amount of water in the recipe to the amount of
flour, as described above.
There is however a more accurate way of doing it, which you may encounter in some recipes.
When to use it? Calculation Hydration %
Simple way Always a 100% hydration starter Water 350g (in recipe) / 70%
(equal amounts of water & flour) Flour 500g (in recipe)
Accurate way Different amounts of water & flour at Water : 350g (in recipe) + 50g (in starter) / 72.7%
starter feeding Flour 500g (in recipe) + 50g ( in starter)
NOW, WHICH ONE SHOULD YOU USE?

Since I always feed my starter with equal parts of water and flour (also called 100% hydration), I prefer
keeping it simple. You may want to do the same.
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However, if for example, you were to use a stiffer starter instead (fed with more flour than water), then the
more advanced calculation is more suitable.
This is more precise if you want to keep the dough at the same hydration as if you were to use a 100%
hydration starter. With a stiffer starter, you will have to increase the amount of water in the dough, should
you want the results to be the same
LEAVEN
Young preferment made with part of the sourdough starter (mother starter) to which water & flour is being
added. It’s a one off, all being used for dough preparation.
OVEN SPRING
Is the rise in volume during baking. If not much oven spring, it can be for a couple of reasons. Either an
overproofed or underproofed dough, high hydration, lack of dough tension, insufficient gluten
development.
OPEN BAKE
Baking your loaf on a stone/tray, uncovered. It happens in the absence of a dutch oven or any other
covered loaf pan.
POKE TEST
A way to assess when a dough that has been sat in a banneton is proofed and ready for baking. It’s not
always 100% accurate, but a reliable test.
With your index finger, gently push in the dough. The dough should come back slowly, but not completely
leaving a gentle indent on the surface of the dough. That’s your sign it’s ready. If the dough springs back
quickly, give it more time. If it doesn’t spring back at all, it’s overproofed, so go ahead and bake it. This
video might be helpful
PREFERMENT
Fermented water & flour that’s being added to the dough, may it be the starter or a leaven made as a one
off from the main starter
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PROOFING
The second fermentation of your dough, after it’s been shaped and placed in the banneton
AMBIENT PROOFING COLD PROOFING

(at room temperature) (in the fridge)
– dough proofing at ambient temperature, – slow proofing at low temperatures, typically around 6°C /
for a short period of time, following 43°F in the fridge, for 10H+
shaping. – the slow long proofing enhances the sourness of your
– anything between 2 – 3h depending on loaf and increases digestibility.
the temperature of the room. – allows you to bake first thing in the morning and have a
– this method produces a milder bread fresh loaf ready for breakfast.
(less sour). – the longer you proof, the more sour the loaf will be and
– same day bake the more you might compromise on the oven spring
SCORING
Cutting into the surface of the dough before baking it. Why is that? For the aesthetics purposes, but also to
allow the gas to escape in a controlled way. Otherwise it might burst in the weakest point.
SOURDOUGH STARTER
The simple answer is ‘wild/natural’ yeast & bacteria, replacing the commercial yeast that not only helps your
dough rise. Check this page more for on this.
STIFF STARTER
A starter which is fed with a higher amount of flour than the amount of water. For example: 15g starter, fed
with 50g flour, but only 30g water, that’s a stiff starter.
NOT A TERM, BUT AN IMPORTANT ASPECT SOME OF YOU WOULD LIKE TO KNOW
Does sourdough bread have gluten?
Well, the answer is yes, sourdough bread and sourdough starters have gluten unless you opt for a gluten
free flour. While it’s not gluten free, the long proofing of sourdough bread makes it easier to digest. It also
comes with a lower glycemic index.
31
BAKER’S PERCENTAGES
Some will simply use quantities (and for a beginner that’s the easiest to follow), some will also use
percentages alongside. Using % comes handy whenever you want to scale up or down, make smaller or
larger loaves.
HOW DO PERCENTAGES WORK – THE SIMPLE WAY
The amount of flour will always be the reference point
Ingredients Quantities / Percentages
Flour 500g / 100%
Water 350g / 70% (=350/500)
Starter 100g / 20% (=100/500)
Salt 10g / 2% (=10/500)
Note that the % WON’T add up to 100%.
Should you want to make a smaller loaf instead, start with the amount of flour in mind and use % to figure
out the amount of water, starter and salt required.
For example:
400g flour will required 280g water (70% out of 400g), 80g starter (20%) and 8g salt (2%)
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SOURDOUGH BREAD MAKING EXPLAINED

Your guide to making great sourdough bread at home

“If I could make this happen, everyone can.”

Throughout this guide you will find:

🌾Links to videos showing steps of the process

INGREDIENTS FOR A TYPICAL LOAF (~800g baked)

This is based on an ambient temperature for bulk fermentation of 24°C / 75°F

STEP 1. FEEDING YOUR STARTER

Roughly 8h before preparing the dough

STEP 2. MIX WATER, STARTER AND FLOUR

STEP 3. ADD THE SALT & REMAINDER OF WATER

STEP 4. FOLDING THE DOUGH

🌾 This a technique used during bulk fermentation to strengthen the dough,

STEP 7. THE FINAL PROOFING

you want the bread over proofed dough.

If you use a baking stone:

500g / 17.63oz 100% = 500g / 17.63oz 70% = 350g / 12.35oz

500g / 17.63oz 100% = 500g / 17.63oz 90% = 450g / 15.87oz

🌾If you mill your own flour

How do I recognise the fermentation peak of the starter?

What if I can't use my starter at its peak?

What is the difference between starter and leaven?

4. FOLDING THE DOUGH

5. WHY IS THE DOUGH STICKY AND WHAT CAN I DO ABOUT IT

Here is what typically causes the dough to be sticky:

How to handle sticky dough?

6. PRE-SHAPING IS NOT ALWAYS REQUIRED

It also helps create a more uniform surface of the dough

7. FINAL SHAPING TAKES PRACTICE, HERE’S SOME ADVICE

8. PROOFING MAKES A HUGE DIFFERENCE IN THE BREAD’S PROFILE AND FLAVOUR

How do I know my dough is ready to bake?

Which banneton size should I buy?

15x25cm / 6x10in : up to 1kg final dough

Why do we have to score in the first place?

10. BAKING - WHAT HAPPENS IN THE OVEN?

Before anything else, some terms you will encounter

Why is steam important?

The bottom of the loaf gets burnt / hard to cut through

What’s to be done? What’s to be done?

No matter what I do, I can’t get the ‘ear’

How to make my bread more sour?

For your starter:

For your dough:

For a milder bread, consider doing the opposite.

11. IS THERE A MUCH EASIER WAY TO MAKE SOURDOUGH BREAD?

Stick to the same timings as described earlier.

Flours (incl types/brands)

DOUGH PREPARATION - timings

Mix water, starter, flour

5th folding (optional)

Pre-shape (if applicable)

PROOFING TIME (no of h)

BAKING TIME & TEMPERATURE

NOW, WHICH ONE SHOULD YOU USE?

AMBIENT PROOFING COLD PROOFING

HOW DO PERCENTAGES WORK – THE SIMPLE WAY

The amount of flour will always be the reference point

Ingredients Quantities / Percentages

Flour 500g / 100%

Water 350g / 70% (=350/500)