Bread Thread

[flybill]

You used the rustic sourdough recipe? That calls for instant yeast, yeah?

I can't tell from the picture what's going on. The surface texture looks weird to me, almost like the flour wasn't fully incorporated or hydrated.

Looking back at your previous post with the dough in the banneton, I see A LOT of dry flour and some parts that look like the surface dried out and created a leathery skin. Both of those are going to negatively impact the finished product.

I find with sourdough, there are many subtle differences that can all lead to success in the right combinations. I suggest following my recipe and procedure as closely as possible several times to see if you can get it to work for you.

Post in thread 'Bread Thread'

Apr 30, 2025

I've been thinking about doing this for a bit, but just hadn't. With the nerdy bread talk @albula and I have been having I figured I might as well do it now. Below is a fairly in depth explanation of my process for making sourdough, including photos and timing. I've landed on this method because it suits my schedule most weekends. All bread flour is Cairnspring Glacier Peak. All rest/proofing steps happen at room temp, which is 65-68 degrees in my kitchen most of the year.

9 pm Friday:
Take my starter out of the fridge, remove all but ~15 g of the contents. I save the discard in...

• Gary Knowels

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Thanks Gary! You are correct on the recipe too!

 

[Zak]

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I put a cover over my banneton to keep the dough from drying out. That might help. And maybe a few stretch and folds and/or maybe some more water/less flour, it looks a little dry to me.

 

[flybill]

What size banneton are you using for these? If it's the same size batard basket that I use your oven spring is massive.

I don't have a banneton, I will shortly. My proofing bowl. batard, is like 10" I think. I'll measure it.. maybe more.. I need some banneton's so I will order on Amazon, maybe tonight!

 

[flybill]

I put a cover over my banneton to keep the dough from drying out. That might help. And maybe a few stretch and folds and/or maybe some more water/less flour, it looks a little dry to me.

I was too distracted for one.. had an appointment down in Redmond, doing stuff for mom.. I followed the recipe, but had to leave before it was done so mom took it out 15 minutes after I left.

I'm going to follow the instructions above, from Gary responding to me.. Cheers all and thanks! I like figuring things out myself, but just need to slow and be more precise .. and not wing it! Oh that looks good.. haven't gotten there yet.. probably never will if I want to make the "Perfect Loaf"! Hey that should be the name of a Podcast.. featuring Gary and Abula.. FlyBill and Zak are special guest this week.. TBD

 

[Gary Knowels]

I was too distracted for one.. had an appointment down in Redmond, doing stuff for mom.. I followed the recipe, but had to leave before it was done so mom took it out 15 minutes after I left.

I'm going to follow the instructions above, from Gary responding to me.. Cheers all and thanks! I like figuring things out myself, but just need to slow and be more precise .. and not wing it! Oh that looks good.. haven't gotten there yet.. probably never will if I want to make the "Perfect Loaf"! Hey that should be the name of a Podcast.. featuring Gary and Abula.. FlyBill and Zak are special guest this week.. TBD

Batard is the shape of loaf, longer than it is wide, which is what I almost always make because I get more uniform slices.

Banneton is the proofing basket/bowl. You have a round one for making a boule. You can follow my process, just change the shaping step from batard to boule. Lots of good videos online for the shaping.

I find sourdough to be very particular, until I got good at it and understood how it worked I needed to pay close attention and have a clear schedule in order to be responsive to the dough.

 

[Gary Knowels]

I got a little spicy with this weekend's bake. I've been eating less cured meats than I'd like to, but it's been great for my health. To replace some of those flavors I decide to spice up there with the flavors of finocchiono salame: garlic powder, black pepper, fennel seed, crushed red pepper flakes, and chopped dried onion.
Pretty typical flour mix for me, coming in about 30% whole grain.

Holy crap its tasty, toast is gonna be lit this week. Definitely a top 5 loaf for me

 

[albula]

Your consistency should be illegal. If I get 1 out of 4 to look like that I consider myself on a roll.

 

[Gary Knowels]

Your consistency should be illegal. If I get 1 out of 4 to look like that I consider myself on a roll.

Thank you. Turns out that making 2 loaves most weekends for 6 years is a good way to improve.

 

[flybill]

Ran into a guy at a computer hacker club in Redmond.

www.onlybink.com

Just a bunch of pictures! He might even be crazier than me, if that's actually possible!

 

[Gary Knowels]

I don't make a lot of boules as I prefer the more consistent slices I get out of batards. However I wanted to make an extra loaf to have with dinner tonight. I modeled this off of Essential Baking's rosemary diamonte.

250 g glacier peak
150 g Edison AP
100 g stardust whole white
380 g water
12 g salt
10 g fresh chopped rosemary from my garden
100 g starter

The shaping could use some refinement but it it was a delicious loaf.

 

[flybill]

15th times! How will it turn out!! Didn't want to open the oven!

 

[flybill]

Best one yet! Should have let it rise again after putting it on the pan. No pizza stone this time.. no Dutch oven.. ice at the beginning.. to increase the humidity! Took about 36 minutes.. will cut it soon!

3rd dinner of the night!

 

[Zak]

 

[Gary Knowels]

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Looks delicious, but where's the bread?!?!

 

[Zak]

Looks delicious, but where's the bread?!?!

Whoops! I meant to post this in the what are you eating thread!

 

[Matt B]

Whoops! I meant to post this in the what are you eating thread!

I kinda like it. We are getting predictable. Maybe we should switch it up, go hog wild and post steaks in the bread thread, music in the vise thread, flies in the coffee thread, birds in the Superb Owl thread, etc.

 

[Zak]

View attachment 178238

Qfc had a sale on rib roasts after Christmas and I carved one up into steaks and froze them. This was the first batch to come out of the freezer.

 

[flybill]

Best one.so far! Dinner tonight with some creamy tomato soup! Mmmmm! Good!

 

[flybill]

 

[Clean Willy]

Inspired in part by this thread, I have begun my sourdough journey. Three bakes so far have gone well and I plan to keep on working at it. I've been sticking to King Arthur's Naturally Leavened recipe.

My question is around starter and specifically why am I discarding so much? At some point I will graduate to recipes that call for discard but for now it's getting tossed. KA recommends 113 grams each starter/water/flour, but does it need to be 113? As long as the ratio stays the same couldn't it be say 80?