Sourdough Bread
Tamagotchi for adults: keeping a wild yeast colony alive.
Timing: 2 days
Sourdough Bread
Tamagotchi for adults: keeping a wild yeast colony alive.
Timing: 2 days
Key move
Build a healthy starter rhythm (1:1:1 feed, no over-proofing), then use controlled folds and a cold retard before a hot-steam bake to convert hydration into flavor and a crisp, open-crumb loaf.
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The Setup
- Dutch Oven5-7 qt·for steam baking
- Bench Scraper
- Mixing Bowls
- Wire Cooling Rack
- Instant-Read ThermometerOptionalfor internal temp check
The Mise en Place
3Your prep station before cooking begins
The Pantry (0/2)
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My bread came out dense and gummy, like a frisbee.
Ah, the classic frisbee! This usually means your starter wasn't quite ready for prime time, or you didn't let that dough develop enough during its bulk rise. Give your starter a go…
My loaf spread out completely flat.
It went flat, huh? That's usually one of two things: either the dough fermented a bit too long and the gluten structure got tired, or it wasn't shaped with enough tension. When you…
Chef's Notes
For a crispier crust, spritz the oven walls with water during the first 10 minutes of baking.
Score the dough just before baking to control expansion and create a beautiful pattern.
Serve warm with butter, jam, or a drizzle of honey for a simple, satisfying snack.
The Method
AUTOLYSE
MIX flour (500g) and water (350g) into a shaggy dough. Let it sit for 1 hour.
Incomplete hydration: Dry flour pockets prevent uniform gluten development and lead to hard, raw bits in the final crumb.
A shaggy dough forms, with no dry flour pockets.
BULK FERMENT
Time-sensitivePINCH in the starter (100g) and salt. Every 30 minutes, perform a "Stretch and Fold." Grab the side, pull it up, slap it over. Do this 4 times.
Overworking: Do not over-stretch or tear the dough; gentle tension is key to preserving air bubbles.
The dough should turn from a sticky mess into a smooth, bouncy pillow that holds its shape.
SHAPE & PROOF
Time-sensitiveSHAPE into a tight ball (create surface tension). Place in a banneton (basket) and refrigerate overnight (Cold Retard).
Under-flouring: Dust the banneton thoroughly with rice flour to prevent the dough from bonding to the basket during the long cold retard.
The dough is shaped into a taut ball with visible surface tension and placed seam-side down in a floured banneton.
THE SCORE & BAKE
Preheat Dutch Oven to 500°F (260°C). SLASH the dough with a razor (lame) at a 45° angle. BAKE covered for 20 mins, uncovered for 25 mins.
Shallow scoring: If the cut is too shallow, the bread will rupture unpredictably in the oven instead of rising through the score.
The dough is scored with a clean, decisive cut, and placed into the preheated Dutch oven.
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