The video illustration of dough readiness, tip #6 and the following, is exactly the sort of information I've been looking for to help me with bread baking in general, even beyond just sourdoughs. I'm really surprised this kind of demonstration isn't more common. Maybe many expert bakers don't even realize how much they know. Really happy I found this, thank you for sharing your experience.
So I think I may make another variation of this video just showcasing the visual cues. I have found, specifically in the last month or so, that pushing my dough beyond what I thought I could has been giving me the best results. Every time I do this, the dough has the same visual and physical characteristics. I want to keep making bread this way to ensure it's consistent but I can't wait to share more.
I love that you said the dough pulling away from the bowl is just 1 of many signs. I have been struggling with mine not pulling away thinking I have completely failed because mine "must do xyz" to show it's done. Every person has different advice to give about sourdough and it makes it seem super confusing. You made it seem more simple. Thank you!
I live in the Pacific Northwest and started my sourdough journey just this past August, in the heat of the summer. Understanding Bulk fermentation has been my struggle all along. Now that it’s winter , I purchased the thermometer you’d recommend and have been using other methods you’ve recommended to keep the dough at a higher temperature. My mind is blown with my last two batches of bread. The joy (I’m geeking out) of how the dough feels and looks is so different than before. Thanks for your time and energy in helping people learn this great skill!
Lately my process is changing. I do my bulk fermentation. I do my divide then into the fridge overnight, this helps control the tang. Next morning I let the dough return to 60f, then do my final shaping, then proof at 80f to pass the jiggle test….so far excellent results. Now discovering the limitations of my home oven ( it’s tied to the size of the individual doughs going into the oven to be baked) and now working out a method to solve( reduce the oven load, get good spacing and using the fan mode) ….sourdough seems simple but there are lots of variables …it’s a journey…cheers from Canada
Thank you so much for your video I'm new to sourdough and this video is so informative I can't wait to apply it to my sourdough journey 🙏 thank you again
Love this. When I started everyone said “bulk about 4 hours” OR “it must double”. Well that’s not right. Now I go by volume, look and feel and yes I use your hot water in the oven trick.
This is SO helpful! I know my bulk fermentation is the issue and I am trying to troubleshoot my loaves. This is so helpful! I have been using a temperature guide to know when my bread is fully booked but it makes really sense that the dough temperature matters too. I am really hopeful this allows me to create more consistent results! Can't wait to watch more of your videos!
Incredibly helpful information!! This is what I needed. I currently have the Sourdough Journey chart downloaded and will be using it to help me better understand bulk fermentation and percentage and all that. Right now I've been doing a horrible job with bf by following a strict timeline. Make dough, let it rest 1 hour, 4 sets of s&f's 30 minutes apart, then let it rest 1 hour, dump out dough, shape, and into the fridge where they cold retard for like 12 hours. Half the time my loaves come out odd colored, score marks fade in the oven, and weird looking because my kitchen is never the same temperature day by day. Now I know why. I didn't realize how much calculating there is in making sourdough when I started this journey. But now I'm hooked and I must learn! haha! Thank you for posting this.
Great video, I watched it a couple of times to understand this process a little better. I'm doing my first loaf tomorrow and I put my folded dough in the coldest part of the house so it can bulk ferment overnight without issues. Fingers crossed!
FINALLY somebody explained this! Thank you! Everyone says “when your bulk fermentation is done…” ugh hello!! How do I know it’s done??? Thanks again! Very informative!
Thank you so much for these tips. A 100mL urine sample bottle makes an excellent Aliquot container for tracking bulk rise - easy to read gradations for determining %rise so don't need to weigh the little blob of dough that goes into it, plus has its own lid to keep from drying out
Charts are a great guideline, but I have found that the Aliquot method is a more reliable way to adjust for variability in each batch due to type of flour, hydration, and activity of starter. I use a small 100ml Mason jar (for canning) with an elastic band on it to mark the spot where the dough sample has expanded by 1.75 X the original volume. Also, the poke test is very informative, and fun.
Your advice is presented in such a helpful way. Cool, calm, and collected. Thanks. I am going to assist a new baker get started in sourdough baking and will have her watch this episode.
I’ve learned so much about bulk fermentation from following your instagram account. I was constantly overproofing waiting for the 8 hours and for the dough to double. No more! Lol. I appreciate you and the time you take to explain the science behind why you do something as well as how temperature affects your bread. Your recipes on your blog are amazing. I have tried the foolproof white bread, slider buns, and bagels and they have all come out great.
This was so helpful as a newbie to sourdough! And thank you for sharing the dough temp info-I printed up the chart and I think this will help me immensely!
SUPER helpful! Thank you for taking the time to make this! I've been making sourdough for years and have yet to perfect it. Always thought it was just bum recipes, but I'm thinking not now. Going back to an old recipe to see how I can do better. Thanks again!
It's so hard to even call sourdough recipes "recipes" because it's really more of a guide or formula since there are SO many variables for each individual baker. Definitely try ones you've done before and see how they turn out!
The one recipe I use calls for letting the dough proof until it doubles in size. And with my kitchen temperature it took 9 hours. I now have an oven that has a proof setting (95%). I don't make a lot of sourdough bread but I'll have to experiment more with the proofing percent. Nice video. I'll have to try your recipe.
Full proof baking is the one who made this important and got thousands of bakers using. There is a lot of newish sourdough bakers who done know who she is, Trevor Wilson is, Ceor breads, Richard Hard, Beesham the Baker, more…but these are some of the giants.
Thank you! Your video was so clear and easy to follow. In your video you said that if you wanted to speed up your fermentation, add more starter to the dough. If you add more starter, do you have to adjust the flour and the water in the dough? If you do adjust, doesn't that bring the dough back to the same proportions you started with? 🤔
I don't adjust anything else when I tweak the starter amount. You could but I've tested this so many times in the past and noticed no measurable difference
I make my dough in the morning or early afternoon, let it sit by the fire in the winter all day until dinner time, then put it in the fridge until the next afternoon/ evening. 24 hour fermenting with 8-10 hours out of the fridge and 8 hours in the fridge, it turns out perfectly. 425 for 30 mins covered,15 mins uncovered.
This has been my favourite video about sourdough so far… Thank you so much! Any chance you could offer some advice on how to get a good ear? My bread appears to be coming out nicely and everyone says it’s delicious, but I haven’t yet achieved a good ear
A good ear occurs when you angle your blade. Score your dough at an angle instead of straight down. As long as your bulk fermentation is good (not under or overproofed), you shaped your dough tightly to get nice surface tension, and you have good steam in the first half of the bake, you should get a nice ear!
In the summer here in Las Vegas my dough rises fast. The winter it takes all day. I can start on Sunday night and that bread is going in the oven sometime on Tuesday.
I started baking sourdough in 2010. My favorite breads now are very high hydration loaves, like “Glass Bread” created in Spain. This is not a beginner loaf, but once you master the basics, a 105% hydration is a fun and super delicious bread. I also like making sourdough pizza with a 75% hydration. Thanks for the 12 tips!
Great information, thank you! For your next video, please consider raising your light ring so it is not constantly reflected off your glasses, it is very distracting.
I just got the thermometer that you recommended and I’m definitely going to start paying attention to the temp of my dough! Question: should I be paying attention to the temp of my starter? And what should I be looking for?
It's nice to keep your starter in the 70s but not the end of the world if it's colder. I keep my starter at room temp in my house which is usually something between 70-75F.
Some great tips, a few I didn’t knowsome I know but don’t bother like the temperature, I just judge it, but I’ll given this a go as you explain it so well, been baking sourdough ten years or so, I kinda do what works for me & get some great loaves but I live in the uk so it can go from hot to cold temperatures . Was thinking of making a dough proofing box do you use one? Or just adapt as the temp changes?
I think you're lucky if you've found what works for you. At the beginning I would fiddle around for ages taking temperatures. Now I just do what works for me. I realised my temperatures didn't change much - also UK but have an AGA. Now I often halve the starter amount and let it ferment overnight because it's convenient. I keep an ambient thermometer max and min to give me an idea if there has been an unexpected change. I always use a thermometer to check it's fully baked.
@ an Aga must be lovely, oh yes took me years to realise lots of sourdough tips were not helping, used to throw away so much starter , what a waste, got my starter down to a tiny pot now, don’t discard anything , I leave it in the front room overnight after feeding. I’ll have to start checking temps though .
I put it right into the fridge after final shaping unless I feel like the dough needs more time after handling it during the shaping. That is more of a feel for things and that instinct will develop over time
This was an amazingly informative video. Thank you! I was confused about one thing. You said the dough should rise for a 30% increase, right? The way I learned to make SD bread was to look for it to "double in size" in the BF. Is that wrong? I've been thinking that doubling in size means a 100% increase. I'd love your input on what I may be misunderstanding. ☺
The percentage rise is tied to the temperature of the dough. It may be worth rewatching tip #3 because some of that might have been missed! If your dough is 80°F, you are looking for about a 30% rise. The only time you want your dough to double in size (if doing the typical Tartine-style sourdough bread where you do an overnight cold retard before baking), is if your dough is 65°F.
Seen you for the first time and subscribed. I live in the tropics and have been wondering if I can bulk ferment on the counter overnight, I'm worried that it will over ferment and fall during the night. Should I rather put it into the fridge overnight ? Can you also tell me that, if Im using 15.2 % high protein wholewheat Flour, do I use the same amount of water and starter as in white flour ? I'm only going to be using wholewheat and Rye flours, this is a question that I've been looking for and can't find an answer to it anywhere. Thanks.
I have tips for this in my overnight bread recipe: thatsourdoughgal.com/overnight-sourdough-artisan-bread-recipe/ No you need more water if your flour has that much protein. For flours over 15% protein, you'll want something like 80% hydration. That means for 1,000g of flour, you want 800g of water.
Thank you for all the tips. In the beginning you say the dough continue rising when you put it in the fridge. In tip 6-11 you talk about signs the bulk fermentation is done. Should you shape your dough, put it in the basked, and in the fridge? Since it will continu to rise. Or should you start baking when your dough is like in your tips 6-11?
@@thatsourdoughgal-v6l, thank you I will do that. I have another question about the rise chart with temp, %rise and time. I have a brod & taylor proofer and rise at 27°C. If I look at the chart it should rise for 30%. In approximally 5,5 hours. The time is about right, however when the dough is risen like 30% it doesn't show the signs in tip 6-11. That takes a lot more time and when I wait for those sign, the dough is almost doubled in the meantime. What is wise? Still stop at 30% target rise or wait for the signs before shaping/fridge rise?
@@Frederik378 I would experiment to find the sweet spot for you. Let it rise to that 30% and see how your dough turns out. Everyone's starter is unique and the exact same method in your home with your starter may produce different results for someone else doing the same thing with their starter in their home.
During the time of the bulk fermentation how many times are you stretching and folding? I have been doing 4 hr and completing a stretch every 30mins... but I feel like that is now too generic and that I need to ferment longer according to that chart 5.5 hrs to 16+ How many folds should be completed, do you tend to do them at the beginning of the fermentation or near the end? Thank you for your tips :)
I do them every 30-45 minutes for 4-5 times total. Once I'm finished strengthening the dough, I leave the dough untouched until the bulk fermentation is finished.
How to tweak if using fresh-milled whole grain bread versus store-bought? (Sorry, I'm new. Do you grind your flour? I'm assuming you do but I could be wrong!)
This is a dumb question but I’m gonna ask. When ur putting the dough in oven with the cup of water….. it’s not on … just the light ????? Or do we put it at lowest setting????
No dumb questions. The oven is off. Some oven lights produce enough heat to keep things warm in there. Mine doesn't so I put a cup of boiling water in there.
I am in the tropics and it is a bit of a challenge to follow what sourdough UA-camrs do because of places they are from (usually from the west)... What I do is doing bulk fermentation in an air conditioned room but still having issues with taste. My bread tastes sour (maybe too sour) for my palette.
@@thatsourdoughgal-v6l for some reason I was not able to reply to your reply but I would just like to thank you for the tip. I would try it in my next baking. I got frustrated with bake after bake is a too sour bread that no one from our family would like to eat and I end eat the whole bread for days. LOL!
Hi @thatsourdoughgal - My bread comes out soft and tasty. They are all "airy" and light, and sound hollow when tapped. My question which I hope you can help with is, why do they all spread out so much? they all look the same, they rise a bit to the top, yet spread more. If baked in double loaf pans they rise perfectly and have no where to spread. My flour is 11% protein and I use a 60% hydration. I pre-shape tightly for the dough won't go any further. Any thoughts/suggestions? I'd love to make boules and batards and not just simply rely on loaf pans... please help.
Usually spreading is related to overproofing. Slightly overproofed dough is still delicious but it doesn't rise as high in the oven and can spread when turned out
Wow. Im in Scotland. It's winter My house is nowhere close to 70 or 80 F More like 60 and down to 50 o/night. I cant get my oven low enough to use for a dough rise. Acup of boiling water would be cold in 15mins. Im lookinfg for an incubator of some kind just for breadmaking
I am in Colorado and have a similar problem. I’ve started setting my oven to a low temp like 200°F and I put my bowl of dough on the stovetop. It warms that area of my kitchen enough to help my dough rise.
question.. I always wondered why no one really talks about degassing, when it comes to measuring volume increase. because every time you laminate, stretch and fold, coil fold etc you degas the dough to some degree. so do these volume increase metrics take that into consideration? Is the aliquot methode used for that reason?
I believe it's for after you've finished all your stretch and folds - so no more degassing. It is so you can easily tell the volume increase. I use a sharpie to mark volume on the side of my glass bowl. The fermenting dough produces heat, so the size of the dough will also make a difference to the change in temperature (and I have noticed that using a glass bowl with lid ferments quicker than a metal bowl with plate on top). For this reason I don't use the aliquot method... I'm not an expert but I'm happy with my bread.
Would you explain how people figure out for any type of flour hydration, how much water flour can handle if the using that particular flour they’re using for the first time or how you figure out what is the best ratio or hydration for the flour you are using or anyone? Flour , gluten / protein content. Thx
How did you figure out how much you need to add an active sourdough starter for your own recipe the flour you are using? or how any one find out what is the right amount to use? sense all the flour protein content is not the same.Thx
I think what you're referring to is how much water to add a recipe based on the flour's protein content. Here is a good guideline: -Less than 10% protein: 60% hydration -10-12% protein: 65% hydration -13-14% protein: 75% hydration -15%+ protein: 80% hydration
If you bulk ferment for 4-5 hours at 78-81f with european flour you're gonna end up with a very hot sticky mess. At these temperqtures I can barely bulk ferment 2-2:30.
It can be intimidating. My best advice is to jump in. Make a loaf. Then make another. Look up or reach out to other sourdough bakers with troubleshooting based on how your loaf looks. You will, little by little, make your way toward amazing bread.
This is ridiculous. It’s easy to bake sourdough bread, you’re just scaring people away from doing it. People, find videos where the baker makes it look easy because that will be the best method and then just start baking, you’ll get it right very quickly.
If you followed my channel, you would know nothing could be further from the truth. This video is meant for those who are having issues getting good results with their sourdough bread and would like to diagnose the problem and learn how to fix it. If you are happy with subpar bread forever, then this video isn't for you. But if you want to understand how to make your bread amazing, and consistently, then understanding bulk fermentation is essential.
Beautifully done. First time I've seen you on YT after enjoying your IG account for some time. Tip no12 new to me, and I think will be useful. Tannee sauchey - stay safe, in Manx.
The video illustration of dough readiness, tip #6 and the following, is exactly the sort of information I've been looking for to help me with bread baking in general, even beyond just sourdoughs. I'm really surprised this kind of demonstration isn't more common. Maybe many expert bakers don't even realize how much they know. Really happy I found this, thank you for sharing your experience.
So I think I may make another variation of this video just showcasing the visual cues. I have found, specifically in the last month or so, that pushing my dough beyond what I thought I could has been giving me the best results. Every time I do this, the dough has the same visual and physical characteristics. I want to keep making bread this way to ensure it's consistent but I can't wait to share more.
upvoted for mentioning Tom and the Sourdough Journey. He is a game-changer.
He is an incredible resource.
@@thatsourdoughgal-v6l i miss him! i hope he continues posting in 2025.
@@thatsourdoughgal-v6l Also, your tips are really great! Thank you for sharing them.
For sourdough he is good but for me he has the dullest voice on UA-cam.
@@dopapier i find him entertaining. clearly YMMV.
I love that you said the dough pulling away from the bowl is just 1 of many signs. I have been struggling with mine not pulling away thinking I have completely failed because mine "must do xyz" to show it's done. Every person has different advice to give about sourdough and it makes it seem super confusing. You made it seem more simple. Thank you!
I live in the Pacific Northwest and started my sourdough journey just this past August, in the heat of the summer. Understanding Bulk fermentation has been my struggle all along. Now that it’s winter , I purchased the thermometer you’d recommend and have been using other methods you’ve recommended to keep the dough at a higher temperature. My mind is blown with my last two batches of bread. The joy (I’m geeking out) of how the dough feels and looks is so different than before. Thanks for your time and energy in helping people learn this great skill!
Lately my process is changing. I do my bulk fermentation. I do my divide then into the fridge overnight, this helps control the tang. Next morning I let the dough return to 60f, then do my final shaping, then proof at 80f to pass the jiggle test….so far excellent results. Now discovering the limitations of my home oven ( it’s tied to the size of the individual doughs going into the oven to be baked) and now working out a method to solve( reduce the oven load, get good spacing and using the fan mode) ….sourdough seems simple but there are lots of variables …it’s a journey…cheers from Canada
Thank you so much for your video I'm new to sourdough and this video is so informative I can't wait to apply it to my sourdough journey 🙏 thank you again
Love this. When I started everyone said “bulk about 4 hours” OR “it must double”. Well that’s not right. Now I go by volume, look and feel and yes I use your hot water in the oven trick.
I have been making sourdough for over 4 years. You gave an excellent summary of many of my lessons. Cheers from Canada
Wow, just WOW. The best sourdough video I've ever seen, HANDS DOWN!!! THANK YOU! Subcribed!!!!
This is SO helpful! I know my bulk fermentation is the issue and I am trying to troubleshoot my loaves. This is so helpful! I have been using a temperature guide to know when my bread is fully booked but it makes really sense that the dough temperature matters too. I am really hopeful this allows me to create more consistent results! Can't wait to watch more of your videos!
Cool video, very informative for beginners!
Incredibly helpful information!! This is what I needed. I currently have the Sourdough Journey chart downloaded and will be using it to help me better understand bulk fermentation and percentage and all that. Right now I've been doing a horrible job with bf by following a strict timeline. Make dough, let it rest 1 hour, 4 sets of s&f's 30 minutes apart, then let it rest 1 hour, dump out dough, shape, and into the fridge where they cold retard for like 12 hours. Half the time my loaves come out odd colored, score marks fade in the oven, and weird looking because my kitchen is never the same temperature day by day. Now I know why. I didn't realize how much calculating there is in making sourdough when I started this journey. But now I'm hooked and I must learn! haha! Thank you for posting this.
"...sourdough is kind of a slow-burn of knowledge..." so true. Thanks for adding some knowledge to my slow-burn.
Great video, I watched it a couple of times to understand this process a little better. I'm doing my first loaf tomorrow and I put my folded dough in the coldest part of the house so it can bulk ferment overnight without issues. Fingers crossed!
This is the best, most comprehensive troubleshooting I’ve seen for making sourdough bread. I can’t wait to put all of these tips to use.
Aw I am so glad it is helpful!
Very clear vid. Thanks. Although when using whole grain, it is a bit harder to see when it is done with bulk fermentation.
Thank you. You are the perfect teacher.
FINALLY somebody explained this! Thank you! Everyone says “when your bulk fermentation is done…” ugh hello!! How do I know it’s done??? Thanks again! Very informative!
Right!! It is tricky but once you get into a groove, it gets so much easier.
Thank you so much for these tips. A 100mL urine sample bottle makes an excellent Aliquot container for tracking bulk rise - easy to read gradations for determining %rise so don't need to weigh the little blob of dough that goes into it, plus has its own lid to keep from drying out
Haha, that sounds perfect actually!
Wow! Thank you for addressing the temperature.
This is the best information!! So understandable!
Charts are a great guideline, but I have found that the Aliquot method is a more reliable way to adjust for variability in each batch due to type of flour, hydration, and activity of starter. I use a small 100ml Mason jar (for canning) with an elastic band on it to mark the spot where the dough sample has expanded by 1.75 X the original volume. Also, the poke test is very informative, and fun.
Your advice is presented in such a helpful way. Cool, calm, and collected. Thanks. I am going to assist a new baker get started in sourdough baking and will have her watch this episode.
Glad it was helpful!
I’ve learned so much about bulk fermentation from following your instagram account. I was constantly overproofing waiting for the 8 hours and for the dough to double. No more! Lol. I appreciate you and the time you take to explain the science behind why you do something as well as how temperature affects your bread. Your recipes on your blog are amazing. I have tried the foolproof white bread, slider buns, and bagels and they have all come out great.
Great information! This is currently my hang up, bulk fermentation. I plan to try again tomorrow and use these pointers. Thank you!
It's the hardest part of the whole process!
This was so helpful as a newbie to sourdough! And thank you for sharing the dough temp info-I printed up the chart and I think this will help me immensely!
It's a game changer!
Excellent information and nicely presented! You just got right to it and didn’t waste any time! Bravo and Thank you!
This was very helpful. Thanks! Also, you explain very clearly and you have a great voice and approach for teaching!
Aw thank you!!
This was so helpful! Love all of the expert tips and you giving credit to so many folks. Gave me a great list of other people and resources to follow!
There are so many amazing sourdough accounts
SUPER helpful! Thank you for taking the time to make this! I've been making sourdough for years and have yet to perfect it. Always thought it was just bum recipes, but I'm thinking not now. Going back to an old recipe to see how I can do better. Thanks again!
It's so hard to even call sourdough recipes "recipes" because it's really more of a guide or formula since there are SO many variables for each individual baker. Definitely try ones you've done before and see how they turn out!
The one recipe I use calls for letting the dough proof until it doubles in size. And with my kitchen temperature it took 9 hours. I now have an oven that has a proof setting (95%). I don't make a lot of sourdough bread but I'll have to experiment more with the proofing percent. Nice video. I'll have to try your recipe.
Excellent video! Thank you!
Great info and tips. I’ll be trying a whole bunch when I bake next. Thank you. 😊
Very helpful video! Thank you 🙏
If the jello shot cup holds 60 g and you add 40 g, that allows for a 50% increase not 30%.
Great Video i shared this with fairly new SD bakers hits all the points 🧑🍳
Thanks for sharing!!
Full proof baking is the one who made this important and got thousands of bakers using. There is a lot of newish sourdough bakers who done know who she is, Trevor Wilson is, Ceor breads, Richard Hard, Beesham the Baker, more…but these are some of the giants.
Thank you! Your video was so clear and easy to follow. In your video you said that if you wanted to speed up your fermentation, add more starter to the dough. If you add more starter, do you have to adjust the flour and the water in the dough? If you do adjust, doesn't that bring the dough back to the same proportions you started with? 🤔
I don't adjust anything else when I tweak the starter amount. You could but I've tested this so many times in the past and noticed no measurable difference
Thank you! This is my problem!!
Thank you, excellent video & tips. Most helpful🇨🇦👍🏼
This helped me so so so much ❤thank you!!!!
WOW THANK you ❤
I make my dough in the morning or early afternoon, let it sit by the fire in the winter all day until dinner time, then put it in the fridge until the next afternoon/ evening. 24 hour fermenting with 8-10 hours out of the fridge and 8 hours in the fridge, it turns out perfectly. 425 for 30 mins covered,15 mins uncovered.
Talking about the jar regarding fullproof
Great tips!!!!
thank you so much
I subbed twice! I liked your video and thanks for explaining very well!
Aw thanks!!
I've never had a bulk fermentation issue 😊. But I do make a bomb leaven and use malt and or vitc
Nice info ℹ️ 😊
This has been my favourite video about sourdough so far… Thank you so much! Any chance you could offer some advice on how to get a good ear? My bread appears to be coming out nicely and everyone says it’s delicious, but I haven’t yet achieved a good ear
A good ear occurs when you angle your blade. Score your dough at an angle instead of straight down. As long as your bulk fermentation is good (not under or overproofed), you shaped your dough tightly to get nice surface tension, and you have good steam in the first half of the bake, you should get a nice ear!
@@thatsourdoughgal-v6l Thanks very much! I'll keep practicing. I got a teeny-tiny ear last time so that's progress hehe
Thank you
Sourdough shart is very helpful
Thanks so much!
Excellent vudeo
In the summer here in Las Vegas my dough rises fast. The winter it takes all day. I can start on Sunday night and that bread is going in the oven sometime on Tuesday.
It’s amazing how much of a difference there is from warm to cool dough
I started baking sourdough in 2010. My favorite breads now are very high hydration loaves, like “Glass Bread” created in Spain. This is not a beginner loaf, but once you master the basics, a 105% hydration is a fun and super delicious bread. I also like making sourdough pizza with a 75% hydration. Thanks for the 12 tips!
Great information, thank you! For your next video, please consider raising your light ring so it is not constantly reflected off your glasses, it is very distracting.
I just got the thermometer that you recommended and I’m definitely going to start paying attention to the temp of my dough! Question: should I be paying attention to the temp of my starter? And what should I be looking for?
It's nice to keep your starter in the 70s but not the end of the world if it's colder. I keep my starter at room temp in my house which is usually something between 70-75F.
This information is great. It answered a lot of questions except one, does all this apply to Einkorn Flour?
I haven't baked with Einkorn Flour personally
If whole grain einkorn it will probably ferment faster than typical white flour.
Some great tips, a few I didn’t knowsome I know but don’t bother like the temperature, I just judge it, but I’ll given this a go as you explain it so well, been baking sourdough ten years or so, I kinda do what works for me & get some great loaves but I live in the uk so it can go from hot to cold temperatures . Was thinking of making a dough proofing box do you use one? Or just adapt as the temp changes?
I just use my oven with a cup of boiling water in it to make a nice and toasty environment
I think you're lucky if you've found what works for you. At the beginning I would fiddle around for ages taking temperatures. Now I just do what works for me. I realised my temperatures didn't change much - also UK but have an AGA. Now I often halve the starter amount and let it ferment overnight because it's convenient. I keep an ambient thermometer max and min to give me an idea if there has been an unexpected change. I always use a thermometer to check it's fully baked.
@ an Aga must be lovely, oh yes took me years to realise lots of sourdough tips were not helping, used to throw away so much starter , what a waste, got my starter down to a tiny pot now, don’t discard anything , I leave it in the front room overnight after feeding. I’ll have to start checking temps though .
I’m doing your I’m so proud of this bread recipe. Do you put right into fridge after final shape or do you let room rise first before cold overnight
I put it right into the fridge after final shaping unless I feel like the dough needs more time after handling it during the shaping. That is more of a feel for things and that instinct will develop over time
@ thank you can’t wait for your UA-cam approval ❤️. Where can I find your tortilla recipe with butter? And yes USA pans are the best ever
This was an amazingly informative video. Thank you! I was confused about one thing. You said the dough should rise for a 30% increase, right? The way I learned to make SD bread was to look for it to "double in size" in the BF. Is that wrong? I've been thinking that doubling in size means a 100% increase. I'd love your input on what I may be misunderstanding. ☺
The percentage rise is tied to the temperature of the dough. It may be worth rewatching tip #3 because some of that might have been missed! If your dough is 80°F, you are looking for about a 30% rise. The only time you want your dough to double in size (if doing the typical Tartine-style sourdough bread where you do an overnight cold retard before baking), is if your dough is 65°F.
When do you put the dough in the shot glass for aliquot method?Once mixed, before stretch and folds? Or after stretch and folds are done?
I usually do it after the first stretch and fold
So when do u temp it? After mixing and when it's shaggy or after the stretch and folds
I temp it throughout the process to ensure the temp is staying consistent
Seen you for the first time and subscribed. I live in the tropics and have been wondering if I can bulk ferment on the counter overnight, I'm worried that it will over ferment and fall during the night.
Should I rather put it into the fridge overnight ? Can you also tell me that, if Im using 15.2 % high protein wholewheat Flour, do I use the same amount of water and starter as in white flour ?
I'm only going to be using wholewheat and Rye flours, this is a question that I've been looking for and can't find an answer to it anywhere.
Thanks.
I have tips for this in my overnight bread recipe: thatsourdoughgal.com/overnight-sourdough-artisan-bread-recipe/
No you need more water if your flour has that much protein. For flours over 15% protein, you'll want something like 80% hydration. That means for 1,000g of flour, you want 800g of water.
Thank you! Where can we find that chart?
The links to everything I talked about in the video are in the description under links & resources!
Thank you for all the tips. In the beginning you say the dough continue rising when you put it in the fridge. In tip 6-11 you talk about signs the bulk fermentation is done. Should you shape your dough, put it in the basked, and in the fridge? Since it will continu to rise. Or should you start baking when your dough is like in your tips 6-11?
You would shape it, put it in the banneton, and put it in the fridge overnight when it looks like this
@@thatsourdoughgal-v6l, thank you I will do that. I have another question about the rise chart with temp, %rise and time.
I have a brod & taylor proofer and rise at 27°C. If I look at the chart it should rise for 30%. In approximally 5,5 hours. The time is about right, however when the dough is risen like 30% it doesn't show the signs in tip 6-11. That takes a lot more time and when I wait for those sign, the dough is almost doubled in the meantime. What is wise? Still stop at 30% target rise or wait for the signs before shaping/fridge rise?
@@Frederik378 I would experiment to find the sweet spot for you. Let it rise to that 30% and see how your dough turns out. Everyone's starter is unique and the exact same method in your home with your starter may produce different results for someone else doing the same thing with their starter in their home.
During the time of the bulk fermentation how many times are you stretching and folding? I have been doing 4 hr and completing a stretch every 30mins... but I feel like that is now too generic and that I need to ferment longer according to that chart 5.5 hrs to 16+
How many folds should be completed, do you tend to do them at the beginning of the fermentation or near the end?
Thank you for your tips :)
I do them every 30-45 minutes for 4-5 times total. Once I'm finished strengthening the dough, I leave the dough untouched until the bulk fermentation is finished.
@thatsourdoughgal-v6l ❤️ thank you. Looking forward to the adjustment of this step to see how the bread crumb changes.
How to tweak if using fresh-milled whole grain bread versus store-bought? (Sorry, I'm new. Do you grind your flour? I'm assuming you do but I could be wrong!)
I use king arthur bread flour, I am not well versed in freshly milled grains
This is a dumb question but I’m gonna ask. When ur putting the dough in oven with the cup of water….. it’s not on … just the light ????? Or do we put it at lowest setting????
No dumb questions. The oven is off. Some oven lights produce enough heat to keep things warm in there. Mine doesn't so I put a cup of boiling water in there.
When do you think you'll be publishing the recipe the cinnamon sugar recipe? I've been checking your website to no avail...
Me to
It goes up next week!
Can I skip overnight fermentation in the fridge to reduce the soured taste?
Yes
I am in the tropics and it is a bit of a challenge to follow what sourdough UA-camrs do because of places they are from (usually from the west)... What I do is doing bulk fermentation in an air conditioned room but still having issues with taste. My bread tastes sour (maybe too sour) for my palette.
You could try a sweet stiff starter, which takes away most of the sour tang
@@thatsourdoughgal-v6l for some reason I was not able to reply to your reply but I would just like to thank you for the tip. I would try it in my next baking. I got frustrated with bake after bake is a too sour bread that no one from our family would like to eat and I end eat the whole bread for days. LOL!
Aliquot method changde my souerdough game! Now I play around whit every recipy and NEWER end upp whit a bad bread!
Hi @thatsourdoughgal - My bread comes out soft and tasty. They are all "airy" and light, and sound hollow when tapped. My question which I hope you can help with is, why do they all spread out so much? they all look the same, they rise a bit to the top, yet spread more. If baked in double loaf pans they rise perfectly and have no where to spread. My flour is 11% protein and I use a 60% hydration. I pre-shape tightly for the dough won't go any further.
Any thoughts/suggestions? I'd love to make boules and batards and not just simply rely on loaf pans... please help.
Usually spreading is related to overproofing. Slightly overproofed dough is still delicious but it doesn't rise as high in the oven and can spread when turned out
Wow. Im in Scotland. It's winter My house is nowhere close to 70 or 80 F
More like 60 and down to 50 o/night. I cant get my oven low enough to use for a dough rise. Acup of boiling water would be cold in 15mins.
Im lookinfg for an incubator of some kind just for breadmaking
I am in Colorado and have a similar problem. I’ve started setting my oven to a low temp like 200°F and I put my bowl of dough on the stovetop. It warms that area of my kitchen enough to help my dough rise.
My dough was 69°. I let it BF for 12 hours and it was perfect
question.. I always wondered why no one really talks about degassing, when it comes to measuring volume increase. because every time you laminate, stretch and fold, coil fold etc you degas the dough to some degree. so do these volume increase metrics take that into consideration? Is the aliquot methode used for that reason?
I believe it's for after you've finished all your stretch and folds - so no more degassing. It is so you can easily tell the volume increase. I use a sharpie to mark volume on the side of my glass bowl.
The fermenting dough produces heat, so the size of the dough will also make a difference to the change in temperature (and I have noticed that using a glass bowl with lid ferments quicker than a metal bowl with plate on top). For this reason I don't use the aliquot method... I'm not an expert but I'm happy with my bread.
Would you explain how people figure out for any type of flour hydration, how much water flour can handle if the using that particular flour they’re using for the first time or how you figure out what is the best ratio or hydration for the flour you are using or anyone? Flour , gluten / protein content. Thx
-Less than 10% protein: 60% hydration
-10-12% protein: 65% hydration
-13-14% protein: 75% hydration
-15%+ protein: 80% hydration
How does the sourdough bread texture look like if I replace the water with milk ?
I haven't done that but sounds like a fun thing to try! It'll surely make it softer
How do we get a temperature for bread for a good rise
Just use a thermometer
How did you figure out how much you need to add an active sourdough starter for your own recipe the flour you are using? or how any one find out what is the right amount to use? sense all the flour protein content is not the same.Thx
I think what you're referring to is how much water to add a recipe based on the flour's protein content. Here is a good guideline:
-Less than 10% protein: 60% hydration
-10-12% protein: 65% hydration
-13-14% protein: 75% hydration
-15%+ protein: 80% hydration
They have bread rising bowl That you can set to rise What do you think I have no success with sour dough
What is Tom’s channel
If you bulk ferment for 4-5 hours at 78-81f with european flour you're gonna end up with a very hot sticky mess. At these temperqtures I can barely bulk ferment 2-2:30.
I use Italian flour and my bulk fermentation at 78 degrees takes about 4 or 5 hours.
YOU WOULD HELP A WHOLE LOT OF PEOPLE IF YOU TALK IN CENTIGRADES AS WEL! 😊
I always include that in my written recipes but I know I need to do it in videos also. Thanks for the reminder
Thanks a lot! 🥰
I was really hoping this would help, but it is so far over my head you may as well be speaking Japanese
It can be intimidating. My best advice is to jump in. Make a loaf. Then make another. Look up or reach out to other sourdough bakers with troubleshooting based on how your loaf looks. You will, little by little, make your way toward amazing bread.
This is ridiculous.
It’s easy to bake sourdough bread, you’re just scaring people away from doing it.
People, find videos where the baker makes it look easy because that will be the best method and then just start baking, you’ll get it right very quickly.
If you followed my channel, you would know nothing could be further from the truth. This video is meant for those who are having issues getting good results with their sourdough bread and would like to diagnose the problem and learn how to fix it. If you are happy with subpar bread forever, then this video isn't for you. But if you want to understand how to make your bread amazing, and consistently, then understanding bulk fermentation is essential.
Beautifully done. First time I've seen you on YT after enjoying your IG account for some time. Tip no12 new to me, and I think will be useful. Tannee sauchey - stay safe, in Manx.