This is a great video and I really appreciate you showing how to do this without all the expensive accessories, even using a notebook instead of a peel board!
I am baking bread for the last ten years and I dont use any special equipment to get a nice oven spring. Just keep the dough cool and slightly underproofed before it goes into the oven and it works every time.
I many times reuse my parchment papers....after taking bread or cake off the parchment then throw it into the freezer door. When need it its there....also when opening a stick off butter, always safe the butter wrapper for greasing cake pan or whatever I need to grease....then throw it out....way easier then washin a brush.❤❤❤
Best recipe and technique I've tried to date and I've tried a few, only change I made was that I used the Dutch Oven, lid on for full 45 mins pre heated oven at 230c totally perfect bake, thanks for sharing your technique, I'm sure it was the stretch and folds that made a difference to my bake.
All good options! Just FYI for anyone trying the foil method. Make it WAY bigger than you think you’ll need. The bread will stick to it if it’s too short and they end up touching 😂
I noticed that you tap the lid of the bowl twice. I used to try tapping it once and it wasn't enough. I then switched to tapping it between three and seven times but it was too much. I think your technique is spot on.
Yes. It’s all about being able to time your levain. I would love to see more emphasis on how to assess a levain’s strength and readiness. The timing is everything. Your available flour has a lot to do with it also. Different countries seem to have different opinions on the protein content that constitutes “bread flour”. Strong extensible dough is another prerequisite. Once you have that dough, the levain activity has to be just right. It’s all about the levain. I have had less successful results using baking stones and heavy metal plates. The recovery time is too slow after opening the oven doors. I end up with under cooked bottoms. I have good success using very thin metals for a makeshift steam chamber. An aluminum cake pan and a thin ,cheap utility mixing bowl as a lid gives me good success and even cooking. My theory is the thin metals gets back up to temperature rapidly. My oven simply can’t heat the mass of a thick stone or plate adequately. Trying to do so , for my situation, only wasted energy and gave poor results. So ,… I don’t need a baking stone or heavy dutch oven when a cake pan and utility bowl works fine. I think I paid less than $20 for my thin walled steam box. I place a piece of parchment on the cake pan and put the loaf directly in to it. Score it, put the inverted bowl on as a lid and put it in the oven. No peel or other device is needed. I spray the interior of the utility bowl lid with water . It makes the perfect amount of steam. What can I say? It works. One could probably get the components at a flea market for a couple dollars. A lot of people are trying to bake bread with countertop ovens that are light and flimsy. They generally don’t have the power to heat the heavy plates or stones adequately. They will ,however, be able to work with light metal plates and covers. In conclusion , In my experience,a thin metal plate that conducts heat rapidly is as good or better than the heavy stone or steel baking surfaces for the home baker making one or two loaves. If you were a professional baking all day, with a powerful,professional oven, the heavy plate could be advantageous . Personally, I don’t have the need . Thanks again Phil. You have been an inspiration.
Cheers bud and I really appreciate the detailed comment. It sounds like you've found a solution that works well for you. Sourdough baking has so many variables and experimenting to test what works best in your situation is key to getting the best results. This is especailyl true for the oven set up. I hope your baking is going well and keep me posted!
@@CulinaryExploration I don’t know if this is a vocation or an obsession. Both I guess. I know that the anticipation I feel every time I uncover a baking loaf is always exciting . Exhilarating when successful. Challenging when not. It must be felt by every baker that ever existed and it is as good as ever. It says something about people engaged in such pursuits. A global and even historical kinship develops. Most of our details are different but the goals ,basics , pains and pleasures are the same. It’s an extended family. Those that forge and cast metal have a similar, unspoken , brotherhood. Smiths that don’t speak the same language can easily adapt to work together through their extreme and similar familiarity with the beloved tasks at hand. There is definitely science involved in both disciplines , but a human that can adapt to the varied environmental complications is required for the successful efforts of each. Both produce functional, essential art. Pretty freakin cool.
Just FYI, protein content isn't the be all end all. Canada has a default of 12%. But the Italian flour that has closer to 10 is actually more extensible. Milling process matters too
This was very nice to see. Any method of trapping the moisture during baking is IMO the key. Proper fermentation and shaping sure, but if you put that exposed in a dry oven, you're just not gonna get a good loaf at the end.
Really like your energy on the video. I don't have a dutch oven so i realized some time ago that i can use the same stainless steel bowl that is used to make the dough to cover it when baking. It works well!
I've found that the biggest key really is running the overall ferment. Taking the levain early or late or even just skipping it is perfectly fine. But you want your actual loaf to be relatively tight on the window. The better you time, the better your spring. The gluten will form by itself so no worries there. I literally shape once at the start into a ball and do one stretch an hour before the bulk is done. It doesn't need more
I paid about 30 bucks for my Dutch oven so not expensive at all and its effective. That being said I love you channel and have learned a great deal about making great bread. Thank you :)
Thank you for mentioning that aluminum foil needs to be treated with care so it can be reused, and for not using throw away plastic foil during fermentation but bags you already have. It's an excellent example of being mindful and caring. Small actions maybe, but still important.
Our world, Humanity, has a chance to survive unbridled abuse if we focus on bringing awareness to our actions and respecting those who care. I do deeply appreciate your comment.
@@Geers7Omoorstayhave you been to Asia? Absolutely everything is triple wrapped in plastic bags everywhere you go. Your small actions unfortunately are absolutely useless on a global scale.
Thank master baker, as always passionate & top notch. I am one of them foil users because I don’t have the space for a Dutch oven, that said it does give great results & I think it’s the (imperfect) seal that makes it good. Thank you again sir.
@@CulinaryExploration I used my oven cast iron dough over, it turned out better than I ever done, followed you closely every step and amounts it was so much easier than what I have been doing, thank you again.
@@sandrayant7668 Yep, but you must be careful; it doesn't over-ferment. If it does, the strength within the dough will start to break down. Striking the balance is vital, and it takes practice. Don't be afraid to experiment. Keep me posted, Phil
Welcome back Phil!! Thanks for sharing the tips and tricks! Bread baking will commence here in Yuma in a few weeks👍🏻 Summer temps were brutal this year🫠🫠
I enjoyed the summer break but it's great to be back baking again! August was brutal for us too, but we are back under 30C now. Keep me posted on your baking :)
Recently I discovered that my oven is hotter than temperature indicated on the display. Reducing a little, helped to get a better ovenspring. However, I will try reduce a bit more and control better the steam. In my case, I try to get a nice baguette with open crumb and thin and crispy crust. Living and learning.
Haha, I just finished test baking 2 loaves side by side with cast iron Dutch ovens, its not the equipment, is the fermentation! I can see the bubbles in between the score in your loaves, but mine I need magnifying glasses to spot only a couples😅
Hey Becky! We’ve never troubleshooted an issue in the community and found it was down to the choice of baking stone or Dutch oven. It's nearly always the fermentation that needs tweaking or the starter that needs a bit of pre-hab. If you can spy a good network of bubbles in the dough after scoring, you are on your way to a good bake. I'm glad you kept your eye out for that one!
2 mos into my journey this recipe and processes is the 1st loaf I got an ear a bubbles cant wait to cut into it to see how I did with BF thanks for ur videos
I use a very cheap oven proof frying pot. I put the loaf in the pot. Put it in for 30 seconds without a lit so I can score it better. Then spray it with water, and put the lid on, but it back in the oven for 30 minutes, removing the lit again and put it back in another 15-20 minutes.
It's a pleasure to watch you baking. I'd like to see in future self made flour, different fractions mix from different sieves, ancient rye, fermentation based on kvass...
I think getting dutch oven is unfortunately much simpler than this. I think it was the best purchase for upgrading my sourdough level in simple oven. And man I tried everything....Second thing is waiting for that fermentation, it really needs to ferment much more than I thought.
You explain it all so beautifully, I can't do it myself, but we are still striving for one goal, to explain why and for what purpose we are doing it, best regards
Your recipe hydration and size is remarkably close to my standard loaf which is 180g whole wheat flour, 180g bread flour, 50g whole rye flour, 300g water and 80g levain.
Just wanted to say thank you so much for your sourdough videos. Made my first 3 loafs this week. First one was an absolute disaster, but using your spreadsheet and going down to 65% has meant success now!! Thanks again
Great content thank you! I reckon you live in Greece so I’m really interested what brand of flour you are using because I can’t find any really good Greek breadflour.
I do live in Greece! I use Robin Hood AP (in the yellow bags). You can find it in AB and Sklavanitis, but it's pricey. Another option would be to try a Tsoureki flour. The Koula flour is soft with around 10% protein, but if you keep the hydration low, around 65%, you can bake a good loaf. I hope this helps, Phil
@@CulinaryExploration Hello again! I have a troubleshoot the past week and just wandered if you have any advice. My sourdough loafs all taste like soap although I cleaned everything two times used only bottled water and even changed the flour to Robin Hood. Is there a possibility that the starter has anything to do with it. It rises fine like always and the bread seems from the outside perfect
@@naxos7 I'm not sure what you mean by tasting like soup. Sourdough should taste pleasantly sour and fruity, not dissimilar to prozimi. Without seeing pictures or tasting it, I can't offer any sound advice. I'm sorry I can't be more help.
I like the aluminum foil idea. I spend a month in Mexico every year and have to get very creative because I lack and oven and proper cookware. I only have access to a toaster oven and the protein content of the flour there is quite low. I think I will bring gluten flour this year and use the aluminum foil trick.
The aluminium works well. I’ve started using it when we go away and I don’t have my bread kit with me. Will you keep me posted and let me know how you get on?
Good to see you here! I want to ask you if you want to make sourdough bread without using cold bulk fermentation or using more than 50% of sourdough in one loaf, I’m curious how that looks like using your technique. Have a nice week! And thanks again for this video
You can skip the cold proof in the fridge, but you must make sure the dough is sufficiently proofed before baking. But you'll find it much easier to incorporate the cold proof into your method. I'm not sure what you mean about the percentage of sourdough in the loaf. But for a normal bake, I used 20% sourdough levain in the dough. I hope this helps :)
Great video man, i got it saved in my watch later playlist waiting for a calm moment to watch and study it. Just a question: How do you shape the aluminum foil to form the cover?
Hey bud, great question... you can do it freehand, but using a form to shape the foil over works best. You can use anything, but I laid two large towels on each other, folded them into thirds lengthways and then rolled them up. Then, I covered the towels with three sheets of foil and folded them at the bottom. That was it. Let me know how you get on, Phil
A great feel to your videos . Love the lighting for your talking section in front of the flour mills and the captions with times etc , look great . I’ve been following you for years now and I’ve seen your videos take on a real professional feel. Hope I don’t sound patronising .
Thanks, Gary. I appreciate the feedback. My videography and editing knowledge is limited, but I’m learning on the job, so it's great to know I'm heading in the right direction.
Okay, I finally got the time to bake this loaf, and….. SUCESS! Mine isn’t quite as nice looking as yours but better than a I’ve been able to do in this shape so far. I baked on a stone and covered the loaf with a clay cover (similar to a Romertopf). The oven-spring was very good and the crust & crumb are both superb. So thank you!
No, I only score once. The darker section opened out as the loaf bloomed in the oven. Once baked, you can see the contrast between the dough that was coated in flour and the dough that expanded during baking. I hope this helps.
like a "god shot" when making espresso, my goal is to someday create as glorious of a loaf of bread as you've shown in this video: crispy crunchy on the outside, soft and springy on the inside. What could be better?? Thanks for all the tips!
As a novice baker, I don't know anyone who keeps their home at 77 degrees F. I enjoy using sprouted spelt flour for baking my "regular loaves". How would I adjust the recipe to accomplish this?
I guess the temperature of people’s homes depends on their climate. When it's 40C outside, it’s normal to have an internal temperature of 25C. The fermentation will depend on many factors, with temperature being only one. The point is to watch and learn what your dough is doing and adjust the process accordingly. You can add spelt flour to sourdough. I'd suggest starting with 10% spelt and 90% bread flour. From there, you can slowly increase the percentage of spelt until you are happy with the result. I hope this helps, Phil
Yeah, it's about proper fermentation, but it's also about steam. In every bake you covered the dough, so you had a bit of steam. A comparison to an open bake without any covering would be much more interesting. Just to show how the loaf looks without steam & how this effects the oven spring.
The shaping of the dough is also extremely important to getting a good prestretch on on the skin. I like to compare it to blowing up a balloon. The initial stretch is the most difficult part and that’s what your accomplishing by shaping your loaf properly
such an amazing video!, I would love to know the kind of flour you used and, the protein content of it, I do struggle with the spring oven part, like my bread springs, with a crispy exterior, and a great interior texture, but it is not perfect, it does not spring as the ones here in video, I would truly appreciate your advice
I'm using an all-purpose flour by Robin Hood. Although labelled as all-purpose, it has a protein content of 13.2%. But you can achieve great spring using good quality all-purpose flour with a 10-11% protein content. We have a flour here in Greece that is produced from soft wheat, and it's great for baking sourdough. The crumb is a little tighter, but the loaf springs perfectly. Often, it's a case of dialling the hydration in to suit the flour. It's also important to focus on the bulk fermentation and proofing stages so you can improve on each bake. I’d suggest recording the details from your baking sessions so you can tweak the process. I hope this helps, Phil
LEVAIN QUESTION: Does the inoculation amount in the starter/levain have any effect on dough strength and oven spring? For example - would a 1:5:5 ratio levain be weaker in the dough than a 1:1:1 ratio levain? I understand how to use starter ratio to help regulate time and scheduling of my dough mixing, but I'm curious if starter ratios also create a stronger or weaker dough. Thanks, Phil! Love your content! I think I may join Sourdough Unchained Annual Membership.
It looks so simple. Still can't get a good loaf, the same each time. Starter no more piwe after a few weeks in the fridge and a few feedings. No big ovenspring, just a bit. Taste sometimes really nice though...
Hey Menni, the first step is to make sure your starter is super strong. I'll link to a min series where I take you from creating the starter through to bkaing your first loaf. Let me know how you get on. ua-cam.com/video/6z1ZDbao6sc/v-deo.html
@@CulinaryExploration thank you very much! I started my starter with ryeflower, when it was strong, i diverted into wheat flower from the mill and it worked, doubling in size and big bubbles. Now I use 'biologiv flower from Lidl supermarkt, bu very small bubbels, no 'structure', more fluit, no doubling in size, thiugh a fresh yoghurt odour... I heard that starters after having been in the fridge can get 'lazy', even need a ryeflower boost. Could you please react on this. I appreciate it the most. Greetz Menni from Holland. We were in touch a while ago, but now again back on track at my sourdoughjourney.
@@CulinaryExploration I just orderd a strong flower 14% protein instead of the 10.6% I was using... I think (hope😅) that this will make a difference. Kitchentemp is 20°C. I know it is the low. Former temp was 21-22 few weekend ago with good starter results
@CulinaryExploration I have some news, but I won't share it here. I will message you on Instagram this weekend. Hope your family is doing well also. Looks like your channel is doing great. Very exited for you!
Creating steam works well, but there are more variables to control. Just watch how much water you use to produce steam. Loaves that have been overly steamed end up with a thick, chewy, washed out crust. The goal is to produce enough steam to create a glossy, crackly crust. You should give this method a whirl it works well. Keep me posted, Phil
Thanks for the info anyway Phil. I will give your method a try next bake. I only tried outside the Dutch oven last bake because I decided to do two loaves instead of my usual one. I was surprised at the oven spring. I did turn my oven to 260C though for the first 20min and 180C for the last 25min. I will keep you posted.
Great video! One question. I use Caputo Cuoco flour and my dough is super sticky. It’s almost impossible to stretch it into that square shape. It’s even harder to fold it, because it immediately sticks to anything it gets in contact with: the bowl, my fingers, the work surface… it looks so easy in your video. What’s your trick?
It sounds like your dough is over hydrated. Dropping the water content should help. I released a video on this topic last week - ua-cam.com/video/Jdn4ufwJGOc/v-deo.html let me know how you get on 👍
Thanks for your reply and pointing me to the hydration. I had expected that Caputo Cuoco flour with 13% protein would be easily capable of holding 74% hydration. I watched your other video and tried a Ciabatta Biga dough with that flour with only 64%. The dough was so much easier to handle and the result was really good. I’ll try now to gradually increase to find out the maximum hydration I can handle with that flour.
I made this loaf yesterday/today & it was a nightmare from start to finish. I think the hydration was way too high for my flour (Waitrose Duchy Organic - protein 13.4g) The dough was horrible to work with, but it did rise eventually. Shaped into the banneton & it rose nicely in about 90 mins. Left overnight covered in the fridge for roughly 16 hours (I never normally cover mine), but on putting it onto the peel it to put onto the stone it spread quickly & then stuck like glue to the peel. Baked at 220c 20mins lid on, 22 lid off. No spring at all. I haven't cut into it yet as it's still warm from the oven. That said, as with all loaves, onward & upward. Going to try again in a day or two and drop the hydration down to 70% or even lower & see what happens. Fingers crossed for better results.
Hey Andy, even though it sounds like the dough was overhydrated, you did a great job identifying the issue. If the dough was sticky from the start, I’d suggest dropping the hydration down to 65% and working up from there. Once the hydration is balanced properly for the flour, you shouldn’t have any issues. What are you using to cover your dough? And will you keep me posted on progress?
@@CulinaryExploration To cover the dough when proving in the bowl I normally use a shower cap or cling film. Once shaped & in the banneton I don't cover it and I leave it in the fridge uncovered. The base of the loaf does form a sort of dryish crust, but that's never bothered me as that goes straight onto the hot stone. I will keep you posted on the next bake. Cheers.
@@CulinaryExploration Tried at 65% at it was too far the other way. 😂 Dough was very stiff and the finished loaf looks dull and lifeless. We battle on. 70% next bake. Edit: The loaf tasted very nice, but the crumb & texture was more like a yeasted loaf, than a sourdough.
@@CulinaryExploration there's one in the fridge as I type. 70% hydration and the dough was much better to work with. The real test comes in the morning with the bake 🤞
What about using a pyrex dish with a lid instead of a dutch oven? Ive heard some people say it could be a good replacement but I'm not sure if it will work. Any thoughts?
You can, some of our bakers in Sourdough Unchained use a pyrex dish. But you must be careful when removing it as it doesn't have any handles to make lifting off the loaf easy. Make sure it's proper pyrex and rated for the temparature you're baking at. (I'd suggest using something that won't smash and potentially cause injury). Keep me posted, Phil
I didn’t have them when I started & now that I do, i honestly don’t believe that it makes any difference. I’ve put ice in the bottom in a cast iron mini dish & have forgot it & I couldn’t tell the difference. I also have used bread pan over bread pan with clipping together on top of each other to create that steam.
I would think that a major reason for this kind of oven spring, is the amount of white flour used. 90%, try reducing it to 50, and add other, coarser flour types in, and let's see then how it looks. Way, way smaller, I would guess.
Cheers for your comment. When we increase the percentage of unrefined flour within a recipe, we boost the flavour and the nutritional content. This can produce a denser crumb with less volume than a formula with higher percentages of refined flour. It's perfectly normal. The video demonstrated that a formula which has been optimised for spring/volume will do so without the use of baking stones or Dutch ovens. I hope this helps. Cheers, Phil
Nice tricks 👍 Question : why is my loaf flattening out once I take it out of the banneton? Is it overfermentation ? Am I not working fast enough? Any help is welcome :)
The dough has plenty of time to form strength and the cold retard make schedulling a breeze and produces a damn good loaf. Are you having issues with gluten development?
great tutorial thanks , why if i uncover in over after 20 minutes and lower temp next 20 minutes the bread almost burns , i like to cover it for 30 minutes and 10 uncovered
That sounds very strange, and without diving deeper into your process, I won't be able to pinpoint the problem, but I suggest testing the temperature of your oven. All my best, Phil
What exactly is "Levain"? Is it the starter or - as my dictionary says "starter mixed with water ....." If it is the latter do I use the water shown in your chart (some of, or all of the 291grms ?) & how do I know if I have 100% hydration ??
I attempted and failed. It came out pancaked but with nice blisters. Differences which I can note are using dark flour instead of whole wheat (12% protein). I also forgot to shape early and at 16:00 shaped and straight to fridge.
You may need to balance the hydration depending on the flour (blend) you are using. It sounds like you may have over-fermented the dough. Like any sourdough recipe, it’s super important that the formula is well-balanced and the fermentation is on point. This is a fun baking process. Do let me know if you try again. Phil
Hey there, the stone is cut from volcanic rock from Mt Etna. I ordered it custom cut from Italy, but unfortunately, two stones were delivered damaged. The company did send a replacement after the first delivery, but they weren’t interested after the second issue. For that reason, I don’t want to share the company’s details. The stone is great, but their customer service sucked. You can find this type of stone elsewhere, but check the returns policy carefully in case of an issue. They weigh a tonne, and the postage is pricey. Sorry, I can’t be more help on this one. Cheers, Phil
السلام عليكم .انا من الجزائر و أحب كثيرا قناتك و جربت تقريبا معظم و صفات خبزكم.و لكن عندي مشكلتين الاولى انني لا احصل على الثقوب مثل الذي تتحصلون عليها انتم .و ايضا عندي الخميرة نشطة جدا عندما اترك الخبز في البراد يفيض و يتضاعف حجمه اكثر .و في بعض الأحيان اضطر الى ان اطهو الخبز في اليوم نفسه و أضيع الذوق الممتاز للتخمر الطويل.فما هو الحل.و اريد ان أقول ايضا ان الطحين الذي أستعمله من نوعt55 لاننا في الجزاىر لا يا وجد عندنا انواع كثيرة من الدقيق كما هو الحال عندكم.و في الاخير اشكركم جزيل الشكر على هذه القناة.
I don't recommend using aluminium foil more than once, since it gets brittle in the heat and pieces of aluminium might stick to what ever you're cooking. Happened to me.
I have been doing this a long time. Mostly with instant dry yeast and not sourdough but I have used both. My hydration is usually at 70%. I’m using bread flour, but you seem to get unbelievable spring. I have a stone in one oven a baking steel in a different oven. I have a large stainless steel bowl that covers I have adopted a lot of the techniques that you’re using like after shaping. I let it proof in the basket. Till the basket is getting reasonably full, then goes in the fridge for a cold proof. The only thing I’m not doing is the laminate folds. Do you think that could be the problem? I’m getting good spring, but not equal to yours. I have use the bread flours that are readily available in the United States. I don’t see much difference at 70% hydration and again they’re not equal yours. Any suggestions?
I'm sure that this makes a lovely loaf of bread but to be honest I don't have the time to spend all day coming back to a single loaf of bread that I then bake the following day. I'm sure it is amazing but honestly you can keep it. I'll never be making this.
From mix to shape was five hours, but this isn’t only dependent on the temperature at which the dough is fermented; as I mentioned in the video, there are many variables. It's best to watch the dough, not the clock. I hope this helps, Phil
@@CulinaryExploration I use 850 g of bread flour to 50g of whole wheat and then 600g of water. My levain is half water half bread flour. I use 200g of levain so that would in theory add 100g of flour and 100g of water to the mix. This would make two loaves. By my calculations this would result in a hydration of 70%. I use a similar method to yourself with regards folding and bake in Dutch ovens. I’m fairly happy with the oven spring but would prefer a slightly more open crumb.
I love yor explanations and your methods, thank you! But here, in this video, either the the percentages are wrong, or the weights are.. If I understand properly we compute the salt and kevaine % from the flour weight, as we have combined 409 g of flour 2% of salt should rather be 8g, 20% levaine 82g. If I add the flour containing in levain, then we shoild have 10g salt. Not sure if this is important, but you seem to provide very pricise figures.
Hey bud! Yep, I live in Athens :) - I use Robin Hood AP (yellow bag) for my strong bread flour. It's got 13.2% protein and works well for a good base flour. I’ve also had success using Koula soft flour. It only has 10% protein content, but it works well if you drop the hydration to 65%. The softer flour produces a great texture. I use stone ground whole wheat by (Μύλοι). I guess you could try Tsoureki flour, but I've not used it. I also mill grains at home. Hope that helps matey, Phil - what flour are you using?
It seems like you barely kneed the dough at all? How does the glutens develop to create to hold it all together? If I did that with 74% hydration it would just collapse:(
Time is the main ingredient for gluten development. That's why no-knead doughs work so well. As sourdough is left to ferment for a long time, the gluten has plenty of time to develop all on it’s own. The protein content and quality of protein also contribute to the strength of the dough. I would suggest dropping your hydration to 65% and increasing it by 2-3% every three to four bakes. This will help you find the sweet spot for your skill level, flour and climate. I hope this helps, Phil
@@CulinaryExplorationthanks Phil didn’t realise that and I’ve been making sourdough for years ! I normally do 65% hydration but will try slowly increasing it as you suggest and your no knead method. Thanks.
If I'm making one loaf, I don't normally pre-shape. I do if I'm making a larger batch of dough that I divide down. If I work with higher hydration doughs, I may pre-shape, but I try to simplify the process wherever possible. Hope this helps, Phil
This is a great video and I really appreciate you showing how to do this without all the expensive accessories, even using a notebook instead of a peel board!
Glad it was helpful!
I am baking bread for the last ten years and I dont use any special equipment to get a nice oven spring. Just keep the dough cool and slightly underproofed before it goes into the oven and it works every time.
I many times reuse my parchment papers....after taking bread or cake off the parchment then throw it into the freezer door. When need it its there....also when opening a stick off butter, always safe the butter wrapper for greasing cake pan or whatever I need to grease....then throw it out....way easier then washin a brush.❤❤❤
Best recipe and technique I've tried to date and I've tried a few, only change I made was that I used the Dutch Oven, lid on for full 45 mins pre heated oven at 230c totally perfect bake, thanks for sharing your technique, I'm sure it was the stretch and folds that made a difference to my bake.
The best bread youtuber, this one.
My brain: The breast bed UA-camr 👀
I apologize 😬
All good options!
Just FYI for anyone trying the foil method. Make it WAY bigger than you think you’ll need.
The bread will stick to it if it’s too short and they end up touching 😂
I'm well into my 70's, I ain't got that amount of time left.
I love how comprehensive your videos are. Thank you.
I appreciate the feedback, thank you :)
I noticed that you tap the lid of the bowl twice. I used to try tapping it once and it wasn't enough. I then switched to tapping it between three and seven times but it was too much. I think your technique is spot on.
It takes some dialling in, well done lol
Yes. It’s all about being able to time your levain. I would love to see more emphasis on how to assess a levain’s strength and readiness. The timing is everything.
Your available flour has a lot to do with it also. Different countries seem to have different opinions on the protein content that constitutes “bread flour”. Strong extensible dough is another prerequisite.
Once you have that dough, the levain activity has to be just right. It’s all about the levain.
I have had less successful results using baking stones and heavy metal plates. The recovery time is too slow after opening the oven doors. I end up with under cooked bottoms.
I have good success using very thin metals for a makeshift steam chamber.
An aluminum cake pan and a thin ,cheap utility mixing bowl as a lid gives me good success and even cooking.
My theory is the thin metals gets back up to temperature rapidly.
My oven simply can’t heat the mass of a thick stone or plate adequately.
Trying to do so , for my situation, only wasted energy and gave poor results.
So ,… I don’t need a baking stone or heavy dutch oven when a cake pan and utility bowl works fine.
I think I paid less than $20 for my thin walled steam box.
I place a piece of parchment on the cake pan and put the loaf directly in to it.
Score it, put the inverted bowl on as a lid and put it in the oven. No peel or other device is needed.
I spray the interior of the utility bowl lid with water . It makes the perfect amount of steam.
What can I say? It works. One could probably get the components at a flea market for a couple dollars.
A lot of people are trying to bake bread with countertop ovens that are light and flimsy. They generally don’t have the power to heat the heavy plates or stones adequately. They will ,however, be able to work with light metal plates and covers.
In conclusion , In my experience,a thin metal plate that conducts heat rapidly is as good or better than the heavy stone or steel baking surfaces for the home baker making one or two loaves.
If you were a professional baking all day, with a powerful,professional oven, the heavy plate could be advantageous . Personally, I don’t have the need .
Thanks again Phil. You have been an inspiration.
Cheers bud and I really appreciate the detailed comment. It sounds like you've found a solution that works well for you. Sourdough baking has so many variables and experimenting to test what works best in your situation is key to getting the best results. This is especailyl true for the oven set up. I hope your baking is going well and keep me posted!
@@CulinaryExploration
I don’t know if this is a vocation or an obsession. Both I guess.
I know that the anticipation I feel every time I uncover a baking loaf is always exciting . Exhilarating when successful. Challenging when not. It must be felt by every baker that ever existed and it is as good as ever. It says something about people engaged in such pursuits. A global and even historical kinship develops. Most of our details are different but the goals ,basics , pains and pleasures are the same. It’s an extended family.
Those that forge and cast metal have a similar, unspoken , brotherhood. Smiths that don’t speak the same language can easily adapt to work together through their extreme and similar familiarity with the beloved tasks at hand.
There is definitely science involved in both disciplines , but a human that can adapt to the varied environmental complications is required for the successful efforts of each.
Both produce functional, essential art.
Pretty freakin cool.
@@chopsddy3 Nicely put :)
Just FYI, protein content isn't the be all end all. Canada has a default of 12%. But the Italian flour that has closer to 10 is actually more extensible. Milling process matters too
@@mattymattffs
Yes. It comes down to working with the flour that is available to you.
Delightful!!! Playing with sourdough starters now!
This was very nice to see. Any method of trapping the moisture during baking is IMO the key. Proper fermentation and shaping sure, but if you put that exposed in a dry oven, you're just not gonna get a good loaf at the end.
Really like your energy on the video. I don't have a dutch oven so i realized some time ago that i can use the same stainless steel bowl that is used to make the dough to cover it when baking. It works well!
An immaculate technique, so nicely thought out.
I've found that the biggest key really is running the overall ferment. Taking the levain early or late or even just skipping it is perfectly fine. But you want your actual loaf to be relatively tight on the window. The better you time, the better your spring. The gluten will form by itself so no worries there. I literally shape once at the start into a ball and do one stretch an hour before the bulk is done. It doesn't need more
One of the most honest bread maker
I paid about 30 bucks for my Dutch oven so not expensive at all and its effective. That being said I love you channel and have learned a great deal about making great bread. Thank you :)
Thank you for mentioning that aluminum foil needs to be treated with care so it can be reused, and for not using throw away plastic foil during fermentation but bags you already have. It's an excellent example of being mindful and caring. Small actions maybe, but still important.
No worries, I appreciate the comment :)
Shower caps for bannetons perfectly btw
Our world, Humanity, has a chance to survive unbridled abuse if we focus on bringing awareness to our actions and respecting those who care. I do deeply appreciate your comment.
@@Geers7Omoorstayhave you been to Asia?
Absolutely everything is triple wrapped in plastic bags everywhere you go.
Your small actions unfortunately are absolutely useless on a global scale.
@liamK1916 but virtue signaling feels so right :)
Thank you so much for this video! I don't have cast iron or Dutch oven, nothing big enough to cover and using an air fryer oven.
I've been baking good sourdough for years without special equipment
Awesome tips, thanks again!👍🔥
Wow that flour must be amazingly high in protein. Lucky you.
Great info. Great approach. Refreshingly unpretentious and rooted in knowledge.
Thank master baker, as always passionate & top notch.
I am one of them foil users because I don’t have the space for a Dutch oven, that said it does give great results & I think it’s the (imperfect) seal that makes it good. Thank you again sir.
Great to hear you are having success using the aluminum foil :)
I agree! Active starter and good fermentation and shaping!
Putting a pot, or anything else, on top of the loaf is basically the same principle as using a Dutch oven.
I wish I could send a pic, because the first one I done turned out perfect, it is my new recipe for ever. Thank You so much.
Awesome!!!! I'm so pleased you enjoyed the process. What did you use to cover the dough during baking?
@@CulinaryExploration I used my oven cast iron dough over, it turned out better than I ever done, followed you closely every step and amounts it was so much easier than what I have been doing, thank you again.
Ovel cast iron Dutch oven
Can I leave in ice box for longer to get a little more sour ? Well it hurt the dough ?
@@sandrayant7668 Yep, but you must be careful; it doesn't over-ferment. If it does, the strength within the dough will start to break down. Striking the balance is vital, and it takes practice. Don't be afraid to experiment. Keep me posted, Phil
Excellent content, informative and straight to the point! Thanks!!
Welcome back Phil!! Thanks for sharing the tips and tricks! Bread baking will commence here in Yuma in a few weeks👍🏻
Summer temps were brutal this year🫠🫠
I enjoyed the summer break but it's great to be back baking again! August was brutal for us too, but we are back under 30C now. Keep me posted on your baking :)
Recently I discovered that my oven is hotter than temperature indicated on the display. Reducing a little, helped to get a better ovenspring. However, I will try reduce a bit more and control better the steam. In my case, I try to get a nice baguette with open crumb and thin and crispy crust. Living and learning.
Nice work. Dialling in the temperature is super important. Good luck on your baguette quest!
I’m impressed, your fermentation is really top notch.
Haha, I just finished test baking 2 loaves side by side with cast iron Dutch ovens, its not the equipment, is the fermentation! I can see the bubbles in between the score in your loaves, but mine I need magnifying glasses to spot only a couples😅
Hey Becky! We’ve never troubleshooted an issue in the community and found it was down to the choice of baking stone or Dutch oven. It's nearly always the fermentation that needs tweaking or the starter that needs a bit of pre-hab. If you can spy a good network of bubbles in the dough after scoring, you are on your way to a good bake. I'm glad you kept your eye out for that one!
2 mos into my journey this recipe and processes is the 1st loaf I got an ear a bubbles cant wait to cut into it to see how I did with BF thanks for ur videos
Awesome!
I use a very cheap oven proof frying pot. I put the loaf in the pot. Put it in for 30 seconds without a lit so I can score it better. Then spray it with water, and put the lid on, but it back in the oven for 30 minutes, removing the lit again and put it back in another 15-20 minutes.
It's a pleasure to watch you baking. I'd like to see in future self made flour, different fractions mix from different sieves, ancient rye, fermentation based on kvass...
Thanks for the suggestions :)
calculator를 이해하는 데 꽤 시간이 걸렸지만, 지금은 이 표의 편리함을 만끽하고 있습니다. 정말 너무 고맙습니다. 르방 없이 폴리쉬로 만드는 반죽을 위해서 이 표를 변형했는데 역시 잘 작동합니다.
Awesome! The calculator is a really helpful tool and well done for making your own modifications. Happy baking!
혹시 어떻게 변형하셨는지 알려주실수 있으실까요? 르방도 자꾸 죽고 잘 활용하기어려워서요😢 저도 폴리쉬를 쓰는데 어떤날은 발효가 잘되고 어떤날은 너무 안올라오고 비율이 틀린건지 어렵습니다 ㅠㅠ
@@Jellylolli 레써피를 바꾼 게 아니라 표를 제가 사용하기 쉽게 수식을 바꾸었다는 거예요.
@@Jellylolli 르방은 수 많은 영상들에서 공통적으로 말하는 비율로 만드시고 만드실 때 따땃하게 해줘야 잘 살아나요. 정확한 계량은 필수에요.
Thank you Phil! Nicely done!
Cheers, Barry! I hope all is good with you, buddy :)
Thank you for all these info
Thank you for conducting these experiments for us!
I’m new to sourdough baking and this is super helpful
I think getting dutch oven is unfortunately much simpler than this. I think it was the best purchase for upgrading my sourdough level in simple oven. And man I tried everything....Second thing is waiting for that fermentation, it really needs to ferment much more than I thought.
You explain it all so beautifully, I can't do it myself, but we are still striving for one goal, to explain why and for what purpose we are doing it, best regards
Before I bought my Dutch oven, I used a large metal bowl to cover the dough. It worked rather well.
That will do the trick 👍
Your recipe hydration and size is remarkably close to my standard loaf which is 180g whole wheat flour, 180g bread flour, 50g whole rye flour, 300g water and 80g levain.
Muchas gracias por tu video, aprendi mucho. Saludos de Panamá
Just wanted to say thank you so much for your sourdough videos. Made my first 3 loafs this week. First one was an absolute disaster, but using your spreadsheet and going down to 65% has meant success now!! Thanks again
Awesome! I'm so pleased the sourdough calculater has helped. It's amazing what can happen when the hydration is dropped. Phil
Very very nice! 🥖
Btw, love love your lame. 😍
Cheers!!
The good thing about bread is it is so useful even when you stuff it up
I couldn't agree more!
Great content thank you! I reckon you live in Greece so I’m really interested what brand of flour you are using because I can’t find any really good Greek breadflour.
I do live in Greece! I use Robin Hood AP (in the yellow bags). You can find it in AB and Sklavanitis, but it's pricey. Another option would be to try a Tsoureki flour. The Koula flour is soft with around 10% protein, but if you keep the hydration low, around 65%, you can bake a good loaf. I hope this helps, Phil
@@CulinaryExploration Thank you so much for the reply! It’s unfortunate that we don’t seem to have any good local bread flour in Greece!
@@CulinaryExploration Hello again! I have a troubleshoot the past week and just wandered if you have any advice.
My sourdough loafs all taste like soap although I cleaned everything two times used only bottled water and even changed the flour to Robin Hood.
Is there a possibility that the starter has anything to do with it. It rises fine like always and the bread seems from the outside perfect
@@naxos7 I'm not sure what you mean by tasting like soup. Sourdough should taste pleasantly sour and fruity, not dissimilar to prozimi. Without seeing pictures or tasting it, I can't offer any sound advice. I'm sorry I can't be more help.
I like the aluminum foil idea. I spend a month in Mexico every year and have to get very creative because I lack and oven and proper cookware. I only have access to a toaster oven and the protein content of the flour there is quite low. I think I will bring gluten flour this year and use the aluminum foil trick.
The aluminium works well. I’ve started using it when we go away and I don’t have my bread kit with me. Will you keep me posted and let me know how you get on?
Good to see you here! I want to ask you if you want to make sourdough bread without using cold bulk fermentation or using more than 50% of sourdough in one loaf, I’m curious how that looks like using your technique. Have a nice week! And thanks again for this video
You can skip the cold proof in the fridge, but you must make sure the dough is sufficiently proofed before baking. But you'll find it much easier to incorporate the cold proof into your method. I'm not sure what you mean about the percentage of sourdough in the loaf. But for a normal bake, I used 20% sourdough levain in the dough. I hope this helps :)
Great video man, i got it saved in my watch later playlist waiting for a calm moment to watch and study it. Just a question: How do you shape the aluminum foil to form the cover?
Hey bud, great question... you can do it freehand, but using a form to shape the foil over works best. You can use anything, but I laid two large towels on each other, folded them into thirds lengthways and then rolled them up. Then, I covered the towels with three sheets of foil and folded them at the bottom. That was it. Let me know how you get on, Phil
A great feel to your videos . Love the lighting for your talking section in front of the flour mills and the captions with times etc , look great . I’ve been following you for years now and I’ve seen your videos take on a real professional feel. Hope I don’t sound patronising .
Thanks, Gary. I appreciate the feedback. My videography and editing knowledge is limited, but I’m learning on the job, so it's great to know I'm heading in the right direction.
Bravo! I can’t wait to try this!
Awesome! Will you keep me posted and let me know how you get on?
Will do!
Okay, I finally got the time to bake this loaf, and….. SUCESS! Mine isn’t quite as nice looking as yours but better than a I’ve been able to do in this shape so far. I baked on a stone and covered the loaf with a clay cover (similar to a Romertopf). The oven-spring was very good and the crust & crumb are both superb. So thank you!
I noticed yr loaves has a middle portion that is darker did u score again deeper when loaves is baked for 8 mins ??
No, I only score once. The darker section opened out as the loaf bloomed in the oven. Once baked, you can see the contrast between the dough that was coated in flour and the dough that expanded during baking. I hope this helps.
tapping the lid is essential
like a "god shot" when making espresso, my goal is to someday create as glorious of a loaf of bread as you've shown in this video: crispy crunchy on the outside, soft and springy on the inside. What could be better?? Thanks for all the tips!
You'll get there. Keep baking and enjoy the journey. The more loaves the bake the more you'll learn :)
Did you use any steam for the bakes?
As a novice baker, I don't know anyone who keeps their home at 77 degrees F. I enjoy using sprouted spelt flour for baking my "regular loaves". How would I adjust the recipe to accomplish this?
I guess the temperature of people’s homes depends on their climate. When it's 40C outside, it’s normal to have an internal temperature of 25C. The fermentation will depend on many factors, with temperature being only one. The point is to watch and learn what your dough is doing and adjust the process accordingly. You can add spelt flour to sourdough. I'd suggest starting with 10% spelt and 90% bread flour. From there, you can slowly increase the percentage of spelt until you are happy with the result. I hope this helps, Phil
Your t-shirt is hilarious! 😂
Glad you like it!
Yeah, it's about proper fermentation, but it's also about steam. In every bake you covered the dough, so you had a bit of steam. A comparison to an open bake without any covering would be much more interesting. Just to show how the loaf looks without steam & how this effects the oven spring.
I'll have a video coming on steaming very soon. Appreciate your suggestion, all my best, Phil
The shaping of the dough is also extremely important to getting a good prestretch on on the skin. I like to compare it to blowing up a balloon. The initial stretch is the most difficult part and that’s what your accomplishing by shaping your loaf properly
such an amazing video!, I would love to know the kind of flour you used and, the protein content of it, I do struggle with the spring oven part, like my bread springs, with a crispy exterior, and a great interior texture, but it is not perfect, it does not spring as the ones here in video, I would truly appreciate your advice
I'm using an all-purpose flour by Robin Hood. Although labelled as all-purpose, it has a protein content of 13.2%. But you can achieve great spring using good quality all-purpose flour with a 10-11% protein content. We have a flour here in Greece that is produced from soft wheat, and it's great for baking sourdough. The crumb is a little tighter, but the loaf springs perfectly. Often, it's a case of dialling the hydration in to suit the flour. It's also important to focus on the bulk fermentation and proofing stages so you can improve on each bake. I’d suggest recording the details from your baking sessions so you can tweak the process. I hope this helps, Phil
@@CulinaryExploration thank you very much!
LEVAIN QUESTION: Does the inoculation amount in the starter/levain have any effect on dough strength and oven spring? For example - would a 1:5:5 ratio levain be weaker in the dough than a 1:1:1 ratio levain? I understand how to use starter ratio to help regulate time and scheduling of my dough mixing, but I'm curious if starter ratios also create a stronger or weaker dough.
Thanks, Phil! Love your content! I think I may join Sourdough Unchained Annual Membership.
5:07 at this point, can i already bake this? or is the refrigerator stage is a must?
It looks so simple. Still can't get a good loaf, the same each time. Starter no more piwe after a few weeks in the fridge and a few feedings. No big ovenspring, just a bit. Taste sometimes really nice though...
Hey Menni, the first step is to make sure your starter is super strong. I'll link to a min series where I take you from creating the starter through to bkaing your first loaf. Let me know how you get on. ua-cam.com/video/6z1ZDbao6sc/v-deo.html
@@CulinaryExploration thank you very much! I started my starter with ryeflower, when it was strong, i diverted into wheat flower from the mill and it worked, doubling in size and big bubbles. Now I use 'biologiv flower from Lidl supermarkt, bu very small bubbels, no 'structure', more fluit, no doubling in size, thiugh a fresh yoghurt odour... I heard that starters after having been in the fridge can get 'lazy', even need a ryeflower boost. Could you please react on this. I appreciate it the most. Greetz Menni from Holland. We were in touch a while ago, but now again back on track at my sourdoughjourney.
@@CulinaryExploration I just orderd a strong flower 14% protein instead of the 10.6% I was using... I think (hope😅) that this will make a difference. Kitchentemp is 20°C. I know it is the low. Former temp was 21-22 few weekend ago with good starter results
@@MenniMennola Keep me posted on how the flour works out!
@@CulinaryExploration thnx Phil! I will
Phillips, it looks like you are still pumping out some fantastic loafs of bread. They look fantastic. Sorry I haven't been tuning in. Blair
It has been a very difficult year.
Hey Blair! It's been a while. I hope all is well with you and your family
@CulinaryExploration I have some news, but I won't share it here. I will message you on Instagram this weekend. Hope your family is doing well also. Looks like your channel is doing great. Very exited for you!
I got better oven spring outside the Dutch oven. I did have a pan of boiling water in the bottom of the oven though.
Creating steam works well, but there are more variables to control. Just watch how much water you use to produce steam. Loaves that have been overly steamed end up with a thick, chewy, washed out crust. The goal is to produce enough steam to create a glossy, crackly crust. You should give this method a whirl it works well. Keep me posted, Phil
Thanks for the info anyway Phil. I will give your method a try next bake. I only tried outside the Dutch oven last bake because I decided to do two loaves instead of my usual one. I was surprised at the oven spring. I did turn my oven to 260C though for the first 20min and 180C for the last 25min. I will keep you posted.
@@meisievannancy Looking forward to hearing how it goes
Great video! One question. I use Caputo Cuoco flour and my dough is super sticky. It’s almost impossible to stretch it into that square shape. It’s even harder to fold it, because it immediately sticks to anything it gets in contact with: the bowl, my fingers, the work surface… it looks so easy in your video. What’s your trick?
It sounds like your dough is over hydrated. Dropping the water content should help. I released a video on this topic last week - ua-cam.com/video/Jdn4ufwJGOc/v-deo.html let me know how you get on 👍
Thanks for your reply and pointing me to the hydration. I had expected that Caputo Cuoco flour with 13% protein would be easily capable of holding 74% hydration. I watched your other video and tried a Ciabatta Biga dough with that flour with only 64%. The dough was so much easier to handle and the result was really good. I’ll try now to gradually increase to find out the maximum hydration I can handle with that flour.
I made this loaf yesterday/today & it was a nightmare from start to finish. I think the hydration was way too high for my flour (Waitrose Duchy Organic - protein 13.4g) The dough was horrible to work with, but it did rise eventually. Shaped into the banneton & it rose nicely in about 90 mins. Left overnight covered in the fridge for roughly 16 hours (I never normally cover mine), but on putting it onto the peel it to put onto the stone it spread quickly & then stuck like glue to the peel.
Baked at 220c 20mins lid on, 22 lid off. No spring at all. I haven't cut into it yet as it's still warm from the oven.
That said, as with all loaves, onward & upward. Going to try again in a day or two and drop the hydration down to 70% or even lower & see what happens. Fingers crossed for better results.
Hey Andy, even though it sounds like the dough was overhydrated, you did a great job identifying the issue. If the dough was sticky from the start, I’d suggest dropping the hydration down to 65% and working up from there. Once the hydration is balanced properly for the flour, you shouldn’t have any issues. What are you using to cover your dough? And will you keep me posted on progress?
@@CulinaryExploration To cover the dough when proving in the bowl I normally use a shower cap or cling film. Once shaped & in the banneton I don't cover it and I leave it in the fridge uncovered. The base of the loaf does form a sort of dryish crust, but that's never bothered me as that goes straight onto the hot stone.
I will keep you posted on the next bake.
Cheers.
@@CulinaryExploration Tried at 65% at it was too far the other way. 😂
Dough was very stiff and the finished loaf looks dull and lifeless.
We battle on. 70% next bake.
Edit: The loaf tasted very nice, but the crumb & texture was more like a yeasted loaf, than a sourdough.
@@AndyGait You'll get there by gradually increasing the hydration. It's the best way to dial the recipe in. Keep me posted.
@@CulinaryExploration there's one in the fridge as I type. 70% hydration and the dough was much better to work with. The real test comes in the morning with the bake 🤞
What about using a pyrex dish with a lid instead of a dutch oven? Ive heard some people say it could be a good replacement but I'm not sure if it will work. Any thoughts?
You can, some of our bakers in Sourdough Unchained use a pyrex dish. But you must be careful when removing it as it doesn't have any handles to make lifting off the loaf easy. Make sure it's proper pyrex and rated for the temparature you're baking at. (I'd suggest using something that won't smash and potentially cause injury). Keep me posted, Phil
Hey one question where do you get your proofing baskets in Greece ?
I didn’t have them when I started & now that I do, i honestly don’t believe that it makes any difference. I’ve put ice in the bottom in a cast iron mini dish & have forgot it & I couldn’t tell the difference. I also have used bread pan over bread pan with clipping together on top of each other to create that steam.
Damn I never had sourdough before and want to try making it but wow this is so much work
I would think that a major reason for this kind of oven spring, is the amount of white flour used. 90%, try reducing it to 50, and add other, coarser flour types in, and let's see then how it looks. Way, way smaller, I would guess.
Cheers for your comment. When we increase the percentage of unrefined flour within a recipe, we boost the flavour and the nutritional content. This can produce a denser crumb with less volume than a formula with higher percentages of refined flour. It's perfectly normal. The video demonstrated that a formula which has been optimised for spring/volume will do so without the use of baking stones or Dutch ovens. I hope this helps. Cheers, Phil
THANK YOU !!!!
Nice tricks 👍 Question : why is my loaf flattening out once I take it out of the banneton? Is it overfermentation ? Am I not working fast enough? Any help is welcome :)
have you tried not retarding your fermentation to allow for better gluten formation?
The dough has plenty of time to form strength and the cold retard make schedulling a breeze and produces a damn good loaf. Are you having issues with gluten development?
great tutorial thanks , why if i uncover in over after 20 minutes and lower temp next 20 minutes the bread almost burns , i like to cover it for 30 minutes and 10 uncovered
That sounds very strange, and without diving deeper into your process, I won't be able to pinpoint the problem, but I suggest testing the temperature of your oven. All my best, Phil
Brave man tasting the level - gah! I can smell it but that's as far as I go.😂
Birdy
🤣 give it a whirl. You might be surprised
What exactly is "Levain"? Is it the starter or - as my dictionary says "starter mixed with water ....." If it is the latter do I use the water shown in your chart (some of, or all of the 291grms ?) & how do I know if I have 100% hydration ??
I attempted and failed. It came out pancaked but with nice blisters. Differences which I can note are using dark flour instead of whole wheat (12% protein). I also forgot to shape early and at 16:00 shaped and straight to fridge.
You may need to balance the hydration depending on the flour (blend) you are using. It sounds like you may have over-fermented the dough. Like any sourdough recipe, it’s super important that the formula is well-balanced and the fermentation is on point. This is a fun baking process. Do let me know if you try again. Phil
Bake when proofed right and steam!
Can you link the baking stone you're using? its beautiful!
Hey there, the stone is cut from volcanic rock from Mt Etna. I ordered it custom cut from Italy, but unfortunately, two stones were delivered damaged. The company did send a replacement after the first delivery, but they weren’t interested after the second issue. For that reason, I don’t want to share the company’s details. The stone is great, but their customer service sucked. You can find this type of stone elsewhere, but check the returns policy carefully in case of an issue. They weigh a tonne, and the postage is pricey. Sorry, I can’t be more help on this one. Cheers, Phil
السلام عليكم .انا من الجزائر و أحب كثيرا قناتك و جربت تقريبا معظم و صفات خبزكم.و لكن عندي مشكلتين الاولى انني لا احصل على الثقوب مثل الذي تتحصلون عليها انتم .و ايضا عندي الخميرة نشطة جدا عندما اترك الخبز في البراد يفيض و يتضاعف حجمه اكثر .و في بعض الأحيان اضطر الى ان اطهو الخبز في اليوم نفسه و أضيع الذوق الممتاز للتخمر الطويل.فما هو الحل.و اريد ان أقول ايضا ان الطحين الذي أستعمله من نوعt55 لاننا في الجزاىر لا يا وجد عندنا انواع كثيرة من الدقيق كما هو الحال عندكم.و في الاخير اشكركم جزيل الشكر على هذه القناة.
I don't recommend using aluminium foil more than once, since it gets brittle in the heat and pieces of aluminium might stick to what ever you're cooking. Happened to me.
Me too
I have been doing this a long time. Mostly with instant dry yeast and not sourdough but I have used both. My hydration is usually at 70%. I’m using bread flour, but you seem to get unbelievable spring. I have a stone in one oven a baking steel in a different oven. I have a large stainless steel bowl that covers I have adopted a lot of the techniques that you’re using like after shaping. I let it proof in the basket. Till the basket is getting reasonably full, then goes in the fridge for a cold proof. The only thing I’m not doing is the laminate folds. Do you think that could be the problem? I’m getting good spring, but not equal to yours. I have use the bread flours that are readily available in the United States. I don’t see much difference at 70% hydration and again they’re not equal yours. Any suggestions?
What is the protein percentage of your strong white bread flour?
this might be a dumb question is your leven a sourdough starter? Thank you
Yep, it's a sourdough culture.
@@CulinaryExploration thank you
thank you
Amazing tips! Hey do you live in greece ? I couldn't help but notice the πλαίσιο bag :)
Hi my dough always sticky really get upset how to work with it
I'm sure that this makes a lovely loaf of bread but to be honest I don't have the time to spend all day coming back to a single loaf of bread that I then bake the following day. I'm sure it is amazing but honestly you can keep it. I'll never be making this.
What apps u using for the bread calculator?
How long did you leave your dough for it to rise by 75% assuming the temperature was 77 F?
From mix to shape was five hours, but this isn’t only dependent on the temperature at which the dough is fermented; as I mentioned in the video, there are many variables. It's best to watch the dough, not the clock. I hope this helps, Phil
@@CulinaryExploration okay. Thanks for answering my question.
@@CulinaryExploration I use 850 g of bread flour to 50g of whole wheat and then 600g of water. My levain is half water half bread flour. I use 200g of levain so that would in theory add 100g of flour and 100g of water to the mix. This would make two loaves. By my calculations this would result in a hydration of 70%. I use a similar method to yourself with regards folding and bake in Dutch ovens. I’m fairly happy with the oven spring but would prefer a slightly more open crumb.
@@denspri5844 No worries, you're welcome
Are you Greek or ever been to Greece by any chance?
Hey Christo, I live here in Greece
@@CulinaryExploration Haha, the "Plaisio" branded bag you used while resting the dough in the basket made for a nice little Easter egg!
@@christosfas1 LOL, I thought you' spotted something in the fridge, I forgot about the Plasio bag
A constant 25 degrees Celsius! Blimey, what’s your fuel bill like?
I love yor explanations and your methods, thank you!
But here, in this video, either the the percentages are wrong, or the weights are..
If I understand properly we compute the salt and kevaine % from the flour weight, as we have combined 409 g of flour 2% of salt should rather be 8g, 20% levaine 82g.
If I add the flour containing in levain, then we shoild have 10g salt.
Not sure if this is important, but you seem to provide very pricise figures.
What size is your bread peel ?
man are you in greece? what type of flours are you using?
Hey bud! Yep, I live in Athens :) - I use Robin Hood AP (yellow bag) for my strong bread flour. It's got 13.2% protein and works well for a good base flour. I’ve also had success using Koula soft flour. It only has 10% protein content, but it works well if you drop the hydration to 65%. The softer flour produces a great texture. I use stone ground whole wheat by (Μύλοι). I guess you could try Tsoureki flour, but I've not used it. I also mill grains at home. Hope that helps matey, Phil - what flour are you using?
@@CulinaryExploration Nice. I live in germany now, my favorite so far is wheat 812 but its not very easy to find.
Does everyone taste their starter here?
Yes. It’s a good way to
It seems like you barely kneed the dough at all? How does the glutens develop to create to hold it all together? If I did that with 74% hydration it would just collapse:(
Time is the main ingredient for gluten development. That's why no-knead doughs work so well. As sourdough is left to ferment for a long time, the gluten has plenty of time to develop all on it’s own. The protein content and quality of protein also contribute to the strength of the dough. I would suggest dropping your hydration to 65% and increasing it by 2-3% every three to four bakes. This will help you find the sweet spot for your skill level, flour and climate. I hope this helps, Phil
@@CulinaryExplorationthanks Phil didn’t realise that and I’ve been making sourdough for years ! I normally do 65% hydration but will try slowly increasing it as you suggest and your no knead method. Thanks.
No pre-shaping the loaf?
If I'm making one loaf, I don't normally pre-shape. I do if I'm making a larger batch of dough that I divide down. If I work with higher hydration doughs, I may pre-shape, but I try to simplify the process wherever possible. Hope this helps, Phil
@@CulinaryExploration Thank you so much. I'm ready to not-pre shape my next loaf. ;)
@@SK-kj1hk Awesome!
Does your recipe take into account the flour and water in the levain? If not why?
Yes, the recipe is calculated by taking into account the flour and water in the levain. I hope this helps.