Sourdough Journey: Beginner Mistakes and Tips

Jun 9, 2024

Sourdough Journey: Beginner Mistakes and Tips

Introduction

  • Speaker: Tom from Cleveland, Ohio
  • Topic: Beginner mistakes and tips in sourdough bread baking
  • Purpose: Address common mistakes and questions beginners have

Choosing a Recipe

  • Key Point: Follow one recipe exactly from start to finish
  • Mistake: Recipe improvisation
    • Combining parts of different recipes often leads to failure
    • Each recipe's ingredients and processes are specific and intertwined

Recommended Recipe

  • Book: Tartine Bread by Chad Robertson
  • Recipe: Basic Country Loaf
  • Process: Spans three days with specific steps each day

Steps Breakdown

Day 1

  • Prepare materials in the evening
  • Build the leaven (takes 12-14 hours overnight)

Day 2

  • Mix the dough in the morning
    • Auto-lease process: 40 mins - 1 hour
    • Add salt, bulk fermentation: 3-4 hours (includes stretch and fold method)
    • Rough shaping: 30-40 mins bench rest
    • Final shaping: 10-15 mins
    • Cold proof in fridge overnight: 12-14 hours

Day 3

  • Preheat oven: 1 hour
  • Score and bake: 45 mins - 1 hour
  • Cool: 90 mins
  • Enjoy the bread!

Leaven and Starter

  • Leaven: Bulked-up, less acidic version of the starter
  • Starter vs. Leaven:
    • Leaven: Larger quantity from the starter, different flour composition
    • Starter: Smaller quantity (e.g., 100-250 grams)
  • Ingredients for Leaven: Starter, flour, water

Flour Selection

  • Types Used: King Arthur unbleached organic bread flour and whole wheat flour
  • Mistake: Flour substitution
    • Different flours have different protein content, absorption, and leavening properties
    • Stick to the exact flour types and ratios called for in the recipe

Water Selection

  • Key Point: No chlorine in the water
    • Chlorinated water can kill yeast and bacteria
    • Use filtered tap water, bottled water, or well water

Weighing Ingredients

  • Mistake: Inaccurate weights and measures
    • Recipes are precise; ingredients should be measured in grams
    • Volume measurements (e.g., cups, tablespoons) can lead to significant discrepancies

Final Tips

  • Create a cheat sheet: List key steps, ingredients, and quantities
  • Keep notes: Document times, temperatures, and observations
  • Use appropriate bowls: Glass or stainless steel recommended
  • Mix leaven ingredients precisely and let sit overnight before baking the next day