How to make sourdough bread...

[Thunder77]

We are pleased with our latest efforts. I did a 100% hydration preferment. 200g starter, 200g flour, 200g water. I let that burble on the counter for 12 hours. This morning I added 200g starter, 600g flour, and 300g water to make a 70% hydration dough. Added 22 grams salt after 30 minutes autolyse.
Totals:
400g starter = 200g water + 200g flour.
800g flour
500g water
22g salt.

To anyone else, I know that this would sound strange. But I know you guys will get it. I feel like I am in touch now with what a 70% dough feels like. I could FEEL the dough talking to me, telling me "yes, I am almost ready. Just a bit more." I felt the pulling back as I stretched the dough, and I knew when to let it rest. I knew before I did the last shaping how the bread would turn out. I knew this was going to be more dense. Aka toast bread. And that is what I wanted! And the family was pleased. That is what matters most! My daughter had a friend over, and she asked, "How did you get the stripes on the bread, like at the restaurants?" So I explained to her about scoring, and she thought that was really cool.

[Breadhead]

When you know what your dough is supposed to look like and feel like... it will talk to you - and you will understand it.👍

[Mr. Bones]

Beautiful job, Thunder77 ! Makin' me hungry, as I await pulling off my 2 slabs of BBRs!

[Thunder77]

Thanks, Mr Bones, and likewise! I'm drooling thinking of my bread and your ribs together! 😀

[RonB]

Great looking batards Thunder77 .

[scottranda]

I have a bunch of semolina laying around. Can I substitute bread or WW flour to make bread? Do I need to increase hydration? What can I do with it?

[RonB]

scottranda - How old is the semolina - it does eventually go bad. The bag may have an expiration date on it.

[scottranda]

By the way. I checked on the date. Next year. I'm going to try 10% of flour to be semolina tomorrow. I have a preferment going now. RonB

[Breadhead]

I have a bunch of semolina laying around. Can I substitute bread or WW flour to make bread? Do I need to increase hydration? What can I do with it?

Yes you can use semolina flour for bread... http://www.breadexperience.com/semolina-bread/

[scottranda]

After my pre-ferment and mixing in the rest of the ingredients (water, flour, salt), I'm mixing/kneading it in my stand mixer. Do I pre-shape it after kneading with my dough hook... and THEN bulk ferment? Or after the kneading with the dough hook, do I just let it bulk ferment in the mixing bowl (no pre-shaping)?

[Breadhead]

After my pre-ferment and mixing in the rest of the ingredients (water, flour, salt), I'm mixing/kneading it in my stand mixer. Do I pre-shape it after kneading with my dough hook... and THEN bulk ferment? Or after the kneading with the dough hook, do I just let it bulk ferment in the mixing bowl (no pre-shaping)?

I take the dough out of the stand mixing bowl after it passes the window pane test. I transfer it to a plastic bulk ferment container that has markings on the side of it so I can visually observe how much it has risen during the bulk fermenting process - no shaping needed at this point. Once it is 1.5 times it's its original mass I start the pre-shaping process and then move on to the final shaping process.

You certainly can leave it in the mixing bowl for bulk fermentation but you can't really tell how much it has risen in that vessel.

[scottranda]

Yeah, I can't see it. It's my downfall. I have wait until Christmas to get my "see-through proofing vessel".

It can't hurt to preshape it before bulk fermentation though, right? I always have my dough blob-out when I'm shaping after bulk fermentation.

[Breadhead]

No, preshaping after mixing the dough can't hurt it. I just don't find any value to it at all. I use a bowl scraper to transfer my mixed dough out of the mixing bowl into the bulk fermentation vessel and then with a wet hand I level the dough out, cover the vessel with a clear plastic shower cap.

[scottranda]

Highly entertaining bakery video! I'm still mesmerized! https://youtu.be/iUuKstAWof4

[Breadhead]

I don't know what they are paying this guy but it's not enough! This dude is a machine.👍

[Thunder77]

Wow. Just wow!

[scottranda]

When shaping your dough, when is it appropriate to wet vs flour your hands? I'm assuming all high hydration you use wet? When do you flour?

[MBMorgan]

I use wet hands until bulk fermentation ... then floured hands thereafter.

[scottranda]

MBMorgan Breadhead and others... When I use (bread) floured hands during final shaping, my hands still stick to the dough and really disrupts the tight "skin". Should I use wet hands for final forming? Or just use a TON of bread flour on my hands?

[MBMorgan]

I wouldn't use wet hands. Instead, I rely on thoroughly floured hands and work surface ... and in the case of really sticky dough, my metal bench knife for tension pulls (on an unfloured surface), etc.

[scottranda]

Are you all using something like this method for shaping a batard?

http://www.thefreshloaf.com/node/24865/shaping-batard

[Breadhead]

This guy is a wizard... https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=RgqPli_sLLM

[RonB]

That's my favorite shaping video Breadhead .

[Thunder77]

My latest effort. I am pleased. This is what I call my "lazy bread." I let my bread machine do part of the work for me, then I finish off with the slap and folds, and the stretch and folds. It is denser than it would be if I did full slap and
fold. But I know that going in. Now that I am getting a good feeling for a 70% hydration dough, I will take it to the full slap and fold, skipping the bread machine step. This should open up the crumb. I am still keeping this in my book for when I want toast bread.

[Breadhead]

👍... good job. Moving up in hydration percentage is a big step. Do your 70% hydration bread like Chef Jacob does. Then when you want to step up and do 75% hydration bread shift gears and follow Ken Forkish's methods. Once you can do both you've made a major leap forward.

[Thunder77]

Thanks for the kind comments. I really feel now that I am a step further along in my bread journey. I'm making bread every weekend now. Darn you Breadhead! 😜 I now have another syndrome to deal with! 😎

[Breadhead]

Thunder77 ... your bread journey is a great phrase. I've been making a few loaves of bread every week for the last 5 years. Sometimes a loaf a day for a year. Your journey never ends. Even my mentor will not claim to be an expert, even though he is. You NEVER quit learning.

[scottranda]

You guys. This sourdough thing is easy! Great reviews too! 😂

[Breadhead]

I'm not a fan of buying a sourdough starter! It's a waste of money in my opinion. All it is is flour and water that's been invaded by wild yeast. In this case it's San Franciscan wild yeast. That yeast will be invaded by your local yeast. Your local yeast will win that battle.

[Thunder77]

+1 on what he said...

[Thunder77]

Today I went all bread flour, except for the WW in the starter.
Preferment:
100 g starter
200 g water
300 g flour.
Started that at 2200 hours last night. I let it go 16 hours,
then added:
400 g flour
275 g water.
Totals: 525 g water
750 g flour.
30 minute autolyse, then added 15 g salt.
Slap and fold, then stretch and fold. I recently discovered that I can indeed push my oven to 550 F. And I found that the bottom of a steamer pot I have works well for a dome. And it has handles on it!! 👍
I have also worked out a technique for doing my tension pulls. I'm left-handed, so I use my bench scraper in my left hand, and turn the dough clockwise with my right hand. As I am turning the dough, I tuck it under using the bench scraper. This makes for a good, tight top to the dough.

And now my crumb is starting to open up, and I am getting awesome crust! I am on the way!

[scottranda]

My recent revelation was propping up finished bread on its side. Wire rack is great, but can still steam with countertop.

[Thunder77]

Breadhead, yes I do mist the bread before I slide it onto the stone and cover it. I preheat the oven, the stone and the pan, then when all is ready, I mist the bread and slide it onto the stone.

[Thunder77]

scottranda, good idea to prop the bread sideways.

[Breadhead]

scottranda ... "Nice work! I go to bed most nights thinking about how to get better at baking bread. I try new techniques frequently. Gunna hone my skills over the next few months."

You've definitley contracted MBMBS... dreaming about the perfect loaf is part of the addiction. Actually getting the perfect loaf of bread is bread baking nervana. It happens when you least expect it. Mine seem to come along when I'm making it for friends and/or family and I can't keep it.😡

[Potkettleblack]

Have been a bit of a stranger.
Any rate, new starter established. First loaves were Forkish's Pain de Campagne, which uses white flour, a bit of WW, the levain starter and a small bit of yeast. This gets an overnight proofing in the fridge.

I think i got a bit bit too much water in the dough when mixing and probably overproofed due to poor scheduling on my part. But for my first levain doughs, I could not be prouder.

Moist crumb, not great oven spring. But fantastic flavor. So, winner.
8/10.

[Potkettleblack]

Thanks. The slice is from the "smooth" one, which was proofed in a glass bowl with a microfiber tea towel. Saving the baneton loaf for T-day

[RonB]

Nicely done Potkettleblack. How did you manage to get the lower boule to look like a turtle shell?

[Potkettleblack]

Glass bowl, microfiber lint free tea towel. 14 hour proof in the mini-fridge. The fabric weave imprinted on the crust. Amateur hour scoring.