Secrets of Open Crumb

© 2022 Adelina Roberts.
All rights reserved.

Content
04 Introduction
08 The story of sourdough
12 The sourdough starter expert
38 The method
52 The ingredients
58 Recipes
96 Recommended reading
98 A thank-you note
Secrets of open crumb
Introduction
I stumbled upon sourdough while running away At the bakery, warm loaves always came out of
from the fashion industry, where everything the oven in the afternoons so people could put
glittered only from the outside, where humility fresh bread on their dinner tables. During
and self are lost – never to be found. socialism, bread was rationed, and we were
allowed only one loaf per day.
I was seeking something with a positive
presence in the world, something that would My parents used to send me to buy our family’s
never go out of style. The year 2019 arrived, and bread. I would feast on the warm, freshly baked
I wanted to teach myself a new craft. The very treat on the way back and arrive home with just
rst thing that came to mind was bread. half a loaf. In Bulgaria, bread was (and is)
consumed for breakfast, lunch and dinner, and
Excited and impatient, I jumped out of my high that half loaf was barely enough for our dinner
heels, put on ats and went our shopping. But, and breakfast the next morning. So I had to go
greedy reader that I am, I had to devour back to get bread almost every day.
everything about bread before I got my hands in
the dough. Later on, when the coupon system was
introduced, we were able to buy enough bread
At rst, I started baking bread with commercial to last for a week. Today, every time I go to the
yeast. And then, I heard about sourdough, and grocery store, I think of how I used to wait in line
how dif cult and complicated it was – a sad for bead. Now, bread is lined up for me in
song sung by many who were afraid to try it or abundance, different kinds – more than one
reluctant to invest effort in it. But, the more I could eat.
listened to that tune, the more attracted I was to
sourdough. Even as a child, I was always Growing up, bread was never thrown out. Even if
gravitated towards the more dif cult thing to do it was old and dry, we ate it. We used to soak
because I knew I would learn more from it. the dry pieces of bread in hot water, add a little
bit of butter, and sprinkle feta cheese on top. Or,
I started thinking about memories of bread from we would soak it in milk and sweeten it with
my childhood in Bulgaria. There were only two sugar. I grew up with this kind of breakfast. If I
types of bread available then: white and brown, didn’t eat all the food on my plate – especially if a
we called them. We were white-bread eaters. bite of bread was left – my parents would tell me
that if I didn’t eat it, I wouldn’t be strong enough
to defend myself from bullies at school.
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Introduction
After work, the townspeople would buy their We children had the very unique task of snail
daily bread, then stop to chat with friends and collecting. After a rain, we would go out with
neighbors on the way home. If a child was buckets in hand and pick up the snails that
present, it was the custom to tear off a piece of always came out then. They were a very good
bread and offer it as a treat. There were toddlers source of protein. We were not poor… we were
in strollers munching on bread everywhere in the limited, but we had everything we needed.
streets. (Chewing on the crispy crust was
supposed to ease their teething, the women I didn’t have one of those beautiful wooden
said.) dollhouses, but my grandfather made me one
from a box. He divided the inside into four
When I visited my grandparents, my sections, so I could have four rooms to decorate.
grandmother would feed me a thick slice of I also remember that he made me a swing from a
bread drizzled with sun ower oil – or smothered very thick piece of rope, and, for a seat, I used
with a layer of pork fat – and generously my pillow. I was happy with that.
seasoned with her homemade sweet paprika.
Then, she sent me outside to play, and I would
meet other children snacking on the same treat.
At the time, butter was a luxury, and pork fat

was the main fat used for cooking and baking.
Our grandmothers made traditional sweet Easter
bread (Kozunak) with pork fat, and, even today,
lots of Bulgarian women prefer to use pork fat
rather than butter for this particular type of
bread. It makes a huge difference in the softness
and texture of baked goods.
My mom used to tell stories of my grandma in

her garden with a piece of bread in one hand
and a chunk of feta cheese in the other, eating
lunch standing – it was sweeter that way. She
would stroll along the rows of produce and pluck
a piece of fresh green garlic to complete her
meal.
My grandparents grew everything themselves,

raised livestock, and rarely shopped at the store
for these kinds of foods. Everything was
prepared at home.
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When the men went to work in the elds, they As I heard and read these stories from various
wore hats made of newspaper to protect them Bulgarian people and elders, and I began to think
from the scorching sun. They would bring bread, of the Bulgarians as “the bread eaters.” This
onion and salt, and feta cheese to eat in the always reminds me of the famous Van Gogh
shade under the trees during their break. painting of the Dutch family gathered around
their dinner table under the gas lamp, eating
When I went with my parents and grandparents potatoes. His painting is called “The potato
to help pick corn from the elds, we would eaters.’’
spread a tablecloth on the grass during lunch
break, sit on the ground, and eat, dirt still on our Every winter night, my parents and I used to
hands. Bread and salt, along with green onions gather around the gas lamp during power
never tasted sweeter. curfew to eat our dinner (always with bread, of
course), play board games and laugh at
My father shared stories about his grandmother whispered jokes that we were not supposed to
and how she would bake at least seven loaves of tell. I’ll cherish those moments forever. They led
sourdough to last the whole family for a week. me to become the baker that I am today.
Sometimes, this bread would be shared with
workers that came to help at the farm. My upbringing keeps me grounded and deeply
attached to bread. And, as much as I enjoyed
During my great-grandmother’s time, bread reading about bread science, I wanted to learn to
etiquette was very strict, especially at the dinner make bread as a baker, not a scientist. I wanted
table. The elders would tell the children to to synthesize the science into a simple
behave and be quiet in the presence of bread, understanding, something easily digestible that I
and they wouldn’t have to repeat themselves. could implement in my craft – kind of how
The children understood. enzymes convert starches into simple sugars.
Nobody at the table was allowed to raise their I was eager to learn to connect with the dough
voice or argue in front of the bread. It was and let it teach me. And this is how I want to
considered rude to grab and tear it, so the loaf present it to you in these pages: the way I
had to be divided standing up, with a touch so understand it in my head and the way I use it to
gentle that the bread almost didn’t know it had make my bread.
been torn. Bread was given rst to the eldest at
the table and water to the youngest. Children
were taught that nothing was bigger than bread.
In the summertime, the elders would go to the

wheat elds, pick a few stalks, and rub them
between their palms until the grain was
revealed. Then, they would chew on the grain in
order to tell how long it would be before the
harvest, and whether the harvest would be
bountiful.
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Introduction
I’ve learned from each and every one of my In Bulgaria, there’s a saying that the alveoli
loaves, that, in addition to our, water and belong in the bread, not in the feta cheese.
salt, bread baking requires a pinch of intuition,
a gut feeling and lots of common sense. This I’ve heard people call open crumb “trendy.” Is it?
is how I approach it. Actually, in my practice, A trend is something that comes and goes
it’s not just a pinch. I rely a lot on intuition and seasonally, something that doesn’t last. Well-
logic. Intuition is something we all have, we fermented bread isn’t going anywhere – it’s here
just need to unlock it and learn how to use it. to stay. The essence of bread is like a classic
That comes with time, where we learn when perfume, just a dab of it stays with you for an
to trust ourselves. So, when my husband asks eternity.
me when the turkey would be ready, I tell him
that I’d know when I smell it and see it.
"THERE’S NOT A THING THAT IS
This is not a book about fast and easy, no- MORE POSITIVE THAN BREAD.”
knead bread with generic guidelines. This is
the book to help you unlock your full potential – Dostoevski
and apply it to your bread making. The
process of making sourdough is supposed to
Open crumb sourdough has been through a lot.
be long. It’s supposed to be dif cult at times.
It’s been heavily ridiculed and shamed – along
It’s supposed to be challenging. After all, good
with all of us who want it and work so hard to
bread takes time and effort. And, don’t be
achieve it. I’ve heard so many insults, even
afraid of perfection. As Salvador Dali
vulgarities, about open crumb, that they put a big
suggested, you’ll never reach it. But, you must
cloud over the whole bread baking experience
chase it!
and what it’s supposed to be: a joy!
This book is more for the intermediate home

There’s no room for negative talk about any
baker than the beginner. It’s a guide to using
bread! You have the freedom to decide what kind
your eyes, nose, hands and mind to determine
of bread you want to bake. So, don’t let yourself
what the dough is communicating at each
be mocked or shamed for wanting to make well-
step of the process.
fermented bread.
What is open crumb? For obvious reasons, it’s

In the following chapters, I will be describing my
open because of the lovely alveoli: big, small,
personal methods and preferences for baking
regular, irregular… But, to me, an open crumb
open crumb sourdough bread. Some of my ideas
also means well-fermented bread. “Open,”
and observations might sound a bit crazy, but I’m
meaning a tender, soft, easily digestible
just sharing, in detail, what works for me. Feel
crumb that’s a pleasure to eat and share with
free to use this information (or not) in any way it
family, friends and strangers. It’s a crumb that
might be helpful.
has breath.
And may open crumb be with
Even before I learned the term “open crumb,” I
you!
knew that well-fermented bread was what I
wanted to master.
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The story of sourdough

Therefore, they built their houses like temporary
The story of bread is a symbolic one. Poetic,
huts and their tombs as permanent homes.
romantic even.
People of all cultures prayed to rivers and tried to

Think of when you put your bread in the oven
outsmart them, but none prayed more ardently
and continue on with your chores, how you are
than the people residing by the Nile. Because
quietly reminded of it in a few short minutes as
they believed they would be rewarded for their
its unique fragrance tickles your senses. Or,
devotion. They were not afraid of the Nile god,
when you fall asleep at night and drift into
but considered him a father who fed them and
dreaming, with the warmth in your heart that
their children.
there’s a loaf of bread to be baked in the
morning. Isn’t that romantic? Even when we are
The god of the Nile was a reasonable one. With
sick in bed, we still have an appetite for bread
seasonal oods, he not only brought water, but
and nd comfort in it.
also unveiled earth within the waters. The higher
the Nile rose each year, the greater the amount
Not long ago, I read the heartbreaking story of
of land that could be tilled.
Yeonmi Park, a North Korean girl who escaped
the horrors of socialism. She was describing
The Egyptians believed this land was a kindness
what it felt like to be hungry and dream of food.
consciously bestowed upon them. They called
Yeonmi and her sister would play a game,
themselves “sons of the black earth” and would
competing with each other to imagine who could
cultivate the soil so effectively that no plot would
eat the most bread if it were available.
remain unfruitful. The river taught them many
techniques and arts. And they became the best
One would say, “I can eat one thousand breads.”
dam builders the world had ever seen.
And, the other, “No, I can eat more. I can eat two
thousand breads…” This story has never left my
Once the oodwaters receded and the earth
mind. I remember thinking about how I wanted
exposed, Egyptian farmers worked tirelessly to
to bake baskets of bread and feed these girls. In
plow the soil. Then came the sowing. Sheep and
a way, bread saved them just through their
swine were driven across the eld to trample the
dreams of eating it; it fed their souls.
grain with their sharp hoofs. Later, when grain
grew upon the stalks, the Egyptians cut only the
The story of sourdough began in Egypt around
fruit of the wheat, rather than the entire plant,
4000 B.C.
driven by their deep sense of gratitude to take
Unlike most people, the Egyptians considered only what they required for grinding and baking.
life short and death long.
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The story of sourdough
Egypt was the gift of the Nile. The river gave its Some were against the opening of the oven, but
people the soil from which they learned all these no one obeyed; the miraculous chamber was
techniques. And, one day, the river gave them constantly opened to see if the bread was ready.
the art of bread baking. Porridge and at breads One person suggested that an old piece of the
had been the main foods for many centuries – sour dough be saved to leaven the new dough.
not only for prehistoric man, but for civilized And from that day on, reproductive sour dough
society as well. If it weren’t for the Egyptians, was preserved in every Egyptian household.
those societies would never have known the They dared not lose the stuff that raised their
taste of leavened bread. bread.
The Egyptians did everything differently. By We owe all this knowledge to the Egyptian
using their grain in a new way, they made an tombs and the drawings within them.
enormous contribution to civilization, one that
we still bene t from today, thousands of years The Egyptians believed that the dead also had a
later. daily life and that their goal was to return to the
land of the living. Therefore, the Egyptians had to
Other peoples were afraid that their food would protect the body of the dead from decay. They
decompose, but the Egyptians intentionally left embalmed it, wrapped the limbs with linen, and
their dough until it decayed, then observed it, covered the face with a mask of plaster to
mesmerized by the process that took place. That preserve the features. They would lay the body
process was fermentation. Even though on its left side, like a sleeping man, to protect the
fermentation had been known for thousands of heart. Their intention was to make sure that the
years, its nature was mysterious until modern soul, the “ka,” of the dead would return and nd
chemistry advanced. the body habitable.
When they baked their sourdough, the result Thus, the Egyptians believed that they had to
was completely different from what was take care of both the body and soul of the dead.
previously known. The soul needed nourishment so, naturally, bread
was provided. Yet they lived in constant fear that
They couldn’t just bake it on coals of re, so that the dead would go hungry, or that the bread
led them to invent the rst oven, built from bricks would be stolen by evil spirits, or be destroyed
and Nile clay. by magic.
The Egyptians would take their sourdough, salt Bread was the principle food for all Egyptians.
it, and place it in the oven. In awe, they would But it was also much more than food; it signi ed
squat around with friends and family, and wait wealth. For many years, wages were paid in
for the magic to unfold. They had entrusted the bread. The more bread one was paid, the richer
product of their labor to supernatural forces over one was.
which they had no control.
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The Egyptians also wished their bread to be food for

the eyes. On the walls of their tombs, they painted not
only their baking techniques, but also breads with all
kinds of different shapes: braided, round, in the form of
birds or shes, like pyramids…
No mystery or amusement was intended by their

reproductions and drawings. They were created with
the purpose of preserving and sharing vital knowledge.
For thousands of years, the world trembled before the

magical gifts of the Egyptians. Even in the tenth century
A.D., Emperor Diocletian ordered that all Egyptian
chemistry books be burned. This act destroyed their
hard-earned knowledge, the true source of their power
– for everything they had invented was not magic after
all. (Although, I do believe they had a natural
understanding and intuition about how to treat their
dough.)
To me, the story of sourdough is inspirational. It makes

me want to push the fermentation limits of my dough
while pushing myself to do better as a baker.
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The sourdough starter

expert
Your starter and your five senses

The most important thing about open crumb is Understand what’s going on inside the jar. Smell
fermentation, and good fermentation will not it. You should be met with a pleasant aroma,
occur if your starter is not maintained properly. A sweet and fruity; it shouldn’t remind you of paint
starter is a unique thing and should be treated as in any way.
such. It lives in your unique environment. It’s fed
with your our. It is nourished by your unique Learn to trust your eyes to gauge the look of
hands. And, it behaves uniquely. your starter, and don’t compare it to others.
Taste your starter; it should be pleasantly sweet,
I made a lot of mistakes with my starter by with a hint of sourness – and no bitterness.
following generic guidelines. You may be doing
the same. In these pages, I’ll share my mistakes
and how I learned from and corrected them.
When I ditched those guidelines and focused on
the very personal needs of my starter, I learned it
and became an expert on it.
Then, I started seeing improvements with my

bread. I’d like to help you do exactly this with
your unique starter as well.
To get to know your starter, you’ll need to involve

all of your senses in recognizing when it’s strong
and active and ready to leaven. Learn to hear its
sound: rustling, crackling full of life.
While stirring it, touch it with your hand, or just

feel it with the spatula; it should have strong
structure – not be watery, runny or too
extensible.
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The sourdough starter expert
Acidity, temperature control,

homofermentative and
heterofermentative LAB, and
protease activity
In this book, I’ll be discussing the care of a 100% Each of the acids expresses unique
hydration starter, fed with bread our and characteristics that help us to know and
maintained at room temperature. recognize the condition of our starter so we can
take action and address the problems that might
What is a sourdough starter? It’s a living culture occur. And, because we are home bakers
that consists of wild yeast and different kinds of without laboratories, we need to learn to use all
lactic acid bacteria (LAB). Lactic acid bacteria of our senses to help us do this.
produce organic acids and provide avor in
bread. The wild yeast produce carbon dioxide
(CO2) that makes the bread airy. The LAB,
through their fermentation process, provide
glucose that can be used by the yeast so that
t h ey c a n g e t b u sy c o n s u m i n g s u g a rs,
reproducing in peace and producing CO2. But
there’s a catch: the bacteria grow faster than the
yeast and can outnumber them and inhibit their
gas production. This can result in a starter that
doesn’t rise much, which means your dough
won’t rise well either. Your dough and your bread
are both a re ection of your starter.
When I mentioned different kinds of lactic acid, I

meant homofermentative and
heterofermentative lactic acid bacteria. Their
development is affected by temperature,
humidity, our ber content and the level of
hydration.
All these factors affect the production of lactic

and acetic acids, as well as their balance in
sourdough starters.
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Homofermentative LAB
The homofermentative LAB produce mostly lactic acid. When
they are exposed to certain conditions, they can easily take
over and colonize the environment. When this occurs, it has a
big impact on the yeast, which are suppressed and become
inactive. The starter will lose strength and stop growing. And,
the same will happen to your dough if you add this weak
starter to it.
Homofermentative LAB like warm temperatures and humidity.

As they multiply, your starter and your dough will become
more extensible. That extensibility represents weakness. The
dough will feel sticky and kind of spineless. The lactic acid
doesn’t have any smell, but you can detect it by taste, with
your eyes, and your understanding of homofermentative LAB.
Lactic acid has a bitter taste, and you can feel it at the back of
your tongue on both the left and right sides. The taste will be
present in your starter, as well as any bread baked with it.
The inherent weakness from this type of starter will prevent

gluten in the dough from being able to trap and support the
built-up CO2 in your bread. The crumb will end up having
small and closed alveoli, instead of being open. Also, too much
built-up lactic acid will prevent the starches from gelatinizing
during baking. Starches that don’t gelatinize fully can’t provide
strong structure, so the oven spring may suffer.
If you observe those tiny, soapy bubbles on the surface of your

starter, it has been kept at too warm a temperature. The
warmth has encouraged the homofermentative LAB to take
over, throwing the starter off balance.
Since our starter is at 100% hydration, which also encourages

the growth of homofermentative LAB, we need to nd ways to
encourage the heterofermentative LAB to restore the starter’s
balance.
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Heterofermentative LAB
Heterofermentative LAB produce lactic and acetic acids, as
well as CO2, and they are the most suitable for baked
goods. This kind of bacteria represents toughness and
strength; a starter and dough with the right amount of
them will have strong structure. That’s why it’s important
that our starter contains mostly heterofermentatives.
However, just like the homofermentatives, the

heterofermentatives can take over and harm the
development of the yeast by producing too much acetic
acid. If too much acetic acid builds up, it will also affect the
gluten, tightening the dough too much and making it too
elastic, resistant to the point of tearing. Which is the
opposite of extensibility. That toughness will prevent the
bread from rising well in the oven and keep the crumb from
opening up. So we are looking for a balance between
elasticity and extensibility.
Acetic acid is less bitter than lactic acid, and you can taste it
on the tip of your tongue. It also has a strong odor, unlike
lactic acid, which is odorless. If the starter smells pungent
and has taken on a grayish color, too much acetic acid has
built up and created an imbalance in the starter. Some of
this acid will be lost during baking, but the taste will still be
present in the nished bread.
Still, the heterofermentative LAB are not as problematic as

the homofermentatives, and, as I said, it’s good for our
starter to contain mostly heterofermentative LAB.
To encourage the development of heterofermentative LAB,

it’s a good idea to maintain the starter at 73–75ºF (23–
24ºC).
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Yeast
The yeast produce mainly alcohol and CO2 A well-balanced starter will have sweet and very
through their fermentation process. Their pleasant sour notes when you taste it. If your
metabolism favors the presence of oxygen, and bread is too sour, that means larger quantities of
they reproduce well in an abundance of it. As homofermentative LAB are present and are out
you’ll read later, it’s very good to introduce extra of balance with the yeast.
oxygen to the yeast by doing something simple:
stirring your starter. When oxygen is exhausted, If there’s too much built-up acidity (lactic or
their reproduction stops, and they start acetic), this weakens the starter and results in a
producing alcohol and CO2. tight crumb because the acidity is transferred to
your dough. We can avoid this problem by
Just as with the homofermentative and keeping the starter at cooler temperatures and
heterofermentative LAB, too much yeast in our refreshing it frequently.
starter is not good either; it throws off the
balance with the lactic acid. The starter is too Both yeast and bacteria grow fastest in liquid
strong and rises too fast, much sooner than the starters (100% hydration or more), as they have
expected time. This means too much yeast was easier access to food and are able to grow faster.
produced. It could be too strong but without any That’s why it’s very, very important to refresh/
unpleasant smells, so it’s important to notice the feed your starter two or three times per day. By
rate at which the starter rises. Or, it could be too doing this, you can dilute the acidity as you
strong with an unpleasant smell because it has provide fresh food.
produced too much acetic acid.
Before I continue, let me share a mistake I made
A balance between alcoholic and lactic with the feeding of my starter. In the very
fermentation must be struck. beginning, when I was just getting started, I was
feeding 50g of starter with 100g our and 100g
With enriched doughs and the maintenance of a water. I kept it at 80ºF (27ºC) and fed it every
very low hydration starter, a near-perfect 16–18 hours.
balance is mandatory for the desired look of the
nal product. In both situations, controlling First of all, feeding that much seed was
acidity is the most important thing. unnecessary, not to mention that I didn’t give it
enough food to last for such a long period of
The good news is that, with regular sourdough, time. (Of course, you could still feed 50g of seed
open crumb can be achieved even without the if you are planning to bake lots of bread.)
perfect balance. How balanced the starter is will
determine how open the crumb is, so the nal
result will re ect the quality of the starter.
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I was transferring a lot of acidity from each feed If you maintain a rye or other whole grain starter,
to the next. Not only was I feeding it less than it just know that homofermentative LAB really
needed, but I was also doing it post-peak, when thrive with higher ber ours. And the higher the
the starter was already broken down by amount of whole grain, the more ber is present.
proteolytic activity. What is proteolytic activity? So you may want to switch to an all-white
It’s what happens when protease enzymes from starter or add smaller amounts of whole grain
the our degrade protein/gluten bonds in the our to it.
dough.
Among my students, the most common starter
While too much protease activity can result in imbalance I’ve seen is having excess
shaggy dough, a small amount is actually very homofermentative LAB. This happens often
bene cial and can improve both loaf volume and because people maintain their starters at warm
crumb. With absolutely no protease activity, the temperatures and don’t feed them enough. They
bread would be too tough. Protease activity is are told that yeast love warmth because that’s
fastest and strongest in an acidic environment. the practice with commercial yeast. But with
That’s why the starter must be refreshed 2-3 sourdough, it’s a different story: the yeast that
times per day to dilute built-up acidity. live in acidic environments prefer cooler
temperatures, and now you know why.
There is also protease in yeast cells. If there are
dead yeast cells, they leak protease and further Another very common condition among starters
weaken the starter, then the dough. And if your is having a grayish color and a pungent smell
starter contains mostly homofermentative LAB, because they’ve been kept in the fridge and
you’ll be introducing additional protease activity. haven’t been fed for so long that they have
become very acetic. They even have a lm of
Low-grade ours have too much protease and gray water on top. Now, that’s true suffering!
are not suitable for bread baking. With high-
grade ours, the protease activity is low enough I hope this chapter has helped you understand
not to ruin your dough. your starter better, as well as the condition it’s in,
so that you can optimize your starter care
Protease content is controlled at the mill. routine. You want to nourish and maintain a
Different parts of the wheat kernel have different strong, balanced starter that triples or more.
amounts of protease, and low-grade ours are
made from the high-protease part of the kernel.
So, by feeding my starter too little food and

keeping it at warm temperatures (80ºF, 27ºC), I
surely invited the homofermentative LAB to take
over and suppress the yeast. At the time, my
starter was barely doubling in size, and it was
very extensible. Then, I transferred these
characteristics to my dough, which was also very
weak and extensible.
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Do your starter and yourself a

favor: give it a stir
Some of the ideas for my starter care come to
me right before I fall asleep, while I’m counting
coil folds. Others count sheep to ease
themselves into sleep; I count coil folds. Bread is
always on my mind.
So, there I was, somewhere between coil folds

76 and 77, when I was struck with an idea: what
if I treated my starter as a mini-version of bread
dough? What if I did a short autolyse for my
starter, then developed its gluten?
So, I started stirring my starter 1–2 hours after

feeding it. And, I didn’t just stir it aimlessly; I
gave it a few rounds of stretch and folds with
the spatula. By doing this, I was developing
more gluten, just like we do with our dough.
With that come other bene ts, too.
Yeast favors oxygen. By stirring the starter, we

are aerating it, introducing oxygen and
stimulating yeast growth.
The starter also develops better structure, which

helps it maintain a stronger and longer-lasting
peak. In fact, there was a study in which air was
blown over the yeast, and it was proven that the
additional air stimulates yeast growth. The air
provides better conditions for the yeast to work
more ef ciently.
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As we stir, we are equalizing the temperature

throughout the mixture. Yeast gather in clusters, and
when we stir, we also agitate them pleasantly and
distribute them for better fermentation activity,
boosting their metabolism.
We help put them in contact with the sugars they

haven’t gotten to just yet. Stirring makes the starter
really strong and vigorous, giving it the ability to rise
higher.
Did you know that oxygenating the starter also

encourages the heterofermentative LAB to produce
Stirred starter, 12 hours old acetic acid? Just recently, I received a comment on my
IG page about this. It said that oxygenation causes a
20% increase in acetic acid production, and that this
happens automatically at bakeries, where they keep
their starter inside a fermentolevain.
I’ve been stirring my starter for two years now,

essentially creating my own fermentolevain without
even knowing it! Now, of course, too much oxygenation
would not be good. Neither would too much acetic
acid, for that matter. But the amount of oxygenation
from stirring the starter once, or even twice, is very
bene cial. My proof is in the good health of my starter
and the open crumb bread that it produces.
Stirred starter, 12 hours old Observing how my starter’s personality and mood
were improved by a simple stir, I took things a step
further one day by fully developing the gluten in my
100% hydration starter. I used a small, hand-spiral
mixer to do just that. The result was amazingly bubbly
and full of life – a strong and super active starter.
Starter with developed gluten
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Stirring is a very simple but powerful thing to do

for your starter. It takes less than a minute, and I
highly recommend adding it to your starter care
routine. You can stir it 1–2, or 3–4 hours, after
feeding. Remember, though: if you stir it 3–4
hours after feeding, the protease gluten
degradation has begun and is more advanced, so
you’ll need to be more gentle with the stretch
and folds.
Also, if you chose to stir it after 3–4 hours, or

even after ve hours (that sometimes happens
when I forget or am not home at the right time
for stirring), the starter will not hold peak longer
because of the broken-down gluten. I prefer to
stir it two hours after feeding, or even two times
in the rst two hours, at 60-minute intervals. To
fully develop the gluten in your starter, it takes
around 15 minutes. You can chose between
these two methods, whichever you nd to be
best for you and your starter. Not-stirred starter
My starter rarely misses a good stir, and it’s my

pleasure to provide one, since I see how it thrives
with this treatment. But the truth is, I’m totally
under the spell of my starter. I’d do anything for
it.
“We return to each other in waves. This is how

‘starter’ loves.” Those are the beautiful words of
poet Nayyirah Waheed, only I replaced the word
“water” with “starter.”
Of course, if everything else is done right, you

can achieve open crumb sourdough without
stirring your starter. But I highly recommend
giving it a try.
Not-stirred starter
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The importance of peak

Many people misunderstand what it means for their Then, it slowly starts to recede a little bit as it’s
starter to “peak.” I think that’s because there’s a lot getting more bubbly. It starts to dimple here and
of misleading information out there. Or it’s just not there on the surface. Now, the top evens out, but
explained well. I was one of the many misled, and I it’s still very strong and active. This stage is still the
had to learn about my starter’s true peak on my starter’s peak, even though it no longer looks like a
own, through observation and lots of common literal peak on top. A strong and well-maintained
sense – and from mistakes I made. Actually, it was starter will stay at peak for some time (1–1.5
one type of mistake, repeated many times. hours), especially if you’ve given it that much-
needed stir.
When people think of a starter’s peak, they often
take it, literally, to be when it’s rising and reaching To me, “peak” means the peak of activity, when it’s
that dome-like shape on top. They wait for that the most bubbly and wild, happy and strong. This
moment with trepidation, afraid to miss it because is the moment that should excite you, and it’s the
they’ve been told that’s the best time to add it to ideal time to add it to your dough.
their dough.
Of course, a well-treated starter can be used
I was fooled, too – told that this is the moment to when it’s doming, but don’t use it as soon as it
catch it while it still has the leavening power to raise domes (the mistake I repeated many times),
my dough, told that if I miss it, my starter won’t be because then you’d be adding premature starter to
strong enough to ferment my dough. But that’s your dough. This kind of starter is not very active,
simply not true, and I’ll demonstrate it to you. so it won’t ferment your dough well, and you’ll end
up with under-fermented bread.
It is true that you should use your starter at peak.
But let me clarify what “peak” really means and how If you are into pH meters, you can use one to
I understand and practice using it at peak. measure the acidity of your starter. Just know that
a pH meter still can’t tell you much about the
A starter’s peak moment has a few stages. When it balance between the homofermentative and
rst starts peaking, it doesn’t look very active; there heterofermentative LAB present. If you’re looking
are no bubbles on top or on the sides. Then, the for an exact numerical reading at which to add
peaking continues, and more activity is observed: your starter to your dough, it will be pH 3.8 when
there are more bubbles. Then, it continues rising the starter reaches a good peak of activity. That’s
while getting more active. when I add it to my dough.
The peak continues, and the starter is looking more For the last three years, I haven’t measured the pH
con dent. It looks like it’s going to burst with pride of my starter. Recently, I did for the very rst time,
and strength. and, for me, it was just a con rmation that I’ve
been using my starter at the right time. I would still
Then, it continues peaking with more bubbles on
recommend that you get to know your starter
top, and it stays there for some time while getting
using your senses rst.
more active.
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How to feed your starter right

There are three types of mistakes people make Holes form under the crust, indicating over-
when it comes to starter feeding: feeding it too proo ng with proteolytic activity causing weak
early, too late, or too little/infrequently. dough structure while the rest of the crumb
remains tight and dense, indicating under-
When you’re feeding the starter prematurely, it’s
proo ng.
weak and barely active. It still smells like our.
Basically, you are stuf ng it with more food Feeding your starter too late, post-peak, is not
when it’s not hungry or strong yet. As I good either. Then, your starter will be weak
explained in the previous segment, you are because it has eaten all the food available. It will
feeding it too early in its peak stage. feel thin, runny and spineless. Not to mention, it
will be quite acidic.
If you keep doing that with each feed, your
starter will remain weak, and it will not open up If you continue feeding your starter in this state,
your crumb. You must feed it when it’s at peak you will keep transferring that built-up acidity
activity, when it’s the strongest and most active. from one feed to the next. And again, your
When you feed a weak seed of starter (more of starter will only double (or maybe not) in volume.
a doughy mixture without much activity), it will Your crumb will be tight, too, due to the acidity
not have enough strength to ferment your you’ll have transferred from your starter to your
dough. dough.
I did that a few times in the beginning, and when Not feeding your starter enough food will also
I added the star ter to my dough, bulk affect its health. You must give it suf cient food
fermentation was sluggish and tedious without to last until the next feed. Feeding your starter
much activity. My loaves had a dense and dull only once per day won’t reward you with the
crumb, under-fermented. With weak starter open crumb you desire. It will still raise your
added to the dough, bulk fermentation is too bread, yes, but your crumb will be tight. This is
long without much activity while, at the same caused by adding weak and acidic starter with
time, gluten is being degraded by the enzyme pre-digested our to your dough.
protease.
In order to open up your crumb, you need to feed
The nal result is bread that is over-proofed and your starter at least two times per day with
under-proofed at the same time. enough food to last in between feedings.
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An example of well fed and

maintained starter
This example is also my own starter’s regimen, For now, here’s the step-by-step routine for
how I maintain it and make my bread with it. my starter Electra with every little detail:
Choosing a good feeding ratio for your starter is At night, a few hours before bedtime, I take
very important. It took me a while to nd the 10g of very active, strong, bubbly starter at
ratio that worked best for me and my starter. It peak activity, and I feed it with 60g white
seems to me that a lot of people are stuck on the bread our (12.5% protein) and 60g water. I
standard 1:2:2 ratio when it actually can be any place it in a proofer box at a constant
ratio customized to suit your starter. temperature of 74–75ºF (23–24ºC).
Electra – that’s my starter’s name – is fed twice After 1–2 hours, I take my spatula and stir the
per day, every 12 hours, with a ratio of 1:6:6 starter by giving it mini stretch and folds, and
(10g starter, 60g our, 60g water) using strong I do a few rounds. I just grab some of the
bread our. I like knowing that I’ve given it starter at the edge of the bowl with my
enough food to last for 12 hours until the next spatula and ip it over the top. Then, I go all
meal. And, most importantly, I know that I’m the way around until the starter gathers in
diluting the acidity of the starter quite a bit with the middle and it looks tighter. I use a small
this feeding ratio. bowl with a wide opening, and it’s much
easier than if I were using a taller, narrower
What does that mean? It means that a starter
container.
fed with a lower ratio of 1:1:1 or 1:2:2 will be
more acidic compared to a starter fed with a If I stir after 3–4 hours, when there’s much
ratio of 1:6:6. If you choose a lower ratio to feed more activity, that starter has a better
your starter with, you have to feed it at least structure from the fermentation occurring. It
three times per day to assure enough feels billowy and more airy, and stirring will
refreshments to dilute the acidity. slow down the rise a little bit because I’m
degassing it.
Another good thing about a higher ratio of 1:6:6
is that I know that I have enough to make bread After that nice treat of stirring, I leave the
with it instead of preparing a levain/leaven and starter overnight.
waiting an additional 5–6 hours for it to be
ready. But you have to use enough starter seed. The next day, after 12 hours, I am met with a
For example, if you use a ratio of 1:6:6, but with very happy and bubbly good morning.
a small amount of seed, e.g. 5g starter, 30g our,
30g water, you won’t have enough for a loaf of
bread and will have to make a levain. I’ll get into
that some more in a little bit.
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The starter has more than tripled in size to 5x. I

take 10g of that very active starter and feed it
again with 60g our and 60g water, and I
always give it that special stir, just as described
previously.
If I’m going to bake a loaf of bread, I take 70g of

that starter and add it to my dough. The
leftover, I save to make a few favorite things
with(I love making crepes and waf es the
most). You can save it in the fridge if you can’t
use it right away.
And here’s another great thing about this high

ratio for starter maintenance. After I take the
10g and feed it, if I’m not ready to mix my
dough right away, I leave the leftover at 72–
73ºF (22–23ºC) room temperature to double, or
even triple, again in volume. While it’s rising, I
have time to prepare my dough and do an
autolyse. And then, I add it to my dough.
That leftover starter, also wrongly given the

name “discard,” is still full of life and strength. I
don’t like the word discard for something that is 12 HOURS OLD STARTER FED WITH
still very much capable of raising the dough. 1:6:6 RATIO(10:60:60) AT 75F(24C)
How is it that even 12 hours after feeding, the

starter can rise again?
Because, when you take the 10g to feed, you

stir it again and redistribute the sugars that the
yeast haven’t gotten to. That provides additional
food for them, and they gain more strength. I
even use this starter 13–14 hours after feeding!
You don’t have to wait for the leftover starter to

double in order to use it. You can use it
whenever you’re ready. Those additional 1–2
hours just give you some peace of mind. You
have plenty of time.
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The amount of starter you feed

matters. And proper ratio suggestions.
To me, it only makes sense that if a starter is fed Also, I’ve learned and observed that a starter is
more food, the amount of starter receiving the much healthier and vigorous – thriving – when
food has to be bigger as well. And, if a starter mixed in bigger portions. Another thing I’ve
can be underfed, it can also be overfed. noticed is that a starter really loves a bigger
space, such as a wider bowl. It’s airier and
For example, if you feed only 5g of starter with roomier there. So, if you are ready to get over the
50g our and 50g water, don’t you think that thrill of placing your starter in a tall, narrow jar, (it
this amount will be too much for those 5g? I rises quite dramatically, doesn’t it), rent a bigger,
think that giving this big a portion of food to that airier place for it. It will still rise high and thrive
little starter seed is overfeeding it, and some of wide if it’s treated well.
the food will remain undigested. The starter will
have a doughy texture and not be active enough
to perform quality fermentation. It will also rise
sluggishly while getting exhausted.
My observations are that the bigger the amount

of seed fed, the stronger it is and the better it
performs fermentation compared to a very small
amount, e.g. 3–5g. Doesn’t it make sense that
10, 15, or 20g of seed would double the
strength of the population to really boost
fermentation?
It’s the same thing with adding only 10% starter

to your main dough, as opposed to the standard
20%. The bigger amount will perform better
quality fermentation. So, my suggestion to you is
to feed at least 10, 15, or 20g of starter.
And, you can customize the feeding ratio to t

your starter’s needs. For example, some good
ratios are 10–15g starter fed with 60g our and
60g water (1:6:6 to 1:4:4), kept at 74–75ºF (23–
24ºC). Or, 20g starter fed with 100g our and
100g water (1:5:5), kept at 73–74ºF (22–23ºC).
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Building a levain
When I rst started baking sourdough, I always If your starter is maintained well and kept at
built a levain – mostly because I was maintaining lower temperatures (72–75ºF, 22–24ºC), then
a very small amount of starter and didn’t have you can de nitely keep your levain at higher
enough of it to add to my dough. temperatures (80–83ºF, 27–28ºC), and it will
be ready in 4–6 hours. Some good ratios for a
Levain and starter are pretty much the same strong levain are: 25g starter fed with 25g
thing. A levain is just a smaller amount that you our and 25g water (1:1:1); or 15g starter fed
prepare speci cally for baking. Usually, it’s mixed with 30g our and 30g water (1:2:2); or 20g
with a bigger inoculation of seed. For example, I starter fed with 40g our and 40g water (also
was maintaining 10g starter fed with 20g our 1:2:2).
and 20g water. When I was going to bake, I’d
mix a levain with 15g from my main starter and Making a levain for your bake is like giving the
feed it with 30g our and 30g water, and that starter one more refreshment before adding it
whole amount would be added to the dough to the dough, which is a good thing: you are
when it was ready. giving the yeast an additional boost to multiply.
But this extra step isn’t necessary if your
Even when I started feeding my starter at a starter is already thriving.
higher ratio, I continued to build a levain for my
bakes. Until one day when I saw how beautifully You can get great results with both starter and
active my starter was, and I asked myself: “Why levain. The important thing to remember is that
do I need to build a levain now, and wait 5 hours the levain springs from the starter, so you need
for it to be ready? Why can’t I just use my starter a strong, vigorous, and well-maintained starter
right now?” I decided to give it a try, and that to pass its traits on to the levain.
was the day I stopped making a levain and
started using my starter directly!
It baked a very nice, well-fermented, open crumb

bread. Now, pretty much all of my breads are
baked directly with my starter. And, as I
promised earlier, I will demonstrate that you can
bake open crumb sourdough not only with a
young levain, but also with your mature starter,
as well.
So, either option is available to you. You can use

your starter directly or build a levain.
6.5 HOURS OLD LEVAIN FED WITH 1:1:1

RATIO(25:25:25) AT 82F(28C)
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Sweet starter
A sweet starter is a beautiful thing if you want to Adding more sugar will buy you some time; the
eliminate the sour taste in your bread. Adding yeast will have more sugars to eat, so the starter
sugar to your starter will sweeten it and balance will take longer to be fully ready.
its acidity. I’ve baked many times with a sweet
starter and enjoy using it once in awhile. For example, I prepared a starter with 30g of
sugar (50% in relation to the our), and it took
Adding sugar to your starter, or even to your 19–20 hours for the starter reach its peak at
main dough, will give you a sweeter-tasting 75ºF (24ºC).
sourdough and enhance the caramelization
effect during baking, resulting in a crunchy, When adding sugar to the starter, you can lower
nicely browned crust. the hydration a little bit, or even go as low as
50% hydration. This will slow fermentation
The thing to consider when adding sugar to your further, depending also on how much sugar
starter is that it will change the rate of you’ve added.
fermentation. A little sugar will increase the rate
of fermentation, and more sugar will slow it The same principles apply if you decide to add
down. That is because the yeast will consume sugar to your main bread dough.
the available sugar before they start to convert
the starches in the our into sugars. If more
sugar is added to the starter, the sugar – just like
salt – dehydrates some of the yeast cells, and it
takes longer for the living yeast to eat through
the hardened cells to get to their food.
Some examples of how much sugar to add to

your starter are 9–10g sugar for a starter with
10g starter, 60g our, and 60g water (1:6:6). Or,
you can add 12g of sugar. Or even 30g of sugar.
The more sugar you add to your starter, the
longer it will take to ferment. That’s why it’s very
important to observe it and let it get nice and
bubbly, very active. Don’t rush it, and don’t
compare it with the timing for your regular
starter without sugar.
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Starter maintained in the fridge

Even if I didn’t bake everyday, I’d still maintain Simply adding a bit of our won’t do nearly
my starter at room temperature. It’s my personal enough to refresh a starter that’s been kept in
choice and preference. The most important thing the fridge for some time. And, a starter in that
to know is that if your starter is in the fridge for a condition would transfer a whole lot of built-up
long time without being fed, it will become very acidity to your dough. The degree of acidity
acidic. You’ll need to feed it at room temperature would depend on how long the starter had been
for a few days to strengthen it and to dilute the in the fridge without food, and would determine
acidity before you use it to bake. And, you’ll need how many times to feed it before baking. The
to feed it at least twice per day. starter would need to be rebalanced because,
out of the fridge, it is a lot more acetic and very
If the starter is thin and runny after you take it likely to tighten your crumb. Of course, that
out of the fridge, it’s telling you that it needs to acidity would affect the taste of your bread as
be refreshed especially well. Depending on how well.
long it has been in the fridge without food, you
may need to feed it longer at room temperature And, that brings us to the next chapter just in
until you get the right texture and consistency. time: How to…
For example, I placed a portion of my starter in
the fridge for 30 days without feeding it, and it
was so thin and runny that I had to feed it for 11
days until I got the right texture and consistency
back
I decided to try this because I often hear people

say that they took the starter out of the fridge
and added it to the dough right away or fed it
just once before they baking with it. And, of
course, they were surprised that the crumb
wasn’t open.
I know there’s also a standard maintenance

routine out there that involves keeping starter in
the fridge and feeding it additional our without
discarding anything. That might be okay if you’d
like to keep sourdough simple. But to me, there’s
nothing simple about sourdough when you try to
achieve open crumb.
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Reduce built-up acidity with this little

trick
This is probably the most fascinating thing
I’ve discovered for my starter. I rst heard
about it while learning about the creation of
Pasta Madre, the stiff starter with very low
hydration (40%) used for the production of
panettone and other enriched doughs.
As you may know, a lot of work is involved in

the care and maintenance of Pasta Madre,
especially the acidity control. So, when I
learned that one of the ways to absorb some
of starter’s acidity is to add a little bit of egg
yolk, it made a big impression on me. I said to
myself, I must try this with my 100%
hydration starter. After all, if it’s used for a
starter with low hydration, why wouldn’t it
apply to a starter with higher hydration as
well?
Now, not only do I add egg yolk to my starter

as a little treatment, but I also maintain an
additional starter with egg yolk (and a little bit
of sugar). I love it so much – and how well it
performs. To make this starter, I use my
regular ratio of 1:6:6 (10g starter, 60g our,
60g water), replacing 6g of water with egg
yolk (10% or you can use less) and adding 9g
of sugar (15%).
This kind of starter is so unique, and it

represents so much strength. It smells
wonderful, like sweet dough. Because the
yolk absorbs acidity, the starter rises very
high and maintains a steady peak. It also
takes a little longer to reach peak because of
the added sugar.
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For this starter, just as with my regular starter,

I give it that special stir (mini stretch and fold)
and maintain it at the same temperature of
74–75ºF (23–24ºC).
If you maintain your starter in the fridge, I

think adding a little bit of egg yolk to it when
you take it out to feed it is a great option for
diluting some of its built-up acidity. You could
also add the egg yolk 12 hours after the rst
feeding, when you take out the new starter
seed to feed. The amount of egg yolk added
to your starter can be 2–6g. I often add 6g
(10% in relation to the our) to my starter as
part of its care routine, even though I keep it
at room temperature.
If you think your starter is imbalanced and

needs a special treatment, give this a try. If it
feels too tight and tough, it might be too
acetic, and you can treat it with egg yolk. It’s
also great to build your levain using a little bit
of egg yolk.
We can compare pH numbers for the starters

with and without egg yolk: 12–14 hours after
feeding, the starter with yolk has a pH of
3.95, whereas the one without has a pH of
3.83. Lower numbers represent greater
acidity, so the one with egg yolk is
measurably less acidic.
I’ve given my starter this little treatment

multiple times and have seen great results. As
mentioned earlier, I was so impressed that I
now maintain an additional starter with egg
yolk and sugar, and bake with it regularly.
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An egg idea
I don’t remember how I came to the idea of The egg also adds beautiful pastel color to the
adding an egg to my dough as part of the crumb and contributes to a gorgeously
hydration, but I’ve been doing it for almost two caramelized crust during baking. The thing to
years now… and loving everything about it. keep in mind is that the bread bakes faster. But
Adding an egg to the dough brings extra the most important thing to know is that adding
strength to it, since egg contains a lot of protein. an egg to the dough requires higher total
But this kind of protein and the fat from the egg hydration and a much longer bulk! For the
enhances the softness of the crumb, as you obvious reason that extra protein has been
know eggs do. I also like to think that just the added to the dough.
way the egg yolk absorbs some of the acidity in
starter, it does the same in the main dough. Of The taste is very subtle and lovely. The crumb is
course, everything else has to be done right, and creamy, and super tender, and delicate – if
you shouldn’t rely on the egg as an easy x. If fermentation is done right! I encourage you to try
other things are done wrong, an egg won’t help. adding an egg as part of the hydration so you
can see it for yourself.
Bathing your starter?

I know, right?! It sounds really out there, So, how I started bathing my starter… Usually,
especially knowing that I’m talking about bathing when I’ve gathered too much leftover starter or
a starter with 100% hydration. I was debating don’t have time to use the leftover, I discard it. I
whether I should share this with you because I put the bowl with the leftover starter in the sink
can’t really prove anything, except what I’ve and ll it up with water to let it soak for easier
seen with my own eyes. I’m not a scientist, so cleaning. And, every time, I’d observe that the
these are personal rather than scienti c starter would oat to the surface pretty fast and
observations. just oat there for quite some time.
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After a while, I was struck with the notion that the So, you shouldn’t bath your starter if it’s thin and
starter being “bathed” like that might be washing consists mostly of homofermentative LAB. You
off some of the acidity. Next, I decided to try with need to x it rst.
my regular starter – taking a risk that I might end
its life. So, when it was time to feed my starter, I If your starter has the right texture, and you feel
stirred it gently (no stretch and fold, just moved it bodacious and curious, I encourage you to give
around with the spatula), and I poured enough this a try.
water into the bowl to cover the top of the starter.
After 2–3 minutes, the starter oated to the top. I
let it sit there for 10–15 minutes total.
I should mention that before I added the water to

the starter, I dissolved around 5g of sugar in it. I
don’t measure the amount of water, just pour what
I think will be enough.
After its bath, I grabbed 10g from the oating

starter (with my wet hand) and fed it, lowering the
hydration a little bit to 55g of water from the usual
60g (although it’s okay with 60g as well).
With an additional 15g of the bathed starter, I

made a levain for a loaf of bread. I observed a
huge rise in the levain (x7 or more!), kept at 80–
83ºF (27–28ºC). I kept repeating the sugar bath
and observed these same results.
One day, I put the pH meter in the water with the

oating starter, and I actually saw the pH of the
water dropped as acid was released by the starter.
Okay. You might say that it doesn’t matter because
the starter is at 100% hydration and will reabsorb
the acidity, that – unlike with a very stiff starter –
this acidity can’t be squeezed out. I have had those
exact same thoughts. But, since I see how high a
levain rises with seed from the bathed starter, I
think most of the acidity must be left in the water.
I never let the starter bathe more than 10–15

minutes. I’ve noticed that after about 20 minutes, it
starts to disintegrate and fall to the bottom of the
bowl.
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Step-by-step creation of a strong and

vigorous starter
Let’s make a starter from scratch!
I’m going to try my best to guide you in creating a strong and balanced 100% hydration starter. I’ll
describe the consistency of the starter, as well as possibilities for what it could or should look and smell
like at different stages, at different temperatures, and with different ours… there’s nothing generic about
creating a starter. Your starter is very unique from the very beginning of its existence.
Let’s BEGIN!
The Initial Mix
Mix 50g our with 50g water. We will be making a starter

with strong, all-white bread our. When I say strong, I mean
with around 12.5–13% protein. If your our has less, e.g. 11–
11.5% protein, then the starter will be behaving in a different
way, as it will be ready sooner and will not hold its peak as
steadily as if you use strong bread our.
Too strong a our, say 14–15–16% protein, is not good,

either. It will be too heavy and sti ing for the microbes. At
least that was my observation when I was feeding my starter
with 14% protein our. Some of the our was left undigested,
and the starter was weak; the texture was doughy feeling
and kind of stretchy, like gum.
So, somewhere in the middle is good (12.5–13% protein).
After you mix the our with water, place it somewhere warm,
around 80–83ºF (27–28ºC), mostly covered, with the lid
slightly ajar. I use a dough proofer that maintains constant
temperature.
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12 hours later
After 12 hours, stir the starter. It should feel runny
and thin. If you use our with lower protein, it will
probably be very runny. There won’t be any
activity. After stirring, let it rest for an additional 12
hours. So, for the rst 24 hours, you just need to
stir it once, and that will be all for the day.
24 hours later
A starter risen and fallen on day 4
After that, take 50g of the mixture (it will be
runny), and feed it with 50g our and 50g water.
Let it sit at 80–83ºF (27–28ºC) again. Stir it after
5–6 hours, and leave it alone for another 6–7
hours, a total of 12 hours. There will be very little
or no activity at this stage. Or, maybe you’ll
observe more activity, which is great. Then, it
might lose that activity, but don’t worry – that’s
normal. You might see just a little rise, too.
36 hours later First sign of activity on day 4. A

Take another 50g of the starter (it will be runny, very hungry starter.
that’s normal), and feed it again with 50g our and
50g water. Let it sit again at 80–83ºF (27–28ºC)
After 60 hours
for 12 hours, stirring it after 5–6 of those hours. At
the end of the 12th hour, you might see more After 12 hours, take 40g of starter (it will be
activity, more bubbles on top and a little rise. It will runny), and feed it 40g our and 40g water.
smell a little unpleasant, but that’s normal. Let it sit at 75–76ºF (24–25ºC) for 12
hours. Stir it after 5-6h. You should see
more activity, more bubbles and more rise.
This is day four or so. You might start
48 hours later seeing activity earlier or maybe later. I was
once helping a friend of mine make a
After the 12th hour, take 40g of starter (it will be
starter, and it took 14 days for her to see
runny), and feed it with 40g our and 40g water.
any activity. We were both using the same
Let it sit at 75–76ºF (24–25ºC) for 12 hours. Stir it
our. She was in Washington state, and I’m
after 5–6 hours. You might see more and more
in Florida.
activity, bubbles on top and more of a rise.
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After 72 hours
Again, take 40g starter and feed it with 40g our
and 40g water. Let it rest at 75–76ºF (24–25ºC) for A starter
12 hours. Stir it after 5–6 hours. 2h after
feeding
on day 5
After 84 hours and

beyond
After those 12 hours, you should see a lot of bubbles

on top, kind of like soap bubbles, and you might see
a mark on the jar indicating how high the starter has A starter
risen and fallen from. When you start seeing that, it 4h after
means the starter is gaining strength and will soon feeding
need more food. on day 5
From that point on, start observing how fast it rises

and how high. It will start smelling really pleasant,
like fermented fruit. The starter won’t be runny
anymore. Once your starter reaches this consistency,
you can start giving it mini stretch and folds as part
of its care routine. A starter
6h after
After those 12 hours, you should see a lot of bubbles feeding
on top, kind of like soap bubbles, and you might see on day 5
a mark on the jar indicating how high the starter has
risen and fallen from. When you start seeing that, it
means the starter is gaining strength and will soon
need more food.
From that point on, start observing how fast it rises

and how high. It will start smelling really pleasant,
A starter
like fermented fruit. The starter won’t be runny
8h after
anymore. Once your starter reaches this consistency,
feeding
you can start giving it mini stretch and folds as part
on day 5
of its care routine.
Feed 40g starter with 40g our and 40g water. Let it
rest at 75–76ºF (24–25ºC). Stir it after 2–3 hours.
From now on, when I say “stir,”
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I mean to give it mini stretch and folds with the spatula. The
starter, no longer runny, will develop a better consistency and
tighter structure. For the next 2–3 days, keep feeding the starter
with that ratio (1:1:1 with 40g of seed) at that temperature, and
feed it every 12 hours and stir it regularly giving it mini stretch
and folds after 1-2-3h. Observe it, and learn its needs and
personality.
After these few days, it’s time to slowly start feeding your starter
more. Feed 20g of the starter with 40g our and 40g water.
Keep it at 75–76ºF (24–25ºC). Stir it after two hours.
A 10-day-old starter ready to leaven
After 12 hours, feed it again with the same ratio of 1:2:2, and
keep it at 75–76ºF (24–25ºC). Stir it after two hours. Pay
attention to how fast and how high the starter is rising. Does it
rise and then fall? If it does, give it more food. You can start
feeding 20g starter with 50g our and 50g water. Keep it at 75–
76ºF (24–25ºC).
Don’t forget to stir it! Continue observing how the starter is

behaving. Gradually start increasing the ratio every 12 hours.
Next, you might want to feed it with 60g our and 60g water. If it
keeps rising high and falling, it needs more food. Pay attention to Starter activity after 10 days and forward.
that. Keep increasing the ratio in small increments until you reach
the desired one for your starter. If you decide to feed it every 12
hours, then maybe a 1:6:6 ratio at 75ºF (24ºC) would be good for If you keep it at high temps and
you. Or, you might decide to feed it three times a day with a 1:1:1 humidity, those soapy bubbles you
or 1:2:2 ratio every few hours. see on top of the starter page 35,
will always be there, and it’s not a
With each day, the starter will be gaining strength, and you will
sign of a good health.
observe more activity. The most important things are the
temperature (start with warm temps, then lower it) and the ratio With the right care and
(once you start seeing the starter rise and fall, give it more food, maintenance, the starter could be
but little by little; it’s still young, and it won’t be able to handle a ready to levain your bread in 10
big portion at once). days. When I rst created my
starter, I gave it a test after 10
Increase the ratio slowly. If you keep seeing those soapy bubbles
days of regular and proper care.
on top, it means it’s very hungry, and it’s too hot. It’s okay if you
feed it at that stage in the beginning, but don’t make it a habit to From the earlier chapter, you know
let the starter get to that point every day, especially after it’s well- a lot about temperature control
established and strong. and the different kinds of LAB, as
well as how they affect the starter,
You want to maintain that strength by feeding it on time.
which will also affect your crumb.
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The method
The Method
Autolyse
Autolyse is a very unique and fascinating part of The autolyse reduces dough strength and plays
sourdough bread baking. It’s the stage when you a big part in keeping this resistance more
mix just the our and water together, a time for manageable.
dough rest and dough smoothing.
Another great thing about autolyse is that the
During autolyse, water fully hydrates the enzymes in the our start to convert the starches
proteins in the our, and gluten bonds form. The into sugars, which become food available to the
water helps the gluten molecules nd each yeast. It will also have a great effect on your
other. They bond randomly, grabbing at the rst bake, as those sugars are going to caramelize
thing they bump into and are disoriented. These the crust of your bread beautifully.
kinds of bonds are weak, and that’s why when
we pull at the dough right after mixing our with When working with whole wheat ours or whole
water, it rips. meal, autolyse is very helpful because the grain
will have a chance to fully hydrate and soften,
So, you cover the bowl, and let the magic unfold. especially the bran, which might otherwise cut
The dough is self-smoothing, and better, through gluten bonds and reduce the nal
stronger bonds are formed without even mixing. volume of the loaf. The resulting dough will be
Thank you, Mr. Calvel! strong enough to express itself with a big jump
in the oven.
Autolyse is very important for open crumb
sourdough. During this period, the protease Isn’t that a nice little package of goodies that
enzyme/protein in the our starts to break down autolyse offers?!
and softens the gluten. The weakened gluten
balances the strength brought from the acidity The timing for autolyse can range from 30
(the right acidity) of the starter later on, as well minutes to 12 or more hours. As you will read
as making it much easier for the bread to bloom later in my recipes how I play with overnight
in the oven. autolyse and how I manage it. The longer it is,
the less time you spend mixing to develop the
Both the high-protein our used and the added gluten. For a longer autolyse, like overnight, a
acidity from the starter create a lot of strength, strong our with higher protein (12–13%) is
resistance for the dough to push through. needed, and it needs to be kept at lower
temperatures (69–72ºF, 20–22ºC) and lower
hydration.
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There’s an option to add salt during the I don’t use the fridge for anything but nal dough
overnight autolyse because salt slows down proof.
enzymatic activity.
Of course, open crumb can be achieved with
Some people even prefer to do an overnight very short autolyse or no autolyse at all. It’s your
autolyse with the dough in the fridge. I personal choice. Or, you could do a short
personally have never added salt or placed the autolyse with the starter added to the our and
dough in the fridge during overnight autolyse. At water when you rst mix them (also called
low temperatures of 69–72ºF (20–22ºC), there’s “fermentolyse”). Just know that fermentation
no need to be too concerned about enzymatic begins when the starter is added.
activity.
Mixing
Autolyse is the quiet counterpart to mixing, and While mixing, you’ll notice how organized the
it does a lot silently. It gives you a good head dough is becoming, as it feels stronger.
start on gluten development; when you pull at
the dough an hour or two into the autolyse, it As we mix, we aerate the dough, introducing
won’t tear as it did in the beginning. And, if you oxygen to it. But, more importantly, we are
decide to try an overnight autolyse, you’ll wake creating air bubbles. I learned this from one of
up with fully developed gluten. my books (which I’ll share in the end), and I
thought it was very interesting.
The starter is added right after autolyse, and a
gentle mixing begins with your chosen method.
There are quite a few to choose from. I mix by
hand using the Rubaud method. Another option
is the slap and fold on the counter, created by
Mr. Richard Bertinet. Or, you can use a stand
mixer, being careful not to over-mix and tear the
dough. Mixing allows the protein and water
molecules to rearrange themselves and form
better bonds.
Weak bonds are broken and stronger ones are

created. When you add the starter to the dough,
you spread it on top, dimple it in and mix until it
is well incorporated.
The acidity from the starter will add to the

strength of the dough.
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The method
Did you know that air bubbles are created only Air bubbles are created only during mixing, and
during mixing? The yeast don’t create new air the yeast don’t produce new ones. Nor are they
bubbles. A very common understanding is that created during folding and shaping. With folding
gluten, like a balloon, traps carbon dioxide (CO2) and shaping, we only rearrange the air bubbles
produced by the yeast during fermentation. that already exist. So, as you can see, it’s very
Actually, that CO2 goes into solution (liquid) in important to mix and develop your dough well!
the dough, and becomes gaseous only if it
encounters one of the air bubbles created during With a long autolyse, a good mixing time is 2–3
mixing. minutes, with a gentle touch so you don’t tear
the gluten that has already formed. Mix just to
If gluten traps CO2 like a balloon and prevents incorporate the starter.
gas from leaving a bubble, wouldn’t it also be
true that gluten would prevent gas from entering If you haven’t had much time and your autolyse
a bubble? Scientists were debating that very was short, then you can mix a little longer (3–4
question. minutes), let the dough rest for 5–7 minutes, and
mix again for one minute. Your dough should
The CO2 inside an air bubble stays there look and feel supple, smooth, glossy, and strong.
because the surrounding dough is lled with Watch your dough and learn it, changing the
dissolved CO2, constantly produced by the timing if necessary.
yeast. The newly produced CO2 dissolves into
the dough until it nds a bubble to enter. Natural Mixing times are also different based on varying
lipids and protein in the our work together to levels of hydration. With a high hydration, it
retain gas in the dough. Mixing enables the makes sense to mix a little longer, of course.
gluten to form chains and nets that will resist the And, it’s much easier to incorporate the starter
building pressure as CO2 migrates into the air and the salt.
bubbles.
After you’ve mixed your starter into the dough,
The structure of the bubble’s outer layer was you let it rest for 30 minutes, and then add the
examined, and it was discovered that it contains salt. You don’t add the starter and salt together
mostly protein. Underdeveloped dough is dull, because salt interferes with fermentation, and
with doughy air bubble walls that don’t retain you want fermentation to get a good start. (The
gas well. Well-developed dough has a shiny subject of salt and its effects on the dough will
look, with air bubble walls of protein that trap be discussed in more detail in the next chapter.)
and retain gas very well. The walls expand
To mix the salt into the dough, sprinkle it on top,
during baking and can hold the gas in the
dimple it into the dough (as with the starter), and
bubbles. As the dough develops, it draws protein
incorporate it gently. At rst, the dough will fall
to the bubble walls, and when it expands in the
apart, but don’t worry. Just continue mixing until
oven, there’s enough protein to allow the
the salt is absorbed. Round into a ball, and let
bubbles to extend without breaking.
the dough rest for 30 minutes.
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Lamination
After a thorough autolyse and good gluten Stretch the dough to form a rectangle (14 x 20
development with mixing, it’s time to build inches, or 35 x 50 cm, or smaller). You can
much-needed dough strength. Lamination is a sprinkle seeds, or anything else you may want to
good place to start because it can give the add, on top of the stretched dough. Fold the
dough a signi cant amount of strength. It’s also dough from each side in the same way you fold
a very convenient way to add seeds or anything a letter, then fold again to form an approximate
else to your dough. You simply place your dough square, and transfer it to a clean bulking dish. I
on a wet counter and gently stretch it with wet prefer using a rectangle shape dish.
hands, starting from the inside (center) out.
Lamination is optional. You can skip it if you
I recommend wetting your countertop well, even wish.
if it’s a little slippery when you rst start
stretching the dough. Not to worry – the dough
will absorb the water fast. It is much better than
having a counter that is too dry, because your
dough will stick and tear. And you don’t want
that!
Bulk fermentation
90% of open crumb is high quality fermentation. But before that, at the beginning of my
As I said earlier, good fermentation won’t sourdough journey, I had baked a few loaves,
happen if your starter is weak and unbalanced. and they looked nothing like the yeasted dough I
Most people have a fear of over-fermenting the knew. I thought, after this many hours ( ve, to be
dough. I hear it constantly: “I was afraid to exact, at around 74ºF / 23ºC, which wasn’t long
extend bulk fermentation because I thought I enough, of course), it must be ready – even
would over-ferment the dough.’’ though my eyes told me differently. So, I started
extending the fermentation time until my eyes
I learned the opposite way. I was afraid of under- saw a big and puffy dough.
fermenting the dough. Before sourdough, I
baked quite a few loaves with commercial yeast
and knew what a big, well-fermented dough
looked like. Using that image as a visual helped
me a lot in knowing when my sourdough was
truly well fermented.
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The method
I wish I had known back then to take a photo of The yeast start to convert starches into sugars,
my rst sourdough bread so I could show you then consume them and produce CO2, some of
how under-fermented it was. It still had which gets dissolved in the dough and some of
somewhat good oven spring (at least I thought which enters the air bubbles created during
so). It even had an ear, and I was quite mixing. The growing bubbles cause the dough to
impressed. rise.
But, when I sliced it, I was met with a very dense Organic acids produced during fermentation
crumb and a sour taste. And again, it wasn’t the contribute to the avor of your bread. These
crumb my eyes recognized from the yeasted acids also help with the structure of the dough
bread that sprung from well-fermented dough. I by strengthening it.
learned quickly that the processes are so
different from one another that I needed to give Fermentation plays a big part in dough structure,
the sourdough as much time as it needed to too. As air bubbles lled with CO2 expand, the
ferment until my eyes saw that big and puffy dough gets bigger and becomes stronger.
dough again.
Another way of building dough structure is
Unfortunately, some bakers advise beginner through performing coil folds. They are much
bakers to under-ferment the dough if they wish gentler than stretch and folds. Coil folds build
to bake bread with less of a sour avor. To me, layers upon layers, and these layers give the
this is unacceptable. Why not encourage them dough body and spine. With each coil fold, and
to balance and strengthen their starters, the as fermentation progresses, the dough is getting
most likely source of acid (and that sour taste in bulkier, holding shape better.
the bread), then give their dough enough time to
ferment so they can enjoy airy, light, well- Coil folds also equalize temperature throughout
fermented, easily digestible bread? Besides, the dough for optimal fermentation, as well as
under-fermenting bread won’t necessarily rid it organize and subdivide the air bubbles created
of its sour taste. On the contrary, the bread may during mixing. How you fold the dough kind of
still be sour because of the (acidic) condition the determines the look of your crumb. Folding too
starter is in. loose or too tight will strongly in uence the
arrangement of the alveoli in the crumb.
The craft of sourdough lies in recognizing well-
fermented dough. Folding the dough during bulk fermentation also
aerates it and introduces more oxygen.
Bulk fermentation begins when you add the
starter. The yeast quickly consume oxygen The number of times you fold the dough
introduced into the dough during mixing, and depends on the hydration of the dough. High-
fermentation continues in the absence of hydration doughs are more relaxed and
oxygen. extensible, so they require more coil folds at
shorter intervals in order to build enough
structure.
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For example, 4–5 folds total, with one performed However, if you maintain your starter at higher
every 30–45 minutes. If the hydration is much temperatures, and your bulk fermentation is also
higher, some doughs even need folding every 20 at higher temperatures, then homofermentative
minutes. Low-hydration doughs need less LAB are likely to be present in higher numbers,
folding, 1–2 total folds at the most, and at longer creating an imbalance. Their presence will
intervals, such as every 60 minutes. suppress the yeast, which thrive at lower
temperatures in an acidic environment.
Eventually, you’ll know the dough well enough
that you won’t need to follow exact times; you’ll I usually bulk ferment my doughs at 72–75ºF
just watch how it’s developing and fold it when (22–24ºC), as these are the temperatures that
you think it needs it. If it keeps relaxing and have given me the best results. From when I rst
spreading in the bulking dish, fold it. As long as add the starter, up to the lamination step, my
you build good dough structure. doughs are kept at 72ºF (22º C) room
temperature. When the dough is stretched on
Folding the dough at an earlier or later stage of the cold counter during lamination, the dough
bulk fermentation matters. If you build good, temperature drops a little. Right after that, I place
strong dough structure in the beginning, the my dough in a proofer set to 75ºF (24ºC), and
dough will be stronger and able to hold more of the temperature of the dough goes back up
the gas that builds up during fermentation. I quickly, especially if it’s a small batch. That’s
think fermenting under tension is more effective where it remains until bulk fermentation is
than tr ying to trap gas in weaker, nished.
underdeveloped dough.
When you add the starter to your dough, take a
Of course, folding later during bulk fermentation peek at the clock just to note the time for
is ne, too. I just think that if I build dough reference. But please, after that, don’t look at the
structure in the beginning, before the gluten is clock, nervously counting the hours, concerned
broken down by proteolytic activity (which is my that you might over-ferment. Watch the dough,
preference), my dough is trapping and keeping and observe how it’s developing. Trust your
more of the gas produced during bulk. eyes! If the clock tells you that seven hours have
passed since you’ve added the starter, but your
It’s important to measure the temperature of the eyes still see a small dough that lacks character,
dough after each coil fold and to maintain it. I’ve which will you trust?
had the best results with 75–76ºF (24–25ºC)
dough temperature. The most common dif culty people have is
recognizing when to end bulk fermentation. And
As with the starter, the right temperature during that’s mostly because they look at the clock, not
bulk fermentation is very important. My the dough. People are terri ed of over-proo ng.
suggested temperatures for bulk fermentation But which would you prefer eating: a well-
are 74–75–76ºF (23–24–25ºC). Of course, if your fermented, “over-proofed” loaf with a crumb that
starter has been kept at temperatures of 72– is light, airy and soft, or a loaf with a tight,
75ºF (22–24ºC), you may choose to ferment at grumpy, dense crumb that didn’t ferment well?
warmer temperatures of 80–82ºF (27–28ºC).
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The method
A good tip for deciding when to end bulk That’s why it’s important to learn from the very
fermentation is to push it longer, and then make beginning to watch the dough, not the clock.
adjustments from there. Start with a longer bulk,
observe the results, and you’ll know what to All these factors urge you towards watching the
change for the next loaf. Your dough is your best dough, not the clock. Don’t rush it. Give it time.
teacher. After all, it’s natural fermentation – wild – and it
will do its own thing. You just give it a good hand.
If you feel unsure about shaping big puffy dough,
or if you need more practice, take your time. Until After the last coil fold, the dough is left to relax
then, you have the option to shape the dough and continue developing. It could be 1–2, or even
earlier, when it’s still a little under fermented and three or more hours, after the last coil fold before
is more extensible, obedient and not so impish. shaping. Let the dough relax enough so that it’s
But, after you shape it, you must let it nish extensible and doesn’t ght you when you go to
fermenting at the same temperature before you shape it. You want to create a balance between
put it in the fridge. Many bakers prefer to do it extensibility and elasticity. If you coil fold the
this way. dough too close to shaping time, it won’t be
relaxed enough, and it will resist you.
My understanding and preference is that if I
shape my dough when it’s big, puffy and well Some books suggest that you shouldn’t leave the
fermented, I am degassing it a little bit while dough untouched for more than 1–1.5 hours after
shaping, which will encourage it to rise better for the last fold. If I don’t see what I’m looking for in
the second time. Also, degassing it a bit will my dough in these 1–1.5h, I can’t shape it like that;
make the crumb more even. My observations are I’ll wait until I am happy with what I see, even if it’s
that if the dough is shaped when it’s not well 2–3–4–5 hours after the last fold!
fermented, it can result in big, trapped air
Well-fermented dough will look puffy, glossy, and
bubbles, which are very different from the alveoli
smooth, with rounded edges. It’s alive and in good
of high-quality fermentation.
spirits. It will release from the bulking dish with
The ours you use can affect the length of bulk ease when you ip it over to shape. Bulk
signi cantly. White ours generally take longer fermentation can range from six hours to even 9–
to rise than whole wheat ours because they 10 hours, depending on the temperature and
have lower enzymatic activity. High-hydration other variables mentioned.
doughs rise faster than low-hydration ones
It’s all up to you – and what degree of
because water boosts enzymatic activity.
fermentation you want. I understand that some
Additions to the dough also play a part in the
people prefer their crumb a little tighter, and that is
length of bulk fermentation. Some slow it down,
perfectly ne. But, if you want that lacy crumb,
while others speed it up.
you’ll need to ferment the dough longer.
Altitude is another thing to consider, as it also
When bulk fermentation ends, it’s time to shape
affects the rate of fermentation. If you are up in
the dough. Since there’s no pre-shaping here, your
the mountains, your dough will ferment faster. At
last coil fold should be performed neatly, as it will
sea level, it will take longer.
play the same role a pre-shape would.
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Shaping
Think of shaping as the nal tting for a custom- You need that con dence to successfully shape
made haute couture gown. This is your last the dough tight enough and to move the gas to
chance to arrange the air bubbles in the dough the edges of the dough.
and to create the alveoli pattern in your crumb.
The dough is lled with gas, so a gentle hand is Shaping creates a smooth and rm outer layer.
required. Shaping removes some of the gas. The That much-needed tightness will help the dough
remaining gas is spread throughout the dough, rise evenly and maintain a better shape. Proo ng
and these air bubbles are available for the CO2 under pressure is important. A dough shaped
to enter. As I mentioned earlier, in order for the with the right tension will assure a good crumb
CO2 to become gaseous, it needs bubbles. That structure without big holes among tighter areas.
allows the dough to rise again.
With shaping, you give the dough additional
As you shape the dough, gas bubbles are moved strength, too. That strength will produce a tall
around and pushed to the edges of the dough. and rounded loaf. A dough that’s shaped tighter
They escape into the atmosphere. The molecules will take longer to rise because more gas needs
of CO2 that remain settle inside the dough near to be produced to push through that strength. If
air bubbles with higher pressure. You want to it’s too tight, the bread will struggle to bloom in
make sure that you don’t trap the ones that are the oven during baking.
escaping. Pop them, and let them go. Otherwise,
they’ll ruin your crumb. There are many ways to shape the dough. I’ve
chosen the simplest one with minimal handling.
Earlier on, I was guilty of not popping many air Over-handling can raise the dough temperature
bubbles and ended up with “bread for the or tear the gluten. “Less is more” applies here. I
ducks,” as one of my followers described it. A share daily videos of dough shaping on my
giant hole would stare me down and put Instagram page. Make sure to check them out.
pressure on the rest of the crumb, preventing it
from opening up. Since then, I’ve learned a giant If you’d like to pre-shape the dough, that step
lesson. Sometimes, those big bubbles still sneak will add more strength to the dough, and it will
in, even though you thought you popped them help in attaining more even shaping.
all. With time, your hands will develop a feel for
Good shaping and understanding come with lots
where the air bubbles are in the dough.
of practice. With each loaf you shape, you’ll
It is very important to be gentle. Gentle, but shape yourself into a better baker.
con dent.
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The method
Proofing
There’s nothing much for you to do during There are a few bene ts to proo ng the shaped
proo ng but wait for the dough to proof itself. loaf in the fridge. As you know so well, bakers
After a slight degassing during shaping, the work very hard to make bread, and the job
dough wants to prove to you that it can rise comes with late nights and very early mornings.
again. Of course, with the good hand you gave it, The idea of proo ng the bread in the fridge came
you are in the spotlight as well, proving that from Viennese bakers who started
you’ve done well with mixing, fermenting, experimenting and found it very convenient. The
building dough strength, shaping, etc… low temperatures slow down the fermentation
process a lot, and it takes the yeast much longer
You want to make sure that you give the dough to raise the dough. That long, slow fermentation
enough time to reach its maximum rise so that also allows the yeast and bacteria to develop
your crumb opens evenly. If the dough is not deeper avors in the bread.
proofed well, there won’t be enough air bubbles
with CO2 to help the dough express itself with a Another bene t of proo ng in the fridge is that
nice big jump in the oven. The bread will be it’s much easier to handle cold dough than warm
small – the crumb, dense. dough without causing too much gas loss (and
gas is precious leavening power). Also,
temperature cycling from warm to cold, to warm
again, redistributes air bubbles in the dough and
encourages a more open and irregular crumb
structure.
Good proo ng times are 10–15 hours in

the fridge at 38–40ºF (3–4ºC). Or, leave it
there even longer if you wish. The longest
I’ve proofed my dough in the fridge is 19
hours.
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I used to proof very weak dough which didn’t Although as you’ll see later in my recipes, my
rise much or at all in the fridge. It suffered from a bulk and proof times are always long, I don’t
lack of body and structure strong enough to compromise one over the other.
retain gases. I also wasn’t building enough
tension during shaping. In order for the dough to But, you still want to make sure that most of the
proof well, you need strong structure and good fermentation occurs at desirable warm
tension. temperatures rather than in a cold fridge. For
example, if you shorten your bulk fermentation a
Another option for proo ng times is 8–9 hours, lot and put the dough in the fridge for 20–24
especially if the temperatures in your fridge are a hours, or even longer, you might think that a
little higher; or if there’s high humidity outside; or longer proof will compensate for the difference.
if you’ve added less salt to the dough, as that But yeast don’t thrive at those cold
would speed up fermentation. Eventually, you’ll temperatures, and maybe you won’t achieve
gure out what’s best for you. good quality fermentation. It may still raise your
dough, but will it open up the crumb?
Adding mature starter to your dough can proof
your dough faster, while adding a young levain
can provide peace of mind that your dough will
be okay with a little longer proof. If bulk
fermentation is longer, you can shorten proof
time. Similarly, if bulk fermentation is shorter, you
can extend proo ng.
Proo ng is a different stage of

fermentation. The dough continues
fermenting until it’s placed in the oven.
Even there, it ferments for a very short
time before the oven reaches the
temperature at which yeast die.
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The method
Scoring
Scoring is very important, as it’s going to affect If the dough is not scored, it will burst open near
how the bread blooms in the oven during baking, a trapped air bubble or another weak spot.
as well as the nal shape of the bread. Scoring
also becomes like your signature. Just like the Score evenly so the bread will open evenly, as it
Egyptians, we must strive for visual appeal, for follows the direction of the cut. And, just like
bread is eaten with eyes, as well. All of our shaping, your scoring will get better and better
senses are involved in making and eating bread. with each loaf.
The purpose of scoring is to create a soft spot for You need to score with con dence. Or, if you are
the bread to express itself in the oven. This helps more on the slow and precise side, you can get a
the dough to spring and produce a loaf with smoother cut if you wet your blade or dip it in oil
greater volume. Of course, all of the other steps so it doesn’t get caught on the dough.
involved have to be done right as well.
The depth of the score also affects the rise of the

dough and the nal product. A deeper cut will
help the dough open more, but if it’s too deep,
the dough can collapse. If the dough is very
well-fermented, you want to score it more
shallowly so that doesn’t happen. Strong dough
can be scored deeper, even if it’s well fermented
and full of gas.
Under-proofed dough can also be scored

deeper. So, both under- and “over-proofed”
dough can be scored deeper, as long as it’s
strong.
To score your dough, you can use a lame or a

very sharp knife. You also have to score at an
angle if you want the bread to have an ear.
Ah, the ear! I have some things to say about the

coveted ear. If you want two ears, you have to
score right in the middle of the dough at a 90
degree angle
You can also score all kinds of beautiful patterns

to make your bread look pretty.
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Hung up on the ear?

Before I continue on with baking, I’d like to take a When an artist paints a painting, he or she
detour and talk to you a bit more about the bread doesn’t just focus on a small part of the canvas…
ear, since that’s what a lot of people want to see they work on the entire painting because all the
the moment they lift the lid of their baking objects are one. They re ect on one another and
vessel. And, they are so disappointed if there’s are connected. They each shine light on one
no ear. I was, too. another in a unique way. That’s how a baker
should bake bread, too, thinking about and
Then, with time and more baking, I learned that w o r k i n g o n a l l t h e va r i a b l e s i n v o l v e d
having an ear doesn’t necessarily mean getting simultaneously.
an open crumb. Quite the opposite: having a
very de ned and well-expressed ear often Instead of going for the easy x of under-
means that the bread is under-fermented. fermenting in order to get an ear, I hope you will
focus on getting an ear and fermenting your
The same is true with oven spring. Under- bread well at the same time.
fermentation can express itself in two different
ways. With a big oven spring the gluten is intact
and not broken down so it still has the strength
to push and jump big and deliver an ear, but
getting a big oven spring doesn’t mean the
crumb will be open. The opposite can be true,
too; the bread can still be under-fermented with
no ear and small oven spring. In this case, maybe
the dough was scored in the wrong way. Or it
was shaped too tight. There are so many things
to pay attention to.
Even knowing this, people still say they want the

ear, and they have been encouraged to under-
ferment their dough to get it. They get the ear,
and then they ask why the crumb is not open.
It’s all about balance and the rate of

fermentation. Less fermented dough, bigger ear.
More fermented dough, smaller ear. And the ear
gets smaller or even disappears as the bread
reaches an advanced stage of fermentation.
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The method
Baking
Have you heard of the Festival of Fornicalia? It’s Like Mr. Hamelman said, it’s hard to ignore the
a very interesting event from the ancient Roman connection.
calendar, celebrated on February 17th. I read
about it in the book Bread by Jeffrey Hamelman. For a very long time, bread was baked in clay or
brick ovens that were heated by wood re.
The day of fornicalia was dedicated to Fornax, Today, we mostly bake in metal electrical ovens
the Goddess of ovens. Bakers decorated their that only heat up to 500ºF/250ºC or 525ºF/
ovens with garlands of owers, and gifts were 274ºC. When I say “we,” I mean us home bakers.
offered to the oven goddess; prayers were made Of course, some bake in gas ovens. From what
for the wheat crop, which was sown around that I’ve read, my understanding is that electrical
time. ovens are better at maintaining heat.
The oven has always been associated No matter how you bake your bread, the
with the generation of life. important thing is that you create steam in the
oven or in the baking vessel you use, whether it’s
a cast iron Dutch oven or something else. Steam
We’ve all heard the expression about a pregnant
increases the transfer of heat from the oven to
woman having “a bun in the oven.” But also, the
the dough, and that causes the air bubbles
inside of the vagina walls is called the fornix,
within to expand faster.
which is very similar to fornax.
Steam also keeps the surface of

the dough moist, creating a lm
of water, which keeps it exible
and prevents it from forming a
crust too soon. It keeps it moist
for long enough that the dough
can expand and express its full
oven spring. Steam also creates
blisters all over the crust, which
is thinner and has a glossiness to
it. (Although, I think that blisters
are also a result of well-
fermented bread.)
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Too much steam, on the other hand, can affect I am into thicker crusts, so very often after the
the rise of the bread and its oven spring. It can bread is nished baking, I’ll leave it inside with
atten the bread, especially if the dough is at a the oven at its lowest setting or turned off. It will
more advanced stage of fermentation, big and stay there and continue cooking or cooling off at
lled with gas. Too much steam will cause it to warm temperatures, as opposed to cool
collapse or not to spring very high. Little steam is temperatures, to form a thicker crust while
needed in this case because we would want the ensuring that the bread doesn’t collapse while
dough to form a crust more quickly to provide cooling.
support and prevent it from ending up at.
The hardest part is waiting for the bread to cool
If the dough is a little under-fermented, it may completely before you slice it. I can’t tell you how
bene t from more steam, as the surface will many times I’ve broken that rule! Well, pretty
remain moist for longer, and the bread will be much every time. You’re supposed to wait at
able to rise more. I personally have only added least two hours. Good luck with that.
ice cubes to create more steam inside my baking
vessel once, and I ended up with lots of blisters
on the crust, which I adore, but the bread didn’t
rise much because it was at an advanced stage
of fermentation. Maybe it would’ve been better
with only one ice cube. Anyway, I’ve done that
only once, since my loaves are always fermented
for a good long time.
Many people also like to brush or spray the

shaped loaf with water before they load it into
the oven. Some people prefer open bakes on a
heated stone with lava rocks placed in a pan on
the bottom of the oven to generate steam. There
are all kinds of ways to bake delicious sourdough
at home. Be creative, and use all of these
methods with knowledge and understanding.
I, personally, bake in a cast iron vessel, which is

preheated in the oven for an hour before I load
the dough inside. For the rst 20 minutes, I bake
at 500ºF with the lid on, then I remove the lid
and continue baking at 430ºF for additional 20
minutes or until the bread takes on the desired
color.
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The INGREDIENTS
The ingredients
Flour
The topic of our is huge, and I’ll not dig deep However, you can use small quantities of that
into it. I just want to share the most important type of our to strengthen other weaker ours in
things that apply to open crumb sourdough. The your dough. For example, Manitoba ours are so
things you want to hear. And, things I’ve strong and resilient that, in my opinion, they
observed. don’t work well in bread making because they
add that unpleasant toughness to the crumb. If
The word “ our” in English is derived from the you are going to add Manitoba our to your mix,
word “ ower” from medieval times, which opt for maybe 10–15% of the total our by
means the best part of the ground grain, after weight.
the large particles of germ and bran have been
removed. Manitoba ours are excellent for sweet, enriched
doughs that take lots of sugar and butter. When
The most important thing about our is to work I work with these kinds of doughs, I use only
with clean, unbleached ours. Conduct careful Manitoba our.
research, and choose millers and farmers that
produce high-quality grains and ours, are The ours I recommend and use for everyday
ethical, and care about their products and you. baking are strong, with 11.5–12–13% protein.
Of course, you can also achieve open crumb with
There are so many of them, and they deserve lower protein ours (11.5%) because it’s all
respect for their devotion and care. As long as about good quality fermentation and how the
you’re happy with the bread you make with their our behaves and handles fermentation. You
ours, you should feel completely free to choose might not get a big oven spring, but your crumb
and work with both bigger and smaller milling can still be open and well fermented. Just as with
companies. your starter, you need to learn your our as well
as you can.
To achieve open crumb, you need to work with
stronger ours, higher in protein. Not too strong,
though. I wouldn’t recommend using our with
14% or higher protein to make regular
sourdough bread. Stronger our isn’t necessarily
better. The crumb will be too tough and chewy.
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When it comes to starter feeding, I prefer using The levels of hydration, the temperatures, the
our with 12.5–13% protein because it health of the starter…
maintains a stronger and steadier peak. You can
still use 11.5% protein our, but just know that I recommend learning your our well, baking
you must watch the starter because it will peak with it until you really get to know it. And, watch
sooner, and it will not have a strong structure. Of the dough!
course, you can also lower the hydration if you
are feeding your starter with lower protein our. For example, whole meal our takes much longer
But it still may not hold as strong a peak for as to ferment because it’s often a coarser our with
long. the whole grain there, including the bran. It takes
much longer for the enzymes to eat through all
I’d say to avoid feeding your starter with ours the layers of the grain. Also, the bran interferes
that have added enzymes, as they may throw it with gluten development, and that will make the
off balance and affect the rate of fermentation. I dough rise at a slower rate. Whole wheat ours
once fed my starter with some, and it went produce tighter and denser crumbs if used in
crazy. The proteolytic activity was so strong that higher quantities. The more whole wheat you
I wasn’t able to manage it; even though the our add, the denser the crumb. But you can still
was strong, the starter was always thin. make open crumb sourdough with 50% whole
wheat if you watch the dough and let it ferment
Many ours have enrichment additives. Lots of
well.
people think that if they see the word enriched
on the bag of our that means added enzymes. If Hard wheats are preferred over soft wheats for
enzymes are added to the our, it will be written bread baking because they are stronger, with
on the bag of our (or at least it should be). And higher gluten content. Soft wheats are weaker
believe me, you’ll know if there are enzymes and more suitable for baked goods that don’t
added to the our based on how your starter and require highly developed gluten, mostly cakes
your dough behave. These other enrichments are and pastries. But you can still achieve open
vitamins. crumb with soft wheat our if it’s mixed with a
stronger our.
During and after World War II, many people
were malnourished and getting sick, so the The winter wheats have less protein (11–12%)
government decided to add vitamins to the our than the spring wheats (13–14%). But I’ve
(mostly white our, since it was most commonly noticed that the winter wheat protein is of a
consumed). These vitamins are iron, B vitamins, better quality and handles long fermentation
niacin, and calcium. And they are very often very well.
listed on the bag of our.
White ours take longer to ferment than whole

wheat ours because of their lower levels of
enzymatic activity. High protein ours also take
longer to rise than low protein ones. But there
are subtleties to be considered, too.
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The INGREDIENTS
And, I’ve observed the opposite in the spring The difference between durum and semolina is
wheat – even with higher gluten content, the that durum our is soft and smooth, and
d o u g h s e e m s t o l o s e s t re n g t h d u r i n g semolina is kind of coarse, like sand. That
fermentation sooner, and has less robust oven coarseness can tear the dough, weakening its
spring. structure and reducing oven spring. So I
recommend working with durum our rather
Spelt our is characterized by extensibility, than semolina.
which means you’ll want to pay extra attention
to dough structure, and build more strength with Keep in mind that the quality of your our may
additional coil folds. Also, you must be careful change from time-to-time, and you might notice
with the water. Because spelt is already very a big effect on your starter and/or dough
extensible, it’s better to lower the hydration.
Spelt is known to help open up the crumb, but it For example, I was baking mostly with one kind
won’t be enough if all the other important things of our as a base for a long time, as well as
are not done right. I’d say to focus mostly on feeding my starter with it. One day, I noticed a
those things discussed earlier to get an open big difference in the quality of the our that I
crumb, rather than trying to use spelt our to knew very well.
open up your crumb.
The rst place I noticed a change was in my
Durum or semolina ours are very unique but starter’s behavior. I had always maintained my
also very tricky for bread making. Even though starter at 100% hydration, but with the changes
they are high in protein, that protein is not very in the our, it felt like 110%. My starter was
usable for gluten development. Very often, the runny and didn’t maintain a good structure,
more durum our you use, the more the dough collapsing much earlier than the expected time.
tends to break down. You have to be very careful
not to over-develop the dough during mixing, Then, the same thing happened with my dough. I
folding and fermentation. noticed that 80% hydration felt like 90% with a
new batch of the same our I’d used for so long.
Of course, those changes in the our affected
Maybe be gentle with the folds and focus on
the quality of the crumb as well: it wasn’t as
developing dough strength and structure
open as it had been with the previous batch.
primarily through fermentation, especially if you
decide to make 100% durum bread.
Another story I have about differences between
batches of our – and it’s a crazy one – is that
The more durum you add to your our mix, the
the “same” our purchased at a different price
more challenging the process will be. I truly
(from a different store) did not have the same
admire all the Italian artisan bakers who make
quality. The ours came in identical packaging.
fantastic 100% durum bread. I’d suggest, to get
One bag was purchased from a discount website
comfortable and more con dent, using 25–30%
for half-price, and the other was purchased at
durum; you’ll still get that pastel color and
full-price from the local grocery store.
sweetness to your sourdough.
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Again, I noticed those changes in the way my You will learn the most about a certain our only
starter was behaving! The half-price our in an by baking over and over with it. I strongly
identical bag wasn’t the same quality. I was suggest repeating your bakes with the same mix
shocked! I thought I was imagining it, but kept of ours until you know them like you know your
feeding separate containers of my starter with children. It’s very exciting to try new kinds of
each of the ours, and they were behaving ours, but take baby steps with each one, and
differently. bake a lot with one kind rst. Then, explore
others.
Really get to know any kind of our you decide
to use for your sourdough baking. Get very
familiar with its characteristics, and make the
necessary adjustments at the moment of
working the dough.
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Water
Without water, we wouldn’t have bread. Water But I don’t think water of either extreme is
is responsible for the formation of gluten and the common, and nearly all the water out there is
activation of enzymes that will convert starches balanced. I haven’t encountered or used water
in the our into simple sugars, which will be that was too hard or too soft.
consumed by the yeast, which then will produce
CO2 and expand our dough, making our bread If you use water directly from the sink, the
light and airy. chlorine in it will affect your starter, your dough
and the whole baking experience. The chlorine
Water is responsible for the dissolving of salt, will suppress your starter and inhibit the
sugar, starter… And, water affects the dough and production of yeast as it diminishes their
rate of fermentation. It’s important to hydrate metabolism. That’s why it’s very important to let
your dough optimally so you encourage good the water from the sink sit on the counter
enzymatic activity. Flours with higher protein will uncovered for at least 30 minutes or overnight.
absorb more water. You can also boil it, bottle it and use it daily. I’ve
baked a few loaves with boiled water, and they
But in actuality, it’s not just about how low-or came out perfectly ne.
high-protein it is. It’s also about the quality of the
protein and the our itself. I’ve successfully You can also use bottled spring water, distilled
baked open crumb sourdough with our with water, or ltered water. I’ve used them all and
lower protein (11.5%) that handled 83–84% haven’t seen any drastic changes in my doughs.
hydration very well, and I’ll be sharing the
process for it in my recipes chapter. You can also use fermented water. Simply soak
grapes or apples, or any other sugary fruit, in
Chemicals in water will change the consistency water for few days at warm temperatures to
and the quality of the dough as well. For make fermented water. The thing to consider is
example, more acidic water (with pH below 7) that fermentation will be much faster, so you
will weaken the gluten, while more alkaline may want to reduce the amount of starter. Or,
water will strengthen it. Water that is too hard or just keep a close eye on the dough.
too soft will change the rate of fermentation. The
hardness of the water is expressed in the I suggest you try using all kinds of water, and
amount of magnesium and calcium in it. Soft see what you observe. That’s always the best,
water has fewer of these minerals than hard learning things by doing.
water.
Wa t e r h a r d n e s s c h a n g e s t h e r a t e o f
fermentation. If the water is too hard, it will have
a tightening effect on the gluten and decrease
the rate of fermentation. If the water is too soft,
the dough will be too weak.
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The ingredients
Salt
Salt not only enhances the avor of the bread Reducing the salt helps to balance the strength
but also takes part in other very important from those additions by allowing the dough to
chemical reactions involved in bread baking. Salt remain more extensible.
tightens dough by strengthening the gluten,
which is then able to support and retain CO2 In my opinion, using less salt also contributes to
built-up during fermentation. Without salt, our open crumb by allowing faster enzymatic activity
dough would be very sticky, slack, and lacking in and gluten degradation, making the dough more
strength. It would be very dif cult to build dough extensible and resulting in a very delicate and
structure, and that would affect oven spring. fragile open crumb. Of course, going lower than
1% would not be recommended for all the
Salt slows fermentation down because it reasons mentioned.
dehydrates yeast cells and makes it more
challenging for them to get to the sugars they The salt used in sourdough could be sea salt,
need to perform fermentation. With only water pink salt, iodized salt, non-iodized salt… I’ve used
present in the dough, water molecules travel in all types and didn’t see any difference, with one
and out of yeast cells very easily and freely, and exception. When I used Maldon salt, which is my
that’s how the yeast get the nutrients they need favorite, the dough got weaker during
to perform fermentation. fermentation, and it fermented too fast. As you
may know, Maldon salt comes in uneven ake
When salt is present, it draws water molecules shapes, and I think they might’ve torn the gluten
out of the yeast cells, leaving them dehydrated; – although I didn’t see or feel any tearing. Or, it
fermentation slows down. The presence of salt could be that the minerals in the salt enhanced
also affects the way yeast consume sugars. the nutrients for the yeast in some way. So, I’d
With less water and sugar, the yeast won’t recommend using Maldon salt as a toping for
perform good quality fermentation. That’s why is your buttered toast, instead. It is so, so good!
very important to add the starter and salt You’ll see.
separately, and not at the same time, so
fermentation can get a good start. That’s also a Please feel free to experiment with all kinds of
reason to hydrate your our optimally for optimal salts to nd the one that you love the most for
fermentation. your bread.
With less salt, fermentation will be faster. I’ve

made a few doughs with 1% salt, instead of the
standard 2%. The rate of fermentation was
faster, and the dough was more relaxed – a little
sticky, but not too much. I think using less salt
when you have other additions that also tighten
the gluten, e.g. cocoa powder, black garlic, or
paprika, can be bene cial.
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Recipes
I wouldn’t call bread recipes “recipes” exactly, because the only

thing that we share are the ingredients: our, water, salt.
Everything else is different, that’s why you shouldn’t follow a bread
recipe strictly. Just as with your starter, your dough from the recipe
is unique, and you should let it guide you and tell you what it needs
based on its temperatures and ours.
In these few recipes, I’ll be explaining what I did and why I did it, as
well as make suggestions on what you should look for and how to
approach it.
The ours mentioned in the recipes are just the ours I use daily
when making bread. This is not an ad, and I don’t get paid to
promote these ours. They are simply ours I love because of the
wonderful qualities they have and the delicious bread they make.
Let’s bake!
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The parmesan core-shaker sourdough
For this loaf, I built a levain from my bathed starter. I poured

Ingredients: sugar water on top of my starter and let it bath for 10–15
minutes. Then, I took 25g from that bathed starter and fed it
• 262.5g bread our
with 25g our and 25g water (1:1:1 ratio).
(12.5% protein, Bob’s
Red Mill Artisan Bread I placed the levain in my proofer at a constant temperature of
Flour) 81ºF (27ºC). 1–2 hours, I gave it that nice stir (mini stretch and
fold). The levain was ready and at its peak of activity in six
• 87.5g durum our
hours. It was more than doubled, more than tripled, more than
(Central Milling Fancy
quadrupled in size, as you can see. If your starter is a mix of
Durum)
white and whole grain ours, then it might be ready sooner.
• 297.5g water (85%

I did a two-hour autolyse, just two hours before my levain was
hydration)
ready, but you could do a longer one, like six hours, mixed at
the same time as the levain.
• 70g strong and active
starter/levain
I added the levain to the dough and mixed it by hand to
incorporate it well. I use the Rubaud method to mix and
• 7g salt
develop the gluten (around 1–2 minutes). Then, I let the
• Parmesan, nely grated dough rest for 5–7min and mixed it again for additional
(I can’t tell you how minute or two.
much because I always
I let the dough rest for 30 minutes and added the salt, which I
eyeball it)
incorporated in the same way. Waited additional 30 minutes
before performing lamination. During that time, I sprinkled on
the Parmesan cheese. The parmesan cheese pairs very well
with durum our and brings extraordinary avor and aroma to
the bread. The thing to consider is that it might speed up bulk
fermentation. It might also bring extra extensibility to the
dough because the cheese softens the gluten. Keep an eye on
that.
After lamination, I transferred the dough to a bulking dish. The

dough temperature was 70ºF (21ºC), a little lower because of
the cold counter. Up to lamination, my dough was kept at
room temperature of 72ºF (22ºC). Then, I placed the dough in
the proofer at 74–75ºF (23–24ºC).
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I performed three coil folds. The rst two were 45 minutes

apart, and the third one was after 60 minutes. For your
dough, you might need an additional fold. Observe and see
how well it’s maintaining strength and body structure. If it still
looks too slack and relaxed after the third coil fold, give it
another fold.
During the coil folds, my dough temperature was 74–76ºF

(23–25ºC). Make sure you measure the dough temperature
after each coil fold. You want to know that you’re providing
good dough temperature for optimal fermentation. That will
guide the rate of fermentation. If your dough temperature is
too low, it will take longer to ferment; if it’s higher, it will be a
little faster.
My bulk fermentation, from the moment I added the levain to

shaping, was eight hours at 74–75ºF (23–24ºC). After the
last coil fold, I just left the dough untouched to nish
fermenting. Watch the dough, not the clock!
After bulk, I shaped the loaf and retarded it in the fridge for
eight hours at 38–40ºF (3–4ºC).
Rate of bulk fermentation for this loaf was also dictated by

the amount of starter I fed for the levain, which was 25g. If I
had fed 10g only, bulk fermentation might’ve been a little
longer. You see what I mean when I say that the amount of
starter you feed matters.
I baked this loaf in a pre-heated cast iron vessel. The rst 20

minutes with the lid on at 500ºF (260ºC) and an additional
20 minutes without the lid at 430ºF (220ºC). Very often, I
bake a little longer for a darker and more caramelized crust.
Also, I leave the loaf inside the oven after baking with the
oven turned off or at the lowest temperature of 170ºF (77ºC)
for 35–40 minutes if I want a thicker crust. A thicker crust will
support a well-fermented crumb, and the bread won’t
collapse while cooling off.
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65
With-a-touch-of-soft-wheat
sourdough
I call this loaf all-inclusive because it has long overnight

Ingredients:
autolyse, mature levain, long bulk fermentation, and long
• 262.5g bread our proof. I added a small amount of soft wheat our to give
(12.5% protein Bob’s more spider-web softness and delicacy to the crumb. It also
Red Mill Artisan Bread has to be a strong soft wheat that can handle long autolyse
Flour) and long fermentation well. And, Petra 1 our is just that.
• 87.5g soft wheat (Petra At night, I mixed my levain with 18g active starter, 126g
1 our) our, 126g water (1:7:7) and kept it at 75ºF (with this
amount of levain, I baked a few loaves that day). 1–2h after I
• 259g water (74% fed it, I gave it a stir (mini stretch and folds). I also mixed the
hydration) ours and water for overnight autolyse and kept it on my
kitchen counter at 67–68ºF.
• 70g levain
I woke up to a bubbly good morning from my levain and fully
• 7g salt developed gluten in my dough. It was so, so smooth and
beautifully extensible that it felt like heavy velvety curtains.
The length of the autolyse was 12 hours.
I added my mature levain, also 12 hours old, to the dough,

and mixed it gently to incorporate it well. Maybe just a minute
or two, since there’s no need to mix to develop gluten; the
overnight autolyse has done that for you.
Thirty minutes later, I added the salt by incorporating it

gently. I did one lamination 30 minutes after adding the salt.
Then, I performed ve coil folds. The rst four were separated
by 45 minutes and the last one followed after 60 minutes. As
I said, the dough was very extensible after the 12–hour
autolyse (and also because of that soft wheat).
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Total bulk fermentation was 11.5 hours, counting from the moment I added the
starter. Up until lamination, the dough was kept at 72ºF (22C) and after that I placed it
in the proofer at 74–75ºF (23-24C). Dough temperature was maintained at 74–76ºF
(23-25C).
Petra 1 soft wheat our takes much longer to ferment, and it can handle it very well.
It’s also used in the production of Panettone, and as you may know, Panettone
requires different stages of long fermentation. So, I’d recommend that you learn your
ours very well and let them tell you what they need.
After bulk fermentation, I shaped the loaf and put it in the fridge for 15 hours at 38ºF.
I baked this loaf in a pre-heated cast iron vessel. The rst 20 minutes with the lid on at
500ºF (260ºC) and an additional 20 minutes without the lid at 430ºF (220ºC). Very
often, I bake a little longer for a darker and more caramelized crust. Also, I leave the
loaf inside the oven after baking with the oven turned off or at the lowest temperature
of 170ºF (77ºC) for 35–40 minutes if I want a thicker crust. A thicker crust will support
a well-fermented crumb, and the bread won’t collapse while cooling off.
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You can see what the long autolyse and long bulk
fermentation did with the crumb – knitted it to
perfection. Very lacy and even. If you want this
kind of crumb, a longer fermentation time is
needed. Of course, everything else has to be
done right. But the weakened gluten from the
long autolyse and then putting that gluten
through a very long fermentation, broke it down
to a point where it created this delicate lacy
crumb while still being strong to lift the dough
and express itself in the oven. A good dough
structure was also important in this case. Make
sure you build it strong.
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The egg and cocoa, less-salt-more-

drama sourdough
I've baked this loaf many times in the pursuit of that light and
Ingredients: airy, well-fermented crumb that will melt in your mouth. But
because of the cocoa, I was left unsatis ed and eager to keep
• 350g bread our (12.5% chasing it. As we know, adding anything additional to our
protein, Bob’s Red Mill dough has its effects on the structure, on the elasticity and
Artisan Bread Flour) extensibility, on fermentation... Cocoa powder greatly
changes the behavior of the dough. I was determined to
• 15g cocoa powder
solve that and take it in the direction I wanted.
• 258g water + 50g from

Adding cocoa powder to your mix of our, water, and salt,
one egg (total of 308g,
tightens the dough (it affects the gluten); it makes it kind of
88% hydration)
stiff and affects its extensibility, which will translate into your
crumb. That introduces the need for higher hydration to ght
• 70g starter
that stiffness, relax the dough and make it easier to work
• 5g salt with.
Another great thing to do is longer autolyse, which further

relaxes the dough and makes it more uid.
Even when I added more water and longer autolyse to my

process, I still wasn't completely where I needed to be with
my crumb openness. I was xated on that particular lightness
of crumb and had to work for it. That's what bread baking is
about, improving, improving.
For this loaf, I opted for shorter autolyse as I focused on

balancing that with less salt. I wanted to demonstrate how
using less salt contributes to open crumb. You can try it both
ways, shorter or longer autolyse, and you’ll still get great
results (if everything else is done right).
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Salt also tightens the dough, just like the cocoa. After the last fold, I let the dough nish
It also dehydrates the cells of the yeast and that fermenting. Total bulk fermentation was 10
changes the rate of fermentation, as I mentioned hours at 74–75ºC (23–24ºC). Dough
earlier in one of the previous chapters. Just as temperature was maintained at 74–76ºF (23–
cocoa changes the way the dough ferments. 25ºC). Up to lamination, I kept the dough at 72ºF
(22ºC), and then moved it in the proofer at 74–
To balance that, I decided to add less salt to my 75ºF (23–24ºC).
cocoa- our mix. Instead of adding the standard
2% (7g) salt, I added only 1.5% (5g) to loosen After bulk, I shaped the loaf. The dough was big,
up the dough even more and create that much full of life, gorgeous. And yes, very dramatic.
needed balance between elasticity and
extensibility. You might ask the question: Does Proo ng time was 12.5 hours in the fridge at
less salt make the bread tasteless? Not at all! 38–40ºF.
1.5% salt is still good amount to add avor to
your bread. I’ve baked that loaf with 1% salt as I baked this loaf in a pre-heated cast iron vessel.
well. The rst 20 minutes with the lid on at 500ºF
(260ºC) and an additional 20 minutes without
To make it even more dramatic, I added an egg the lid at 430ºF (220ºC). Very often, I bake a
as part of the hydration as well. Since I’d have little longer for a darker and more caramelized
more delicate dough to work with, because of crust. Also, I leave the loaf inside the oven after
the less salt added to it, I brought in the egg to baking with the oven turned off or at the lowest
give it more strength. That’s what egg does, temperature of 170ºF (77ºC) for 35–40 minutes
brings extra strength to the dough. if I want a thicker crust. A thicker crust will
support a well-fermented crumb, and the bread
So, I mixed the our and cocoa with the water won’t collapse while cooling off.
and the egg (I mixed the egg in the water), and
did a one hour and 10 minute autolyse. Then, I
added my beloved egg yolk and sugar starter (to
my ratio of 10:60:60, I added 6g egg yolk and
9g sugar). It was 14.5 hours old when I added it
to the dough. Thirty minutes later, I added the
5g salt. I did one lamination, 30 minutes after
the salt. Then performed four coil folds
separated by 45 minutes. The dough was
magical!
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73
The all-white but not boring

sourdough
Even though I burned this loaf, I redeemed myself with the

Ingredients:
crumb. What I love about this loaf is the hard white wheat
• 280g bread our (12.5% our that I added to enhance the avor and the texture of the
protein, Bob’s Red Mill crumb. Palouse’s hard white wheat berries are of light golden
Artisan Bread Flour) brown color, and they are stone milled. That translates
beautifully in the dough, and then the crumb. It’s a coarse
• 70g bread our (Palouse our, and it makes really great white whole wheat
Hard white wheat bread sourdough. It’s not sifted, so the bran is very present. I
our) personally love it.
• 280g water (80% Because of the bran being there and the coarseness of the
hydration) our, I opted for a long overnight autolyse so I could give the
our a chance to fully hydrate and soften. So, I mixed the
• 70g starter ours with the water and let it autolyse for 13.5 hours at 67–
69ºF (19–21ºC). The 80% hydration was very suitable for
• 7g salt these ours and for these temperatures. Make sure you take
these two variables very seriously if you do an autolyse of
that length.
The next day, I woke up to fully-developed gluten and nice

extensible dough. I added the starter, which was 14 hours
old and had a sugar bath the night before. I mixed it very
gently, just to incorporate it, around 1–2 minutes. 30 minutes
later, I added the salt. I mixed it in the same way, dimpled it
gently in the dough, for around 1–2 minutes.
After the salt, 30 minutes later, I did one lamination. I

followed with ve coil folds separated by 30 minutes. The
dough felt very extensible, and it needed to be folded in
shorter intervals. This is important for you to observe. Treat
the dough in front of you based on what you see at the
moment. Don’t compare it to other doughs you might’ve
mixed with the same ours, thinking that you should repeat
exact same thing.
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After ve coil folds, the dough became strong and so luscious.

And yet, it still maintained that beautiful extensibility which was
much needed when it was time for shaping.
Total bulk fermentation was 10 hours at 72–75ºF (22–24ºC). Up

until lamination, I kept the dough at 72ºF (22ºC), and after that,
it was kept in the proofer at 74–75ºF (23–24ºC). For your
dough, bulk fermentation might be shorter – just observe it, and
watch how it’s developing. I like my doughs big, so I explore the
strength of the dough and push fermentation to the max.
Dough temperature was maintained at 72–76ºF (22–25ºC).

Right after lamination, the dough temperature drops a little.
I shaped the loaf right after bulk and put it in the fridge for a 13
hour proof at 38–40ºF (3–4ºC).

minutes with the lid on at 500ºF (260ºC) and an additional 20
minutes without the lid at 430ºF (220ºC). Very often, I bake a
little longer for a darker and more caramelized crust. Also, I
leave the loaf inside the oven after baking with the oven turned
off or at the lowest temperature of 170ºF (77ºC) for 35–40
minutes if I want a thicker crust. A thicker crust will support a
well-fermented crumb, and the bread won’t collapse while
cooling off.
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I burned this loaf a little bit because I thought I’d

leave it in the oven without turning it off rst just
for few minutes, and that’s all it took. I caught it in
time, but it was burned just a little. Still, it was
very well fermented and open, and so, so
delicious.
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The special blend sourdough
The Barrio Grains our was created by baker Don Guerra,

Ingredients: who won the 2022 James Beard Award for Outstanding
Baker. His blend of ours include stone milled whole wheat,
• 245g bread our (12.5% hard red spring our and Blue Beard durum, a unique and
protein, Bob’s Red Mill rare drought-tolerant durum that delivers deep avor.
Artisan Bread Flour)
I love what this our blend brings to the crust; it makes it
• 105g Barrio Grains our extra crispy and caramelized.
(Hayden Flour Mills)
I mixed the ours with the water and did a very long
• 280g water (80% autolyse, 13.5 hours at 67–69ºF (19–21ºC). Then, I added
hydration) the starter which was 14 hours old. For this loaf, I worked
with my yolk starter (10:60:60 with 6g egg yolk and 9g
• 70g starter
sugar). Thirty minutes later, I added the salt. I mixed the
starter and the salt very gently to incorporate them.
• 7g salt
I did one lamination and performed four coil folds separated

by 45 minutes. Total bulk fermentation was 10 hours at 72–
75ºF (22–24ºC). This blend of ours is super for long bulk
fermentation; it handled it very well without compromising
the oven spring. Dough temperature was maintained at 72–
76ºF (22–25ºC).
I shaped it right after bulk fermentation. The dough was big

and proud. What character! I like to challenge myself with the
shaping of a big and puffy dough. This dough didn’t have the
same jiggly puffy characteristics as the others, though. It was
lled with gas, but it was manly in a way, very strong. Really
a dough to be admired.
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After shaping it, I put it in the fridge right away for a 14-hour
proof at 38–40ºF (3–4ºC).

minutes with the lid on at 500ºF (260ºC) and an additional 20
minutes without the lid at 430ºF (220ºC). Very often, I bake a
little longer for a darker and more caramelized crust. Also, I
leave the loaf inside the oven after baking with the oven
turned off or at the lowest temperature of 170ºF (77ºC) for
35–40 minutes if I want a thicker crust. A thicker crust will
support a well-fermented crumb, and the bread won’t
collapse while cooling off.
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79
The very special rustic dinner rolls
These dinner rolls are for sure the strongest competitor to

Ingredients: Pan de Cristal. If you are familiar with it, you’d know that it’s a
very special bread made with 100% hydration, and it’s made
• 245g bread our (12.5% with poolish and sourdough together. Poolish is made with a
protein, Bob’s Red Mill little bit of dry commercial yeast.
Artisan Bread Flour)
Making these dinner rolls, I had in mind to make them only
• 105g soft wheat (Molino with sourdough and to still re ect the very open and delicate
Pasini Tipo 2) crumb of Pan de Cristal. Very high quality fermentation is a
must here! Also, I opted for less salt, only 1%, to attempt to
• 290.5g water (83%
open up the crumb even more. And, unlike the 100%
hydration)
hydration Pan de Cristal, these rolls are made with 83%
hydration, which is comforting if you are not used to working
• 50g starter
with 100% hydration dough.
• 3.5g salt (1%)
The very important things about these rolls are the ours and
the temperature. You have to make sure that the ours you
use can handle long bulk fermentation well. The Italian Tipo 2
our used here is like, for example, Type 80 our, which is not
exactly white and not exactly whole wheat, as some of the
bran and germ is left there for more avor. The big difference
between Tipo 2 and Type 80 is that the Italian Tipo 2 is
milled from soft wheat. I chose to use the soft wheat for an
even more fragile, delicate, and lacy open crumb. If you don’t
have access to soft wheat, you could substitute for it and still
get great results. As I said, it’s all about good quality
fermentation.
Another great thing about these special dinner rolls is that

they don’t require shaping. And, oh, they make the perfect
sandwich! The crunchy crust supports anything you add to
your sandwich.
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I mixed the ours and the water and did a 2.5 hour autolyse.
Then I added the levain, which as you can see is less than the
usual 70g (20%). For this dough, I built a levain with ratio of
1:2:2 (15g:30g:30g) using a bathed starter. It was ready in 6.5
hours, kept at 81–82ºF (27–28ºC). I added less levain than
usual to accommodate the very long bulk fermentation.
I added the salt 30 minutes after the levain. It took around one
minute of mixing to incorporate it since it’s a smaller amount.
If you are afraid to use less salt, you could still add the full
amount (2%) As I mentioned in the previous chapters, I think
less salt also helps open up the crumb. The dough must be
observed closely and at lower temperatures because of
stronger proteolytic activity.
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After the salt, I did one lamination and

followed up with ve coil folds. Since the
dough will be left to ferment for many hours
and won’t be touched, you want to make sure
that you build very robust dough structure.
Even if you feel that four coil folds looks like
enough for the dough, I’d suggest adding an
additional one. The dough will have plenty of
time to relax for all these hours. Also, since
there’s no shaping at the end, which would
add more structure to the dough, it is very
important to use an additional coil fold to
compensate for the lack of shaping. Not to
mention that with less salt, the dough will
need more help with strength.
Up to lamination, I kept the dough at 72ºF

(22ºC). The dough temperature was 70–72ºF
(21–22ºC). My total bulk fermentation was 14
hours at 68–72ºF (20–22ºC). After I was done
with coil folds, I left the dough to nish
fermenting at 68ºF (20ºC) on my kitchen
counter overnight. I’ve made these mini
breads also with a 16 hour bulk fermentation.
The next day, I was met with a big and round

dough, full of life. I ipped it over on to a well-
oured counter and cut it into small square
pieces with my dough cutter. No fuss, no
muss! I’ve posted two videos on my Instagram
page with details about the process. You can
always visit there and follow to see more of
my work.
After cutting the rolls, I transferred each to

parchment paper and baked them in a pre-
heated cast iron vessel, two at a time at 500ºF
(260ºC) for 20 minutes with the lid on. I left
them inside the hot oven (turned off) to
continue hardening the crust, which I’m very
into. I kept them there for additional 30
minutes.
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The Chanel Nº5 of sourdoughs
Ingredients: I call this type of bread The Chanel Nº5 of sourdoughs

because it’s classic – it will never go out of style. It’s the type
• 262.5g bread our of bread I baked over and over again while I was learning the
(12.5% protein, Bob’s craft of sourdough. Even now, I keep going back to it when I
Red Mill Artisan Bread want to practice or if I’m not sure what exactly to bake. It’s like
Flour) when you open your closet and you’re not sure what to wear
– you know, a closet-full-of-clothes-and-nothing-to-wear
• 87.5g whole wheat situation. Sound familiar? And in the end, jeans and a t-shirt
(Palouse hard red winter save the day. So, in the same way, when I open my pantry
berry) and see all the variety of ours, I often go for the classic whole
wheat.
• 290.5g water
For this dough I did a two hour autolyse. Then I added the
• 70g starter starter, my beloved egg yolk and sugar one, 14.5 hours old.
Thirty minutes later, I added the salt. Mixed around 2–3
• 7g salt
minutes to incorporate it. Same with the starter.
I did one lamination and followed up with four coil folds

separated by 45 minutes. Up to lamination, I kept the dough
at 72ºF (22ºC), then moved it in the proofer at 74–75F (23–
24ºC). Total bulk fermentation was nine hours and 15
minutes.
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Even though whole wheat ours are supposed to speed up

fermentation, in my case, I still go for a longer one. I can’t just
go by that, that whole wheat ferments faster – I need to see
a big dough before I decide to end bulk fermentation. In the
previous chapter about our, I compared the winter and
spring berries and mentioned that even though the hard red
spring wheat is higher in protein, the hard winter wheat’s
protein is stronger and has better qualities to handle long
bulk fermentation without a problem. For you, it might be a
different story, and your dough might ferment faster.
Measure the dough temperature after each coil fold and
maintain it. My dough was 72–75ºF (22–24ºC). Also, keep in
mind that there’s egg yolk and sugar in the starter, and that
will also affect the rate of fermentation.
I shaped the loaf right after bulk fermentation and put it in the
fridge for 12 hours at 38–40ºF (3–4ºC).
Baked as usual, as written in the previous recipes.
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50% whole meal open crumb

sourdough
The more whole grain you add to your dough, the tighter the
Ingredients: crumb, they say. That might be true, but it doesn’t mean that
your crumb can’t open up with the addition of more whole
• 175g bread our (12.5% grain our. Remember? Open crumb is well-fermented bread,
protein, Bob’s Red Mill even without big and irregular alveoli. In this recipe, I’ll share
Artisan Bread Flour) my approach to it.
• 175g whole meal our Whole meal our is coarsely milled and not sifted, so the bran
(Petra 9) is still there. That calls for a lot more water to ensure that the
grain is very well hydrated and softened so it doesn’t tear the
• 315g water (90%
gluten. And also to ensure optimal enzymatic activity.
hydration)
Even though I only did a 40 minute autolyse for this loaf, I
• 70g starter
recommend you do a longer one. I just didn’t have time to do
that for this bake. A longer autolyse will allow the our to
• 7g salt
hydrate very well, and the dough will become nice and
extensible. But, as you can see from this recipe, you can still
achieve good results with shorter autolyse. If you feel
nervous about the high hydration, you can save some of the
water for when you add the starter and the salt.
After the autolyse, I added the starter. As usual, I added the

salt 30 minutes later.
I did one lamination and followed up with three coil folds.

Even with this much water, the dough was maintaining
shape very well, and three folds were enough. Which gives
me the idea that next time I can add even more water when
making bread with whole meal our.
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Also, this particular whole meal I’m using is very strong; too
much folding doesn’t help because it makes it way too elastic,
and that is a problem during shaping. Total bulk fermentation
was nine hours at 72–75ºF (22–24ºC). It takes much longer
for whole meal our to ferment well because of the whole
grain. In my case, it didn’t matter that the hydration was 90%
– it still took time. Since it’s a coarse our, it takes much longer
for the enzymes to convert the starches into sugars. That’s
why it’s very important to add the optimal amount of water –
so that the grain is softened, and water molecules move in
and out of yeast cells freely and more uidly.
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After bulk fermentation, I shaped the loaf and let it sit in the
banneton for an additional 45 minutes at 75ºF (24ºC). I just felt
that the dough could be given a little more time to ferment even
better. I could’ve listened to the general rule that whole grain
ours ferment faster and shaped the loaf much earlier, out of fear
of “over-fermenting,” and ended up with a dense crumb. Instead, I
trusted my eyes and relied on my gut feeling.
I put the dough in the fridge for a 14-hour proof at 38–40ºF (3–
4ºC). Baked it as usual, as described in the previous recipes.
As you can see, there’s no ear. Instead, I got open crumb bread
with 50% whole meal our, which I thought was pretty great.
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The artisan low-protein sourdough
Many bakers prefer to work with lower protein ours because

Ingredients: the bread is not as chewy. As I mentioned earlier, a our
might have lower or higher protein but the quality of the
• 245g bread our (11.5% protein is what really matters.
protein, Central Milling
Artisan Bakers Craft) For this loaf, I used the lovely ours from Central Milling,
which I order when I feel I want to treat myself.
• 105g type 80 our
(Central Milling) This particular bread our, even though it has 11.5% protein,
can handle high hydration very well.
• 280g water (80%
hydration) I did a 30 minute autolyse for this loaf, and then I added the
starter, the egg yolk and sugar one, 15 hours old. 30 minutes
• 70g starter later, I added the salt. Mixed by hand to incorporate well. I
followed up with lamination and four coil folds separated by
• 7g salt
45 minutes. Total bulk fermentation was nine hours at 72–
75ºF (22–24ºC).
And, lower protein ours should ferment faster, right?! Just as

it handles higher hydration very well, the quality protein in
this our can handle long fermentation like a champ. By now,
I probably sound like a broken record by repeating, yet again,
watch the dough and how it’s developing, not the clock.
Consider the specs of the our, use all of your knowledge,

but still use your intuition and trust yourself.
At the end of bulk fermentation, I shaped the loaf and put it in

the fridge for a 14.5 hour proof at 38–40ºF (3–4ºC).
Baked it as per usual, as described in the previous recipes.
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Recipes
These are the few recipes I’ve chosen to share with

you, demonstrating how I make my bread using the
thought process expressed in this book. I hope you
will embrace this information and personalize it to suit
your own bread.
The complete list of flours I use every

day (and love) is below:
• Bob’s Red Mill Artisan Bread Flour
• Bob’s Red Mill Whole Wheat Flour
• Central Milling Artisan Bakers Craft
• Central Milling Type 80 Flour
• Central Milling Extra Fancy Durum
• Palouse Brand Hard Red Spring Whole Wheat
• Palouse Brand Hard Red Winter Whole Wheat
• Palouse Brand Hard White Wheat Flour
• Petra 1 Soft Wheat
• Petra 9 Whole Meal Flour
• Petra 3 Soft Wheat for Pizza and Focaccia
• Hayden Flour Mills Artisan Bread Flour
• Hayden Flour Mills Heritage Flour Blend
• Hayden Flour Mills Barrio Grains
97
Recommended Reading
• Open crumb Mastery by Trevor Wilson
• Tartine bread by Chad Robertson
• The Sourdough School by Vanessa Kimbell
• Bread by Jeffrey Hamelman
• The Il Fornaio Baking Book by Franco Galli
• Bread Science by Emily Buehler
• Six Thousand Years of Bread by H. E. Jacob
• Salt by Mark Kurlansky
• Sourdough Panettone and Viennoiseri by Thomas Teffri-Chambelland
• pH 4.1 Scienza e Artigianalità della Pasta Lievitata (in Italian) by

Giambattista Montanari
98

A Thank-You Note
Words are not strong enough to express how grateful I
am to all of you! Thank you for your support, interest,
encouragement and generosity of kindness you show
me every single day on my Instagram page!
Thank you for reading these pages, trusting me and

giving me an opportunity to express my thoughts
about bread, particularly open crumb bread. Please
know that teaching people all over the world how to
make bread is the best thing that has ever happened to
me. I thank you for that! If it wasn’t for you, I wouldn’t
be here today, baking bread and sharing it.
Thank you!
© 2022 Adelina Roberts. All rights reserved.
Edited by Jenn Smith
Designed by Le Petale Studio

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What inspired the author to start baking sourdough bread?

What inspired the author to start baking sourdough bread?

What are some of the author's childhood memories related to bread?

What are some of the author's childhood memories related to bread?

© 2022 Adelina Roberts.

All rights reserved.

Secrets of open crumb

At the time, butter was a luxury, and pork fat

My mom used to tell stories of my grandma in

My grandparents grew everything themselves,

Secrets of open crumb

In the summertime, the elders would go to the

This book is more for the intermediate home

What is open crumb? For obvious reasons, it’s

Secrets of open crumb

The story of sourdough

People of all cultures prayed to rivers and tried to

The story of sourdough

The Egyptians also wished their bread to be food for

No mystery or amusement was intended by their

For thousands of years, the world trembled before the

To me, the story of sourdough is inspirational. It makes

Secrets of open crumb

The sourdough starter

Your starter and your five senses

Then, I started seeing improvements with my

To get to know your starter, you’ll need to involve

While stirring it, touch it with your hand, or just

The sourdough starter expert

Acidity, temperature control,

When I mentioned different kinds of lactic acid, I

All these factors affect the production of lactic

Homofermentative LAB like warm temperatures and humidity.

The inherent weakness from this type of starter will prevent

If you observe those tiny, soapy bubbles on the surface of your

Since our starter is at 100% hydration, which also encourages

The sourdough starter expert

However, just like the homofermentatives, the

Still, the heterofermentative LAB are not as problematic as

To encourage the development of heterofermentative LAB,

Secrets of open crumb

So, by feeding my starter too little food and

Secrets of open crumb

Do your starter and yourself a

So, there I was, somewhere between coil folds

So, I started stirring my starter 1–2 hours after

Yeast favors oxygen. By stirring the starter, we

The starter also develops better structure, which

The sourdough starter expert

As we stir, we are equalizing the temperature

We help put them in contact with the sugars they

Did you know that oxygenating the starter also

I’ve been stirring my starter for two years now,

Starter with developed gluten

Secrets of open crumb

Stirring is a very simple but powerful thing to do

Also, if you chose to stir it after 3–4 hours, or

My starter rarely misses a good stir, and it’s my

“We return to each other in waves. This is how