Tips

Window test

You should be able to lift and stretch the dough and basically put your fingers in the strecth and make sure it withstands some simple force. It is the window test to see if the bread holds the standards it needs to properly grow!

Is the starter ready

It’s also always worth making sure your starter is healthy enough to leaven your project. “The trick I use to train people is just to drop a spoonful of starter in a glass of water. If it floats, it’s ready. If not, it’ll produce a dense loaf— just feed it again, or wait a bit, if you’ve just fed it.

Bakers percentage

Its a way of thinking about the bread. Feks

1000g flour

800g water - 80% hydration

150g starter - 15%

20g salt - 2%

So 80% - 15% - 2% can be a recipe

80% hydration is difficult to handle, beginners might want to try 70-75%

Handling the baking

When strectching, it is super nice to make your hands wet before starting. Then it is less that stick to your hands, and it feels easier to work with

When shaping, its nice to lay a layer of flour and stretch from there and shape to a ball after that. Dont have wet hands or utensils as the flour will do the non sticking work now

Cooking

Cook with backing paper, it is easier to handle and to move around

Preheat the oven and the dutch pot atleast 30 min.

Lift the pot lock after 20 min because you want the hydration inside the bread and the crust to settle before doing anything else.

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