- Jul 29

Tips for Beginner Sourdough Bakers

So you have finally decided to jump on the sourdough bandwagon...now what?

There is so much information out there and it can be completely overwhelming - this is why it took me so long to finally start making sourdough bread from home.

The truth is, sourdough can be as simple, or as complicated as YOU make it, it's up to you. And to help you, I have compiled a list of tips for Beginner Sourdough Bakers.

Use your sourdough starter at its peak. I have said this before, and I'll say it again (and again, and probably again...), but you will never have a good loaf of sourdough bread without a healthy starter. To get the best results with your bread, you'll want to use your starter at its peak. Meaning, your starter has reached its peak height in its jar, and has not started deflating. That being said, you can still get a tasty loaf if you miss your starters peak, but it's ideal to use it at that peak point.
Spray the surface of your dough with a little water prior to baking. I just started doing this and it's made a huge difference! It will increase the oven spring by making the surface more flexible as it expands, plus it makes the crust crunchy and glossy which I LOVE!
Be gentle with your dough. This goes without saying. Sourdough is resilient, but it's also fragile. Don't over mix or over work your dough or it will tear the gluten structure and cause a flat, dense loaf.
Use glass or ceramic for your starter and your dough. Don't use plastic. The acid and bacteria in your starter can interact with the plastic. Plus, there are often a lot of unwanted chemicals in plastic containers and bowls. Yuck.
Find a recipe and use it. There are so many recipes out there and it gets overwhelming. Not to mention, what works for someone else, may not work for you - usually due to a difference in climate. So play around with recipes, and once you find one you like, stick to it. Later on, after you get comfortable with it, feel free to explore more.