The System Reboot - The Sourdough Formula you Need When it’s Time to Reset

[@coffeebot3000]

I've used recipe after recipe, sometimes getting good results, sometimes not so good. I've actually even used one of yours before. But with this recipe, I've gotten consistently great results. Huge oven spring, beautiful bubbling on the crust, a soft and fluffy interior. It's also, by far, the easiest, almost hands-off approach to making a loaf. Thanks so much. This recipe is sheer beauty.

[@mangam6369]

This Man is number one in sourdough bread

[@TheReelIsle]

A new Baker here finding your videos very informative - my first sourdough following this tutorial resulted in a lovely loaf that both myself and kids really enjoyed. Thank you - I've another dough preparing right now.

[@NewEraSystemsPompanoBeach]

Your reboot finally did it for me. I have been struggling for two years with Tartine method and never, I repeat, never getting it quite right. What is doubly irritating is the amount of time spent for a disappointing loaf. Last weekend I decided to try your re-boot system and the first attempt last Sunday gave me an eight (out of ten). Slightly underproofed. Made a 30 minute timing change and today I got a 10. Bread baking is a little complicated here in Central Florida because of fluctuating temperature and humidity. So I used your calculator - thank you. I made 800G loaf with a 15% Levain and I could tell when it went into the oven that it would be OK. That's two years of frustration behind me.

[@stephanieinspired1151]

Absolutely love how you encourage getting to know the starter & the dough♥️🥰❣️ Relationship is everything👏

[@nayaleezy]

I stopped using the banneton and just keep dough in the original mixing bowl through the whole process. Literally no affect on the outcome, and easier. Thanks for the recipes!

[@CulinaryExploration]

Great job Lee. There’s a bakery in Turkey where the bakers fold the dough up after the bulk fermentation and bake directly. They don’t bother with proofing baskets either. It’s great find your own method and challenge the norm. Nice one ☝️

[@dairtobefalco52]

@@CulinaryExplorationinteresting!

[@byGDur]

First time i've seen a recipe formula/excel sheet. Seems like a cool idea.

[@hiimchris]

You are the mentor I didn’t know I needed

[@CulinaryExploration]

That's extremely kind, thank you, Bo. I'm just pleased that the videos are helping you out :)

[@bigp169]

He absolutely is. His old video of how to make sourdough everyday is the process that really got me over the edge to be able to produce consistent loaves.

[@hiimchris]

@@bigp169 same here! I’ve shared it with so many people. Its funny, I’ve seen it so many times I know it by heart and I hear him in my head lol “let’s give this a nice big stretch” I love it, really.

[@mliberman]

This worked, Phil!! Easy to handle. Much stronger dough. Great oven spring! Thank you, thank you, thank you!!

[@fancardinal7]

Just used this and it did as promised. Best spring I've had since switching to a "scrapings" starter method.

[@CulinaryExploration]

Awesome Will, pleased you enjoyed recipe and method 👍

[@Lagolop]

I always place a small linen cloth on top of the loaf to keep the plastic off the top. You won't get that condensation you mentioned.

[@rhoovje]

Hi Philip, I was struggling with my sourdough bakes before. For the last 3 weeks i have been watching and reading al your videos and blog. I now have excellent loaves coming out of the oven. (you would say decent ;) ) What really helped was Magnus Jr. I made an addition to it to calculate the cost of each recipe including the costs of heating the stove. Keep up the excellent work. Cheers..

[@UTstudent1]

From the Blue Ridge Mountains North Carolina…been baking sourdough since the Pandemic using many different techniques. So I just came across your channel and gave it a view and now I have used your method presented here along with your calculator, and after three years the method and the results are fantastic!!! Thank you for sharing your knowledge!

[@CulinaryExploration]

Awesome! I’m pleased you are enjoying the calculator too!

[@gnemesis2001]

After warching this video I revamped my sourdough bread production. Good results and less stress. I like the almost no knead approach. Well done

[@CulinaryExploration]

Nice one Antonio 👌

[@wmdeutermann9317]

Phil, I don't want to tempt fate but this has been the most successful sourdough dough I have ever worked with! It is on it's final proof before going to the frids, so anything could happen but so far every step of the way looked exactly like what you are showing in the video. Lovely soft bubbly dough. So easy to handle and work with! I have to love the revision. I used my plastic bowl/ bench scraper instead of a spoon as a mixing tool and to incorporate the levain and it worked a treat! Many thanks! Update. The loaf was a great success. My Cynthia had bread and butter with marmalade from F&M for lunch instead of the roast beef sandwich I offered! The oven spring was astounding! And the flavour! A beautiful, tasty loaf.

[@simonp.castonguay1077]

Excellent technique thank you! The only problem I had was trying not to de-gaz when shaping. My dough was full of air pockets, very big ones and little ones. I handled it very carefully, but it was obivous Ive heard lots of popping while shaping. Any idea why I had so many? I figured it was a good thing.. Thank you!

[@danbain6678]

Had a a few bad loaves in a row. This was a great reset and the loaf turned out perfect. There is something really fun about lamination to which is basically how I roll out sourdough pizza dough onto parchment paper while not touching the crust

[@CulinaryExploration]

Nice one Dan

[@thesameshnaidoo]

I've been baking sourdough on and off for a few years now with varying success. I had a few good loaves, and followed many different channels and have read a few books. But recently I've been so disappointed with my bakes - no oven spring, difficulty with the hydration, etc. Tried this reboot and I'm blown away. Perhaps the similarities in climate between Greece and South Africa (whereas SA is so very different from the US, the UK and the countries of other sourdough bakers that I follow) plays a part? I don't know what it is, but I know that finding this, and trying it (along with your no discard method) has revitalised my love for sourdough baking. I'm getting excellent oven spring (there's always room for improvement!), great tasting sourdough and a good crumb. Thanks for excellent content! Your waste-not-want-not loaf is also a winner! The first yeasted preferment, sourdough loaf that feels as soft and is this tasty.

[@CulinaryExploration]

I'm really pleased to hear this. The reboot is great for simplifying the process and producing awesome results. Cheese for the feedback, and happy baking :)

[@dgerson76]

I'm halfway through making this one, and I can tell already I love this updated recipe. It feels spot on in terms of hydration (the other recipe felt a bit wet), and my lamination was the best one I have ever done. The dough felt so much stronger. Its in bulk ferment now, looking forward to a great loaf. Awesome videos, keep it up!!!

[@CulinaryExploration]

Awesome Daniel, let me know what the end result is like 👌

[@dgerson76]

@@CulinaryExploration My first one was a bit overproofed, but the 2nd- WOW. Just perfect, tall puffy rise just like yours, and nice even crumb. Enjoying this journey!

[@RuthXu-n6o]

You are a good mentor. Your video really helped to improve my sourdough baking skill. Thank you very much.

[@bleufrogs]

Thank you for the vid! Is there a link for the peel/ paddle?

[@mishasmith302]

My loaf came out perfect! Thank you ❤

[@CulinaryExploration]

Awesome! Happy baking and make sure to keep me posted :)

[@anjelaye18]

Hi Philip, I just feel like I've to write you a "THANK YOU" note, I learned a lot from your VDO and it helps me improve my sourdough bread.... Thank you 💐 I especially like how you mixed half the flour & water to match the levain consistency, it really makes dough easier to work with.

[@firmanlebonos]

i do like your description on your knowledge and really practical issues... I did it and i had perfect spring oven... my cutomer love my sour dough much

[@filon4you1510]

Piękna porowatość tego chleba , wygląda super , tak trzymając ciasto w lodówce przez noc , enzymy zaczynają działać i wychodzi kompletnie inne pieczywo , super

[@allisonforee2609]

Tried your lamination process today and it was by far the most fun I have ever had with bread dough! Thanks so much for this!

[@CulinaryExploration]

I’m pleased you had fun Alison, I love it

[@allisonforee2609]

@@CulinaryExploration I made the bread and it was such an improvement over all of the others I've tried. You are a true genius!

[@CulinaryExploration]

@@allisonforee2609 awesome, pleased the recipe and method helped. Happy baking Allison 👍

[@Stanley349]

Great video, thanks. What is the reason for using the oven with the fan off?

[@richardheadland714]

Phil, this video kept me persisting with making sourdough and I now get great loaves time after time with a slightly modded version of this recipe (10% or so light spelt). I also found that M&S’s strong Canadian white bread flour is waaaay better than the Marriage’s I’d been using before, to get really strong gluten formation, despite similar protein levels. I used to do the lamination but now just do bowl stretches with much the same results… So anyway, I just wanted to say thank you for your excellent videos - without doubt the best I’ve found on making decent sourdough! 😊

[@CulinaryExploration]

Thanks, Richard, that's great to hear. Thanks for the heads-up about the flour too. I'm going to share your comment with our community as some of our UK bakers have a hard time finding flour that works well for SD. Keep up the hard work and happy baking.

[@Daniel-me2do]

My brother. I followed your formula and.... success 😁. TY

[@CulinaryExploration]

Awesome !!!!!

[@LY43537]

Whoa. You had me hooked with that cross section.

[@MattMuirhead]

This is a fantastic video - I've been playing with your calculator, made some percentages tweaks, and seem to have found the sweet spot for my method and environment (thought I I lean toward strength building folds as opposed to the lamination and I add a touch of diastatic malt powder). My bâtards turn out amazing, but using the same method with a larger boule, I run into issues with oven spring and a slightly gummy crumb. Do you find that you have to make adjustments to your method when stepping up to say, a 1000g boule, or is it just my sub-par shaping technique? 🤣

[@mauryanderika]

Loved this - going to try the initial mix method you do in this video on my next loaf. Question: I see you only do one lamination as opposed to the three you do on your “old faithful” recipe. What was the impetus for fewer laminations? Did three provide diminishing returns as far as structure?

[@CulinaryExploration]

One lamination works great for this recipe, the dough stays nice and strong and taut with the strong flour and lower hydration. I prefer a few extra laminations for the old faithful but I can get away with one. Experiment and see how switching up the laminations effects the results. 👌

[@fairyrelaxation]

Great thanks!can you send a link for the bread paddle,scoop,thingy that you use to transfer the loaf into the oven,thanks

[@CulinaryExploration]

I made the bread peel out of an off cut of ply wood from the DIY store. It’s cheaper and you can cut it to a size that suits you! Give it a go

[@fairyrelaxation]

@@CulinaryExploration thanks

[@dustsky]

Could you please specify the size of that proofing basket? I love how it's the ideal size for the recipe. Thank you!

[@mikewurlitzer5217]

I either used AP or fresh milled Hard White Winter Wheat. Would adding the appropriate amount of Vital Wheat Gluten achieve the properties of Bread Flour work in this recipe and method? We have found Bread Flour to be too chewy at times so, I've been using AP with just enough VWG to up the protein level.

[@CulinaryExploration]

You can bake a great loaf of sourdough using AP flour. We've got a flour here that's really soft, containing 10% protein. I like using it to soften the loaf, it's just a case of balancing the hydration to the flour. I don't even worry about VWG anymore. Here's a link to the vid using AP flour, let me know what you think if you give it a try. Cheers Mike - kzbin.info/www/bejne/sHbVgZSmbteip5o

[@paulheagen6318]

Great, simple "reset" on the basics. Just wondering: Do I have to tap the bowl cover with my fingertip when covering the bowl and flipping it when taking it off? :=)

[@CulinaryExploration]

Without a doubt 👍😜

[@texasmoby]

Hi Phil. Thanks for such an informative video. I am a newbie. Only baked 7 loaves and still learning. After lamination stage do I need to perform more stretch and folds? I have great gluten formation just as in your example. My other question is I don’t get the best oven spring but my crumb is always excellent. It is however quite gummy. Any advice please would really be appreciated.

[@CD_1996]

Hi I am super new to the whole sourdough bread making. I have my starter ready to use and smells fruity and sour. Would I be able to use a stand mixer for this method and would it need the rest at the start and the fold?

[@mrzmorphine]

Thank you for this informative vid....calling you the dough whisperer here on out😂💕...hope you and ur family are doing well 💕💕

[@CulinaryExploration]

Cheers Mrz Morphine, all is good over here, hope you are doing well :)

[@cachi-7878]

Phil, your loaves keep getting better and better! Cheers!

[@CulinaryExploration]

Hey Buddy! How are you? Cheers matey

[@cachi-7878]

@@CulinaryExploration Hey Phil, doing well thank you. Was away for a few weeks…happy to be back and find your bread looking even better! 😊

[@susand.m3894]

I live in the Caribbean and I enjoy all your teachings,methodologies etc. I have a cooler to lower the temperature in my kitchen which is about 31 degrees Celsius. However I’m still having problems with my fermentation period and proofing time as my sourdough bread still has a chewy inside. I use baking soda.. a touch to have a milder tasting bread . Can I make my bread in one day ? I really love your videos ❤️

[@jastheace999]

Thanks for the video. I just baked this and was super happy when I turned them out of the baskets. After the first part of the bake with the lid on a Dutch oven it had no oven spring and had flattened out like a pancake. I baked two loaves and they both did the same. Any suggestions?

[@CulinaryExploration]

Hey Jason. If you think the dough handled well through the process then the hydration was probably on point. In this case the dough may have over fermented or proofed. Try experimenting with different fermentation/proofing times. If the dough didn’t handle so well then you could reduce the hydration a touch.

[@jklphoto]

Well done as always Chef. Why increase the hydration? That loaf looks perfect to me!

[@CulinaryExploration]

Hey JK. The crumb works out beautifully with this formula. It's nice and creamy and you're right, you certainly don't need to tweak the hydration, but I'm guessing there are home bakers who like to tinker ;)

[@CulinaryExploration]

@@jklphoto Hey bud. I was indicating the hands-on time it took, but I think you may be right and it could confuse. I'll probably remove them. Thanks mate

[@davidbrown3309]

I'm going to reboot my sourdough success by going back to this formulation next week, just to re-establish a baseline. I've been trying to get a softer loaf so I've been using 50% King Arthur AP flour and 50% King Arthur Bread flour and I'm pretty happy with the result. It will be interesting to see what going back to 100% Bread flour does to my dough. Also, my formulation calls for a Tangzohn (25g AP flour in 100g water) in the levain so I'm a little worried about how that will affect the hydration predicted by your calculator. I'll cross that bridge when I get to it.

[@CulinaryExploration]

Keep me posted David, I'm interested to know how you get on. I may add a section for tangzhong into the sourdough calculator. I'm trying to balance keeping it simple and user-friendly but making sure it does what it needs to.

[@mikewurlitzer5217]

@@CulinaryExploration You are obviously way more educated than me when it comes to sourdough, so I would love your take on Tangzhong or Yudane as in my limited experience they have NEVER failed to deliver their claimed improvements in yeasted dough. I have yet to try them in SD.

[@CulinaryExploration]

@@mikewurlitzer5217 I have had some success with adding tangzhong, but I'm still experimenting. I think it depends on the product you are trying to make. For example, I wouldn't use it for my everyday loaf that's proofed in a basket. I'd be more inclined to use it for buns or a sliced loaf.

[@davidbrown3309]

@@CulinaryExploration I think the problem with Tangzohn that you'll have to wrestle with is that raw flour cooked in water turns into a substance that doesn't resemble either component. Lots of experimentation ahead!

[@davidbrown3309]

@@CulinaryExploration I sent you an email with the next steps in testing the impact of Tangzhong on your standard sourdough loaf.

[@stephaniehaymore]

Thank you for this, @CulinaryExploration! One question, do you think any changes would be needed if using a WW starter? I'm planning to try the formula as written but my starter is made with freshly milled WW flour. Also, if I wanted to try using 10% WW in the formula, any suggestions on how much to increase the hydration?

[@CulinaryExploration]

If I was you I wouldn't make any adjustments on the first bake. Who knows, maybe the formula will work perfectly. The starter shouldn't be an issue but if you find the dough is a little tight you can bump the hydration up a couple of percent on the next bake. Hope this helps and keep me posted :)

[@Hitimewewent]

Hi Phil, I have been following your Chanel for some months now and have had good consistent results with this Reboot recipe for my last few loaves. Just wondering, is the large laminating stretch out of the dough designed to replace all sets of stretch and folds? Would 1 set of slap and folds after the first 30 minutes help develop more dough strength?

[@kimhanback1302]

Okay, I'm new to baking sourdough. You don't do any stretch and folds it could which everyone send to do. You seem to knead it just a little. Then after the bulk ferment stage you turn it out and stretch it and pre-shape it. Correct me if I'm wrong. Just never seen anyone not do stretch and folds. Just wanting to clarify your method. Thanks

[@Breadmaykr390]

Astonishing video as always Philip! I'm grateful that you give us many tools to better enhance or sourdough baking. So, I will try this "system reboot" for my sourdough and hope it's gonna at least help through this nightmare weather I'm experiencing here in Ecuador. Above all, happy sourdough day! 🙌

[@CulinaryExploration]

Cheese bud! Have you made yourself a proofing box to try and moderate the temperature you ferment / proof at?

[@Breadmaykr390]

Not yet, but I’m planning to. Especially since things are very wild here in my country, I’ve decided to live on in another region of Ecuador, in the mountains that has an incredible weather for sourdough baking in my opinion. But for the moment, I’m only able to control fermentation by using cool water and little amount of starter.

[@CulinaryExploration]

@@Breadmaykr390 That sounds like an amazing place to live! Just remember you can make a budget-proofing box using a cool box and ice bricks (or frozen water in plastic bottles)

[@maboo736]

Wow that crumb is divine!

[@romanos65]

Excellent video ,i can't wait to try this recipe,but I have one question, after removing the dough from the fridge and scoring it , does it goes straight to the oven?

[@CulinaryExploration]

Hey Hector, yes it goes straight into the oven

[@stephenfry777]

How long do you normally wait for the loaf to cool before eating? Do you find that an important factor? Thanks

[@CulinaryExploration]

I like to leave it to cool so the crumb sets up nicely. It will depend on the recipe and your climate but 2-3 hours should be ok

[@Chefa-e6b]

Can this dough be mixed in the Head stand mixer?

[@behrozdehdari5381]

A huge thank you!

[@CulinaryExploration]

You're welcome!

[@dgerson76]

Phil do you ever weigh your loaf post-bake? I feel mine could be lighter - it was at 738g out of the oven today.

[@CulinaryExploration]

I've done it a few times but most of the time I forget. It's normal to lose weight as the dough bakes and loses moisture. I think it's normally around the 15% mark but it will depend on your flour and formula.

[@dgerson76]

@@CulinaryExploration all good now- new oven so getting it dialed in. I’ve increased the bake time a bit for more color and now it’s reducing a good 18%.

[@chrisjones6439]

Top man for info and tips, thanks as always Phil

[@CulinaryExploration]

Cheers Chris, hope all is well with you matey

[@chrisjones6439]

@@CulinaryExploration all good thanks bud, family just tucking into your milk and honey rolls...can't make them quick enough and getting orders from friends and family 😂

[@CulinaryExploration]

@@chrisjones6439 The overnight milk and honey rolls have been super popular. I'm pleased you guys are enjoying that one

[@davidconway2736]

Right on time Phil my loaf spread like butter when I turned it out onto my baking stone last week

[@CulinaryExploration]

Give this formula and method a whirl David, should rectify your problems. Let me know if you want any pointers.

[@NatassaBlazaki]

I've seen mary bakers, who prefer to add the salt later on, maybe 30mins after adding the levain...what are your thoughts about that? And by the way, do you live in Greece? I saw some Greek flours in another video of yours 😊

[@piepo5002]

Great vid as always! I need to say I am baffled by your gluten strength without really doing much. My loaves are nice enough but I notice that when I laminate, it always rips. Could it be that I need to wait longer before laminating? Here it's 18c, a lot colder from where you are. Total time to bake is 12, and I laminate around 3 or 4 hours, it rips. What do you think? :) I use 74% hydration and I can handle it. Doesn't look as firm and non sticky as your 65%. I have diamond flour AP 13%.

[@CulinaryExploration]

Pleased you enjoyed the vid. You need to work with what you have. Your choice of flour, the hydration and the ambient temp will all impact the dough. If your dough is cooler it may not stretch as easily which is why you may experience tearing, listen to the dough, and stop before it tears. You could always try another flour, or experiment by playing with the hydration. There's no one size that fits all, you need to work out a formula and method that suits the temp and the ingredients you are working with. Hope this helps

[@tcb133]

would it be ok to replace 100g of starter with 100g of poolish? regarding times of proofing and such. I think those times may be shorter because of the difference in action between the two but anyway

[@rachelaveyard4007]

Brilliant thanks 😃

[@patriciarocha3858]

Thank you so much for this amazing video! 😊👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻

[@CulinaryExploration]

You're welcome Patricia :)

[@Fibonacci84]

This may seem a little inconsequential but with regards to final dough weight; I always end up with less than the original calculated final weight. I call this "process loss." I usually lose about 15 grams of weight during the process. Should we factor this loss in while calculating, or am I making too much out of it. There's an old saying "Paralysis by analysis." It may be apropos here. Thanks again for a great vid Phil.

[@CulinaryExploration]

Hey Jerry. The loss in weight is normal and I wouldn’t worry about factoring it in unless it’s affecting the recipe in some way. Don’t overthink it too much bud. Will you be coming to the live Q&A on Thursday?

[@sourdoughjogja]

It's normal because some of weight will lose by energy and gass(fermentation produces heat and CO2) except body mass of microorganisms and degraded substance (from carbohydrates to alcohol, or lactic acid, acetic acids, free amino acids, Exopolysacaride)

[@Fibonacci84]

@@CulinaryExploration I'd love to, but I keep missing the correct time and where to look on the sight. I get you're email notifications but i keep messing up The Q&A.

[@The_Blueyonder]

I'm a little bit confused between starter and levain. Did you just use starter? If kevain, what's the ratio? Thanks.

[@zvonimirjuric3213]

Hi. I wondering what recepie would be if I won't to add coarse rye flour and make double so much.

[@MAli-xs2pm]

Thank you so very much Phil 😊

[@CulinaryExploration]

No worries matey :)

[@williamdimond1548]

I have once again tried 4 times to get the System Reboot Formula and haven't even received a conformation email from you. Would you please help me out here? I have really enjoyed your videos since I first found them. You also mentioned an updated system and I was wondering if it has been released yet? Regards, William

[@CulinaryExploration]

Hi William. We’ve had a few email communications so why don’t you drop me an email and I’ll help you out with whatever problem you have. Cheers Phil

[@masonryjoe]

OMG my mouth is watering, do you deliver LOL ?

[@Jackiecon]

Hey Phillip I feel like my starter is a bit weak. How should I feed it to be as active as yours?

[@jandipime10]

If I keep my starter into the fridge it will still be good after some days of feeding?

[@CulinaryExploration]

Hey there! As long as your starter isn’t a new fermentation you should be fine. Here’s a couple of my videos that relate to starters. kzbin.info/www/bejne/rnPZp5-ZmbRsaas kzbin.info/www/bejne/mIi2e3SPgdx0d6c

[@jandipime10]

@@CulinaryExploration Thanks so much!!!!!

[@peterdesmidt8742]

Really well done! You're loaf looks terrific! Because of health reasons, I've been baking loaves with 80% home ground Montana Gold flour (Including all but the very biggest flakes of bran) + King Arthur bread flour, but my loaves aren't as pretty as yours.

[@CulinaryExploration]

Hey Peter. Are you sifting your home-milled flour? I don't get quite as much volume if I use a higher percentage of home-milled flour. But I definitely benefit from more flavour :)

[@peterdesmidt8742]

@@CulinaryExploration Yes, I sift it. Out of about 325g of wheat berries, I end up with about a tablespoon of flakes that I save for other uses.

[@iluminameluna]

I use Bronze Chief, a Montana mill finely ground whole wheat flour to make a 60% ww loaf. I use the yudane method for a fluffy loaf of bread, but also use the entire liquid amount NOT used in the yudane to soak the entire quantity of whole wheat flour in the recipe. Then, when I go to make the recipe I add all the dry ingredients and proceed with the recipe. Makes a wonderful loaf, but it's not an artisanal loaf.

[@eugeemz]

I have only one problem with my dough, i use a weak flour and so fermentation time is short i don't know if its me overfermenting it or its just because the flour is cheap but once its baked it creates a jaw breaking crust so impossibley hard to chew on, otherwise everything is golden, would you happen to know what's causing it?

[@CulinaryExploration]

Sourdough tends to have a chewy crust. Using soft flour should help with keeping a bit softer though. You could try covering the loaf with a kitchen cloth while it cools, they might help, or try baking it in a Pullman tin with a lid.

[@racingindie2168]

Hello there! Most of other bakers on internet recommend 75 to 80% hydration for a bred like this but you use only 65%? That's interesting i will definitely try a lower hydration next time.

[@CulinaryExploration]

Don’t worry too much about other people’s recipes. Spend time getting to know your flour, and working out what hydration works best for the flour and your ability. 😁

[@racingindie2168]

@@CulinaryExploration That make sense! thanks for the great video anyway.

[@joaruss]

Hi! I'm the recipe you said to use levain, but in the video you are using mature sourdough starter. So which one of the two?

[@CulinaryExploration]

You can use sourdough starter or levain (depending on your system or the terminology you want to use). But it needs to be 100% hydrated, ripe, bubbly and properly fermented

[@robertstein4328]

Amazing video and tutorial ❤

[@CulinaryExploration]

Cheers Robert

[@fusfea]

I have a starter made with whole wheat flour. Do you ever make a whole wheat sourdough?

[@CulinaryExploration]

Yep, all the time. But mainly, I maintain my sourdough starter with white bread flour.

[@Simplycomfortfood]

Looks like you are still putting our some awesome bread👍

[@CulinaryExploration]

Hey Blair! It’s been a while buddy. How are you, Judy and the kids?

[@Simplycomfortfood]

We are doing real good. We are headed to Germany this summer for a safety conference. I tried to get them to hold it in Athens but no go. I hope your wife and daughter are doing well.

[@CulinaryExploration]

@@Simplycomfortfood maybe next time, although I’m sure you’ll have a great time. We are all very well thanks Blair 😁

[@jbilbro]

Can this be doubled and done all together prior to preshaping or would you recommend using two separate bowls the whole time?

[@CulinaryExploration]

Hey Jeff. Double it up and divide before pre shaping 👌

[@yanny74]

The loaf looks amazing and I'm going to try a 65% hydration with this process to see if it helps. But what I don't understand is why you use such weird weights. Why not round it up to 450g of flour and base the ratios on that? It would make it easier to follow and less intimidating!

[@CulinaryExploration]

You Hey Matt. Feel free to round the weights up or down if you want. I use a dough calculator which gives me exact measurements, so I follow them. For me there is no difference between weighing 100g or 101g, it’s the same process and amount of work. I also like be exact, this matters when I’m tweaking the recipe, at least for me anyway. Don’t feel intimidated, they are just numbers. Happy baking

[@yskwong]

What flour do you use? What brand? It's so stretchy. I can never stretch it that much to laminate. It just won't do it. It'd break. I initially thought, I didn't stretch or strengthen it enough, but the more I do it, it eventually breaks, and the gluten is dead.

[@Daisy_Davies_2022]

I’m still getting the dough sticking to the board so very hard to stretch it out at all. What am I doing wrong? I’m using flour with 12.8 protein and trying to follow as best I can. Bit new to sourdough and can not get my dough to look like yours at all :( it’s just always to wet / sticky even tho I have reduced the water.

[@CulinaryExploration]

Drop the hydration more buddy. Make it work for you. The flour absorption capabilities, the temperature and your ability to handle the dough all play a role. Drop the hydration until you can manage the dough easily and then slowly build it up. I hope this helps. Phil

[@Daisy_Davies_2022]

@@CulinaryExploration thanks for the reply. I’ve had another try yesterday / this morning and it’s much better. Can’t master the scoring lol doesn’t seem to matter how deep I cut I don’t get any kind of split just separation :(

[@apizzicato]

Any recommendations on using just fresh milled flour? I have made that switch and I love the bread that I make, but I miss my sourdough!

[@CulinaryExploration]

Hey Amber, I think it's about finding a balance between flavour, texture, nutrition and visual appeal. I've been experimenting a lot with sifting my home-milled flour. I've been getting a 93% extraction rate using a 40 mesh sieve and an 85% extraction rate using a 60 mesh sieve. The resulting flour left after each sifting makes very different bread. I'm also using hard spring wheat that is well suited to bread making. There's too much to dive into in the comments section but I'll definitely be covering milling more in the future.

[@LennyGreenham]

Can you send me the breakdown of different measurements please

[@CulinaryExploration]

Hey there. You can get the formula and the sourdough calculator by following the link in the description. Cheers, Phil

[@jacobdouglas4896]

I have tried this recipe and others at around 65% hydration and my results have all been terrible, I am really confused as to where I am going wrong. I have experimented with various different bulk fermentation lengths but no matter what I try, the dough is sticky and difficult to manage and it doesnt hold its shape during shaping. After proofing, the dough completely loses all of its shape when I take it out of the basket, it gets stuck regularly also. The scoring never works because the dough doesnt have any strength or shape so its just like slicing into a pancake, and the finished loaf is always flat and dense. I have been baking loaves weekly for a year now and I am still so far from even a decent loaf :(

[@CulinaryExploration]

Hey bud, without seeing pictures and a timeline of your baking process I can only hazard a guess. Even if you were using a soft wheat flour the 65% hydration should still produce a dough that's pretty good to handle. I'm wondering if your bulk ferment is a too long and the dough is breaking down making the shaping (and following stages difficult).

[@MenniMennola]

Your starter is rubbery mine is fluit. My flower not good enough?

[@queencafe777]

I followed his recipes and techniques here in this video and my bread turned out much better than I have done before. Crumb soft and not so chewy crust but it still has soft crunch to the crust. Thats how I like it. I have been making sourdough breads, tried different recipes and techniques but so far this is the best results I have made. I never tried lamination before. This is a keeper. Thanks for sharing.

[@CulinaryExploration]

Awesome!

[@Siriuslyyy]

With all respect to your amazing abilities, this is not a beginner recipe 🤭

[@MrVividGrey]

Maybe I did something wrong, but this recipie was my first total failure with sourdough. I did use all purpose flour, but it was rated 12% protein organic. Not sure but this ratio did not work for me. Maybe not good for a Dutch oven loaf.

[@MrVividGrey]

I do want to amend my comment saying that I've only been making sourdough for the last few months and I probably did something wrong. I've made some killer loafs in my dutch oven and this didn't work for me for whatever reason. Probably the difference in flour.

[@brettdavison3870]

Is the overnight prove required? I started this process this morning around 6am. Currently, at the time of this comment, I’m about 3 hours into into the first bulk fermentation.

[@CulinaryExploration]

Hi Brett, you can skip the overnight proof in the fridge if you want and bake it when it's properly proofed

[@brettdavison3870]

@@CulinaryExploration thank you! As a beginner, can you offer a quick tip on how to tell if it's properly proofed? I've been getting a lot of chewy bread. Sometimes with good crumb, other times flat and dense.

[@HomeOnTheEdge]

Which brand/product of flour are you using?

[@CulinaryExploration]

I use three or four (including milling my own), but for a safe straightforward loaf I use Robin Hood AP (13.2% protein) - it's about the strongest I've found in Greece.

[@explaincauseidontgetit3294]

Why do some recipes call for more levain than others when the flour content is relatively the same?

[@vithiyaak2579]

I have been trying this recipe and the same process but at times with different ambiante temperature and adjuating the bulk fermentation time accordingly, no matter how i try, and even making a new batch of starter, my bread won't rise😢😢😢

[@mandiigraham1596]

I think there is a mistake on the blog recipe or I am reading it wrong. I read baking is 10mins? And a minor spelling error of lead instead of leave.

[@CulinaryExploration]

Hey Mandii, are you referring to the timeline in the blog? That shows the hands-on time which is noted as 10 minutes for the baking part of the process. I can't see the typo, I'd be grateful if you can point it out.

[@mandiigraham1596]

Ok didn’t realise it referred to hands on time. I find that confusing but now I know what that represents. The typo is here as I have cut and pasted your notes. Day 3 08:00 Bake the loaf (10m) 08:45 Lead to cool

[@CulinaryExploration]

@@mandiigraham1596 Thanks Mandii, I'll have a look and see if I can make that clearer, so for any confusion. Big thanks for pointing out the typo

[@DANVIIL]

Never rec’d the link and it’s not in my spam folder and I sent you a reply to this effect.

[@CulinaryExploration]

It can take a few minutes to drop in but if it doesn't just drop me an email using the address on the website and I'll get it over to you.

[@dorlugasigal]

I tried your recipe today, but when when i open the lid after 20 minute, i see that the dough has collaped and is much lower in height, what am i doing wrong? :(

[@CulinaryExploration]

Make sure you are using strong bread flour (protein content upward of 12%). You could reduce the hydration a little to suit the flour if needed. Lastly make sure you don’t over ferment and proof your dough. Stick with it but most of, try to enjoy the process 😀

[@dorlugasigal]

i think that over fermentation was my problem, I tried again, with less fermentation time and got nice results,. though, how can you know when you over ferment?

[@mucxlx]

Its refreshing to see americans make their own bread now ;D. In europe its way cheaper to go next door to the bakery and get it for 3 bucks.

[@chem2811]

"Take the boule by the horns" ha-ha very funny

[@CulinaryExploration]

Lol - I hadn’t even thought about that!

[@ash283880]

Signed up with email to receive the calculator, but email never arrived. Still waiting.

[@CulinaryExploration]

Hey there. I've just checked and the system is working correctly. Perhaps you can drop me an email and check for you. www.culinaryexploration.eu/site/contact

[@rogerio_amaral]

Same thing happens to me.

[@CulinaryExploration]

@@rogerio_amaral Drop me an email Rogério and I'll check the system for you - www.culinaryexploration.eu/site/contact

[@rogerio_amaral]

@@CulinaryExploration Done.

[@CulinaryExploration]

@@rogerio_amaral Awesome

[@Галя-ц6л]

Can I make the recipe with a kitchen robot?

[@CulinaryExploration]

You can use it to mix the dough, but I’d advise using your hands after the mixing.

[@frankfurter7260]

I know you said there’s no magic formula 😉but if I promise not to tell anyone else would you please tell me the magic formula. 🤫

[@CulinaryExploration]

Maybe next week Mr Furter 😝

[@dailyfermentations7197]

Nice for a single loaf. Try doing that several hundred times over in a single shift! Ain't no time for that.