Small Space, Big Flavors: Our Micro Bakery Journey Begins

[@OlgierdKostanowicz]

Yes this is possible. I tried this kind of business. But I would advise baking bread in a tin, as you can bake 6 breads at a time in a home oven. A mixer is not necessary. This type of sourdough bread comes out very good and stays fresh for a long time. You can bake, for example, 10 wheat breads, 10 rye breads plus one cake every day 6 days a week, and you can already earn some income. Add some fermented products, such as roasted peppers, and it's already a business idea.

[@CulinaryExploration]

Very interesting, thanks for your comments. Were you only using a little domestic oven or did you invest in something bigger? I'm crazy about fermenting and always have jars of sauerkraut or kimchi on the go, so that could be something to consider. What were you charging for your loaves?

[@OlgierdKostanowicz]

@@CulinaryExploration If you calculate everything well and think it through, your business can be successful. I made a few mistakes, but they were mainly due to reasons that probably don't apply to you. I mean no second person to help with distribution, no own transport, etc... I don't think a mixer is necessary. As for me, I used a regular home oven, a slightly larger model would of course be useful, and two is a recipe for sure success. Customers can be easily found using FB, conversations with neighbors or in the local church, small shops are open to cooperation. At some point efficiency will become an issue, such a product always sells well. In my case, the price was between GBP 4 and 4.5 for an 800g loaf, which is the same as in the supermarket. This is quite an important issue. Rye bread also finds its customers, and we know that it is made by itself.

[@Jp-eo8mx]

@@CulinaryExplorationI saw some at my farmers market for 10$ 13-15 $ if they had something in them like cheddar jalapeño

[@chopsddy3]

Were I you, I would be looking for a dealer in used equipment. I would also look into the possibility of finding a good welder that could construct a custom oven to see if it could be done frugally. You need an insulated metal box, with a controllable heat source that can achieve baking temperatures safely. It’s not magic. I’m wondering if it is practically affordable to have one fabricated? This will be interesting. Thanks so much for sharing your journey.

[@mattymattffs]

​@@CulinaryExplorationmy local lady charges 6-10 Canadian dollars a loaf.

[@jetlee66]

Hey Phile, I use 4 cast iron pots with lids for baking breads. 20 min with lid on and 20min with lid off for final browning. You don't need to have pizza stones and don't need to worry about the steam as it will use vapor from the dough to steam it self during the first bake with the lid on. I hope this helps you and good luck!

[@CulinaryExploration]

Hey bud! What a dream! If only I could fit four cast iron pots in my oven. It won't even take two! I appreciate the thought :)

[@2tommyrad]

Good on you my man. Every 'failure' is a sign post to success.

[@CulinaryExploration]

That's damn encouraging to hear mate, because I've been experiencing a few lately lol

[@aurorablusky]

Looking good and the bread crumb looks amazing, despite imperfect rise in the oven. I think you'll find perfection isn't really needed or realistic with larger batches. In terms of steam, I use a stainless baking sheet sitting on or toward the bottom - empty at least a minute before dough, pour about 450g tap water in with the dough, and remove the pan when rotating the bread. Still, doesn't solve the problem of very limited space. Most bread home bakers I know buy a Cafe oven, small deck oven, or start a garage bakery. Having a cottage bakery myself, I've chosen to bake pretzels, muffins, scones, and other smaller goods until I can convert a space for something more purpose built.

[@CulinaryExploration]

I appreciate your comment about the visual aesthetics. I've been looking at the smaller deck ovens and the Rofco B40. Before I progress and invest in a new oven I want to try and make my existing oven work (if only for a limited time). I think you are right about baking smaller goods. Even loaf tins will work well. Can I ask how your cottage bakery operates?

[@leonardcrespin6476]

I wish you success with your journey and I must say your loafs look amazing . anything is possible with determination and hard work . never stop chasing your dreams .

[@CulinaryExploration]

Cheers bud, appreciate the encouragement :)

[@susand.m3894]

I believe you can do anything you desire . I have learnt so much from you. My sourdough starter is now a year old . I thank you with a grateful heart and I wish you all the blessings in your future endeavors 💕

[@CulinaryExploration]

Thank you!

[@BenSmith-xw9lc]

I have full confidence in this working out for you Phil! all the best mate!

[@CulinaryExploration]

Cheers ben, much appreciated!

[@chrisjones6439]

Just wanted to wish you all the best Phil with your bakery, and thank you again for all your help and advice

[@evepaludan7713]

I applaud you and I hope all works out with your microbakery. In my kitchen, I only have 15 amps in my available outlets, so, for instance, it would be problematic to add more appliances that draw a lot of power. Check your available amperage in your circuit box before adding a commercial oven, etc.

[@CulinaryExploration]

Thanks for the advice! I’ll be sure to check if I decide to go with a beefier oven.

[@deebrake]

Thank you so much for providing measurements in grams for your recipes. Growing up I was taught to measure using cups and spoons; during 2020 when I really got into cooking and especially baking Sourdough I finally bought a weight scale. Wow, once I got used to it I was shocked how much more accurate it is. Since then I have been slowly adding gram measurements to all my old favourite recipes. What a comfort once I changed my mindset, now my recipes are consistently more accurate and there are a lot less items to wash. Bonus so thanks again.

[@CulinaryExploration]

Awesome! I think it's the most accurate way but also the easiest!

[@kylemain4314]

You have got this! I feel confident your gut is telling you the proper course to follow.

[@CulinaryExploration]

Cheers Kyle :)

[@AndyGait]

I love this. I gave a sourdough loaf to a cousin last week and she went nuts over it. She told me a loaf of that quality would cost her £5 - £8 where she lives in London. She said I should start up a micro bakery. I love the idea but I just don't have any capital to put into it. The very best of luck with it. I wish you all the success that you dream of. 👍 🍞

[@CulinaryExploration]

Cheers Andy. It’s great when you get feedback from friends like that, it sounds like she was very happy with your loaf (£5-£8 😳). We can seriously underrate the quality of what we are able to produce in a home kitchen.

[@AndyGait]

@@CulinaryExploration I worked out that loaf cost me 83p for the ingredients, plus whatever the electric cost would be. That would be a tidy profit if it was an £8 loaf 😂

[@CulinaryExploration]

@@AndyGait wow, you can get flour so much cheaper than me. My GP won’t be anywhere near that good, but I’ll make it work

[@AndyGait]

@@CulinaryExploration I buy a Waitrose White Canadian Bread Flour. It's normally £2 for a 1.5kg bag, but it's often on a voucher price for £1.50. I use 450g per loaf. Plus the cost of the starter and the sea salt.

[@CulinaryExploration]

My go to strong flour is anywhere between 3-4€ for 950g 😬 - I’ll be working on a cost effective flavourful blend!

[@M.W.Schroeder]

Cranberry Walnut sourdough, yum.

[@CulinaryExploration]

I could see that as a special from time to time, nice suggestion 👍

[@thatchillaxdude]

You taught me how to bake sourdough. I'm excited for your adventure!

[@311060dp]

Hi, I too run a micro bakery in space smaller than yours. I too used a dutch whisk to start with but it was definitely tiring at the end of the day plus the time lost in mixing. I moved onto a semi commercial mixer which handled 5 kgs dough. Using the oven seen in your videos the best way to increase production is the use of tins, I bake upto 4 loaves on a shelf. Using both shelves it doubles. My loaves are of 700-750 gms each. Tins occupy less space in the fridge as well. The steaming method I follow is using ice cubes in a metal container on both shelves.

[@CulinaryExploration]

What mixer are you using? I’ll definitely produce some tin loaves. I like the idea of baking classic sourdough batards, but of course you are right, tins take up less space. Can I ask what oven you are using?

[@311060dp]

I have 2 planetery mixers the 1st is Gerlach which although has a 5 lt bowl it is good for upto 2 kgs dough weight. the 2nd is an Indian make of 10lts capacity which gives me upto 5 kgs dough. The oven I use is made by Faber (German) is made in India. Hope this answers your queries.

[@CulinaryExploration]

@@311060dp Thanks Dinesh, much appreciated

[@kevinu.k.7042]

Magnificent! Lucky customers. Good luck Just a thought, though you probably know this. Once you get up to about 20kg of dough and above you will run into the 'mass effect'. This is the phenomena where doughs become much more active and develop faster whilst generating more heat from microbial activity. Heat control in fermentation becomes much more critical.

[@SandiHooper]

Wow, Philip, way to go! I wish you all the best, and you can believe that I will most definitely stay tuned. 🎉Cheers!

[@CulinaryExploration]

Cheers Sandi, I really appreciate the support 🎉

[@GofioZ]

Focaccia, ciabatta, easy high hidration breads that just sit in trays. Many bakeries can´t get the baguettes right, nail that and your off to a flyer. I would recommend adding Diastic Malt to the baguettes. 2 teaspoons for around 500g of flour. I would place a tray up side down on the top rack of your oven so the top loaves dont get the direct heat from the coils. Add a second coffee thingy to the bottom shelve. Hope it all goes well, good luck and keep at it!!

[@CulinaryExploration]

Thanks for the suggestions buddy. Focaccia and ciabatta will be great editions to the lineup. I love baking baguettes and while I’m pretty happy with the formula it can always do with some improvement. Thanks for the time you took to give me your advice.

[@BTs-he1lg]

Looking forward to see the grand opening.

[@CulinaryExploration]

Thank Becky 😀👌

[@LiHongLinTaiwan]

Congratulations! I have started baking sour dough (mostly focaccia, sandwich loaf, or vietnami Bánh Mì) on a weekly basis since the pandemic, and get quite a few tips from your channel. I love the focaccia the most, not just for its flavor, but the flexibility to make it. I can mix the dough at any time of the day and put it into a square stainless pan with plastic lid covered and stack them into the fridge as needed (save much more space compare to the regular sour dough loaf), and then take them out, shap and bake whenever the day I am available to do so. You may consider to add the sour dough focaccia into your micro bakery.

[@CulinaryExploration]

You aren't alone in suggesting focaccia! I think it will make its way onto my list. I think I'm going to experiment with sourdough focaccia and a hybrid version using poolish and sourdough culture. Thanks for taking the time to comment, your support is really appreciated!

[@teardrop720]

Wish you all the best! Dont be too hard on yourself. Looks like you have been thorough in your own review ... smile, you can do it. You know what to do

[@dropthebom]

Cookies and muffins are an idea. So easy to bake.

[@Fester_]

Nerves and pressure with anticipation and many I hope's. Thanks for the episode and good luck.

[@CulinaryExploration]

Cheers, I'm sure there will be a few stumbles along the way but I'm really looking forward to the journey.

[@katbedocs2594]

Fantastic! Can't wait to see how you get on! Good luck!

[@CulinaryExploration]

Cheers!

[@Daniel-me2do]

So excited for you my brother. You have mentored me just over a short 6 months. Thank you and good luck again on your dream and endeavor! -dc

[@wdjones4735]

Congratulations! I have a small kitchen as well. I don’t have any suggestions, but I commend you for trying to figure out the details. Can’t wait to see what you come up with👍🏻🙂

[@CulinaryExploration]

Cheers Whitney! I’ll keep you posted, stay tuned 😀👍

[@happypiper7669]

That's the spirit, give it your best shot. If someone can make it work it's you. Good luck!

[@CulinaryExploration]

Thanks bud

[@ayresysarmy4044]

If you're making Detroit style pizza, make it high hydration. That way you could use the same dough to also make ciabatta.

[@CulinaryExploration]

That’s a nice idea. I guess there’s the option of doing focaccia too

[@ZsoltBenedek-v6d]

First of all good luck on your adventure. Wish you all the best. I am from Transylvania and my grandma made potato bread. Sourdough mixed with boiled and cooled potatoes. You can find videos about it. However if i remember well 20-25% potatoes are used (baker’s math) Also would like to thank you for starting me on the sourdough baking. Greetings from Haarlem NL.

[@CulinaryExploration]

I remember watching a baker who ran a micro bakery from a trailer he towed behind his truck. He made some awesome potato rolls. They could be a real contender, thank you for the idea! I hope you are enjoying your sourdough journey, what's your favourite loaf to bake?

[@ZsoltBenedek-v6d]

Your welcome for the idea. At the moment i am experimenting with flour and whole wheat mix. Till now my and the family favoriet is bread flour 80% and 20% millet flour sourdough. I am yet to make potato bread. I let you know when i made it. Also i am lucky with buying local flour from a windmill. They are grinding all sorts and 10 euros for 5 kg of strong bread flour not bad price also it is ground on stone the old fashioned way. Greetings. Zsolt

[@ZsoltBenedek-v6d]

Sorry not millet but barley. 😄

[@CulinaryExploration]

@@ZsoltBenedek-v6d Got it!

[@etallax]

Very exciting! Congrats on taking the plunge, and good luck! I've loved your calculator, it's helped me convert my Scandinavian yeast breads into sourdough recipes. Wish you luck!

[@CulinaryExploration]

Awesome, I'm pleased you found the calculator useful :)

[@grahamh3500]

Good luck with your business. I think the addition of a olive sourdough loaf or baguette especially in Greece 🇬🇷 would be great 😊

[@CulinaryExploration]

Cheers Graham! Kalamata olive, home made sun-dried tomatoes and feta… what do you reckon?

[@grahamh3500]

@@CulinaryExploration sounds great I think that would be very popular sourcing local produce

[@CulinaryExploration]

I’ll give it a whirl with a test bake

[@grahamh3500]

@@CulinaryExploration maybe also just a thought you could sell fresh breadcrumbs and croutons either plain or with made with seasoning aswell to go with salads so your wastage on stale bread could be minimal

[@CulinaryExploration]

Garlic and sea salt croutons! Keeping wastage to an absolute minimum is going to be key in maintaining profitability. Love the idea, cheers Graham.

[@Zenic449]

Coming upto christmas i think pannetone would be a real hit definitely one of my favourite things

[@ChemistryLemur]

love this series, keep it up

[@marcelafuksova7658]

Congratulations!!! I wish you succes with your dream!

[@caycefischer497]

i literally am doing this right now too! best of luck, i will be watching this channel for sure!

[@CulinaryExploration]

Hey Cayce! Best of luck with your micro bakery venture! Are you open for business yet?

[@caycefischer497]

@@CulinaryExploration technically yes! I launched with one bake day a week , taking preorders and then doing pickups. very small to start but it’s working great! relies heavily on social media

[@CulinaryExploration]

@@caycefischer497 Thanks Cayce, best of luck with your enterprise and thanks for the advice!

[@carolhardie7513]

Good Luck, your Bread looks fantastic! I enjoyed your Video!❤

[@CulinaryExploration]

Thanks Carol!

[@superfoodsmoothies]

Good luck with your new adventure! Some inclusion ideas are roasted garlic and fresh rosemary, new york style rye with caraway seeds, jalapeno, cheddar (or vegan cheese) and chives, olives and sundried tonatoes, gochujang and roasted garlic. I make all of those and sell a few to friends/ neighbours. Also theres the whole gf sourdough journey, but thats another story and a bit complicated though I have got a streamlined process if youre ever interested.

[@CulinaryExploration]

Thank you! I'd love to see your formula for GF sourdough, feel free to email it over if you get time :)

[@superfoodsmoothies]

@@CulinaryExploration I sent you an email which includes my recipe. Good luck!

[@CulinaryExploration]

@@superfoodsmoothiesI got it, thank you so much!

[@theresa5945]

Your bread is beautiful! I am saving up for a Tom Chandley Compact Stone oven, which I think is produced in the UK. It is perfect for a micro bakery. I am looking at the Pico Plus model which is 18 x 30 inches , has a built in steamer and can accommodate 6 1000 g loaves or 8 600 g loaves at a time. I currently bake using a double domestic oven in my very small kitchen and sell bread locally at a weekly market and out of my home. I am saving up money to purchase this oven from a US distributor. Best wishes to you. You hav 7:04 e great passion and I look forward to seeing your business grow.

[@CulinaryExploration]

I appreciate the heads up Theresa. I hadn’t seen the Pico from Tom Chandley before. It’s priced extremely competitively and looks great. I’m a bit worried about the size of the footprint but that’s not a criticism of the oven, more if my available space. I’ll drop them an email. Is your micro bakery up and running?

[@theresa5945]

@@CulinaryExploration Only during the summer months, but I hope to expand to make it a year round business. I do bake loaves for family, friends and a few customers throughout the year, though. We are close to retirement age and I hope to bake to supplement our income and to continue to enjoy my bread baking hobby.😊

[@susand.m3894]

I have miss you my friend ❤️🇹🇹

[@TroelsMadsen-g7l]

Very cool😊 I can recommend using up to 20% rye flour - fantastic taste and aroma. I can also recommend using a baking sheet turned upside down at the top of the oven to protect against too much heat from the top of the oven when you have the bread placed high in the oven. I have used that myself with great success. Good luck!

[@CulinaryExploration]

Thank you. I’m really tight on space in the oven but I’ll certainly try to see if I can fit the baking sheet below the element. I’ve used the method when I’ve had more room so I guess we’ll see. I appreciate the advice 👍😀

[@dianapagnucco8161]

Best of luck to you!! My family's favorite is a loaf I first made at a King Arthur Flour class here in the states. Flour: 400g semolina/300g bread/200g ww flours; plus 90g butter, 45g honey - 180 levain, 18g salt, 675 water (I should have the percentages figured for you - sorry!)

[@CulinaryExploration]

That's OK Diana, I appreciate the recipe, thank you!

[@ChemistryLemur]

Have you tried preheating the oven as hot as it will go and then cutting the oven completely for the first 10-15 minutes? I've done this with great success (granted only 2 loaves at a time). My oven keeps the fan on even when I turn it off, I cut the electricity to prevent this. I just throw some water on the baking stones and close the door. This creates an initial burst of steam, the loaves provide the rest; turning the oven into a cozy bread sauna. I switch the oven back on and resume the bake after 10-15 mins or so. I do the same thing for baguettes but they only need like 4-5 mins before resuming the bake.

[@CulinaryExploration]

Thanks so much for taking the time to go into detail about your baking set-up. I'll certainly give it a whirl. At the mo, I'm experimenting with a moka pot as a steam pod which is working quite well. I'll certainly be following up with updates. Cheers, Phil

[@mattymattffs]

I feel like every neighbourhood in my city has at least one from home bakery. The one in my area charges 6-10 per loaf, depending on inclusions. She has two ovens and does 3-4 per oven. She uses a large cambro containers to mix manually. Commercial mixers are just too large for the home IMO. I have thought of doing this myself, but you really need to bake many loaves to make it worth the time

[@CulinaryExploration]

Thanks, Matty, really appreciate the feedback.

[@ronsha6790]

To match your fantastic Cherry and Chocolate Loaf, how about some Cinnamon and Raisins? Wishing you alle the Best for the project!

[@CulinaryExploration]

I'm actually thinking about some kind of chocolate babka. I'll be able to fit quite a few in the oven and bake them in the same containers I'll sell them in. might consider the Choc and Cherry as a special every now and again.

[@homeiss]

I really like my Ankarsrum Assistant. They claim it can do up to 5kg of dough. I've done four 900g whole wheat loaves before and it worked well. You should be able to easily do five 800g loaves, you might even be able to squeeze six loaves in. You could buy multiple bowls and just swap them onto the mixer to have multipe doughs on the go.

[@CulinaryExploration]

Thanks for the comment. I love the Ankarsrum mixers... we'll see :)

[@davidclark9086]

I think your plan is great although I would add one piece of advice. Be sure to learn the business end and specifically the tax law that applies to your business. In my 7 decades, I have seen many good businesses fall apart or never really get started because of the business end and taxes. A well-written concept and/or busines plan are worth their wright i gold.

[@danielnichols3594]

Good luck Philip. Man, if those loaves are failures, I guess most of mine are super-failures. They look pretty awesome to me but I'll defer to you as a sourdough expert. It sounds like the oven issue is a bit of a problem. it seems like a lot of 'rich' people bake with Rofco ovens in the U.S. but they seem to take up a fair bit of space. I think they're a European brand.

[@CulinaryExploration]

Cheers Daniel. My quality control has gone through he roof since I decided to offer the loaves for sale. They certainly are nice loaves. I'm having some break throughs with steaming in the oven. I'm a bit stubborn and I'm determined to make it work with what I've got before I even think about investing in new gear. I've got my eye on the Rofco.

[@checkwhatsleft4565]

I have seen that many people use a spray bottle spray in the side of oven to get steam for those oven that doesn't come with steam function.

[@CulinaryExploration]

Thank you for the suggestion. I have played around with a sprayer but I didn't get good results. I found the oven cooled off quite rapidly. I found adding boiling water to the steam pod generated more steam quickly and didn't contribute to such a temperature drop. I'm still playing around with the sprayer and haven't ruled it out completely. I'll keep you posted and I really appreciate the heads up, thank you! Cheers, Phil

[@checkwhatsleft4565]

@@CulinaryExploration that was because those oven have good seal on the door side, which yours doesn't, have some rubber heat resistance strips with AB heat resistance glue onto your oven door side to seal it up, that prevents steam leakage and you will get better results.

[@ndpitch]

Very cool! Good luck! I’ll buy some bread if you can ship it to the states 😅

[@CulinaryExploration]

Lol, I’d give it a go but I doubt it would be good for anything other than croutons by the time it got there 🤣

[@joshuamccarvell6427]

Check out Simply bread ovens, expensive but great

[@CulinaryExploration]

Thanks mate. I'll give it a look, it's space that';s worrying more than anything.

[@charlesbruggmann7909]

Regarding a mechanical mixer - I love my Ankarsrum (max 5 kg dough). Anything bigger, look at the second hand market. If 🇬🇷 no practical, look at 🇩🇪🇫🇷

[@CulinaryExploration]

The Ankarsrum looks like a sound mixer. 5kg doesn’t give me lots of room for expansion. I guess I could sell it in if I outgrew it. Space is my issue here so maybe I need to start small. (5kg is more than enough to get me going)

[@charlesbruggmann7909]

@@CulinaryExploration I know some 🇩🇪 sme companies who make machines in the 10kg+ range. Look at Haüssler or Manz Backtechnik - there must be others. Otherwise look for second hand. No idea how things work in 🇬🇷.

[@CulinaryExploration]

Thank you!

[@QienCho5566]

Next time try an oven with fan,and after you done preheat them, adjust the fan speed to near to 0, no worries, the thermostat will automatically kick start the fan when detected temperature drop and automatically cut off when temperature is reach, then place your steamer in it, boom,you just turn your Convection Oven into a giant dutch oven with more control over the baking temperature because you got air circulation around the top of the bread and keeping the stone heat as well, you just need to find the right temperature to go with you oven because different oven has different lowest setting for fan speed, and the fan speed will decide how fast the top of the bread will cook because the heat was circulated by air around the bread instead of slowly diffusing from the surrounding like normal oven, but once you found the sweets spot it will guarantee to give you the results you want every time

[@puripuribuns]

what should I do if my fan doesnt have a low/high setting.

[@QienCho5566]

@@puripuribuns just turn it off,if there is an option for turning off the fan, if your oven doesn't has Options for turning the fan off or adjusting the speed, you just simply adjust your baking method, you can try preheat the oven with max settings,then bake with lower settings and spray water onto the dough while you bake to maintain the moisture of the bread surfaces so it can keep expanding during the first bake, you just need to find the sweet spot of your oven, a good oven spring and ear is all about keeping the outer layers of the bread moist while the gas inside doing their job,so as long as you keeping the outside moist and enough heat from the bottom to supply the heat to the bread then you're good to go ，I used to bake my loaf in an combi oven,with fan and the control panels was fry, can't change the fan or turn off,so i still bake my sourdough,but instead of doing what others doing normally, i just simply give it more steam and spray it with sprayer during the baking process and the bread still turns out like using dutch oven, just adjust yours technic according to what you have in your kitchen

[@lenazorba]

I wish the best!!!

[@CulinaryExploration]

Thanks Lena!

[@mansourbhatti]

Excellent!

[@CulinaryExploration]

Cheers bud 👌

[@s.steinberg3853]

Wilfa mixers!

[@oceanofregret]

Cool video, nice shirt by the way..

[@CulinaryExploration]

Thank you!

[@ramtha1973]

7:02 use a spray bottle for pesticides to spray yiur oven. They r cheap. Spray oven door and walls agtwr u insert bread inside oven

[@jamesleagas5857]

Super helpful video for me! I have a question which will help me a lot! The two flatter loaves you took from the top of the oven, why were they flatter? They were all flatter than your usual loaves, why is this? I’ve been trying to achieve those very high and plump loaves you achieve and end up with good bread just flatter like the 2 in this video. Great video, I look forward to your future with this project, good luck😊

[@CulinaryExploration]

Hey James, the two top loaves started baking on the bottom of the oven. I didn't use a steam pod in that baking zone so I'm guessing the crust set a little too quick (plus I think there would be less heat transference to the dough due to the lack of steam). The two loaves you mentioned were also baked on a baking stone which retains and kicks out less heat than the baking steel above. So I'm guessing this also contributed to less spring. When you cover the dough during the first part of baking the steam trapped within that micro baking zone transfers the heat to the dough quicker and stops the crust setting which really boosts the spring. I don't know if I will ever achieve the same level of spring as I do when I cover the dough but I'm ok with that. Because when when I bake uncovered I achieve a much better crust colour and texture than I'm able to when I bake covered. The darker crust also contributes to more flavour within the crumb. I'll cover this in more detail in future videos. I hope this helps and answers your question. Cheer , Phil

[@michaelsallinger193]

Maybe you’ve mentioned this previously, but what kind of stone do you use? Trying to configure more open bakes without the use of my Challenger so I can get longer baguettes instead of being limited to demi. The metal rod steamer from pleasant hill grain has helped too. Thank you so much!

[@ajclarkin]

Looks great. Do you think there would be any merit in changing to a (domestic) steam oven? I think it would take the same space and might help with steaming?

[@CulinaryExploration]

That's certainly a viable option and one that I'm considering. If I'm going to invest in new equipment I'd really like to increase the amount I can bake too. But with limited space that may not be an option. If you hear of any good domestic steam ovens be sure to let me know. I really appreciate your thoughts, thank you. Phil

[@simonrecovery8682]

hi Phil -- am very curious to hear your thoughts on laminating a larger quantity of dough. Even just 6 loaves (I imagine) might require too much space (and in the winter here in the UK the dough would cool down a lot). So would the idea simply be to increase the time of bulk fermentation? Cheers, Simon.

[@LL-nq6ly]

You can use rofco bread oven

[@CulinaryExploration]

The Rofco B40 is on my hit list 👌

[@Daniel-me2do]

How about jalapeno & cheddar or a cinnamon, nutmeg & raisin SD?

[@hairstoyou7248]

Can you put an oven in another room? Just a thought or back porch? Not sure what your layout is.

[@CulinaryExploration]

I've got a small space earmarked in the utility room that may be big enough to take an extra oven, but it will be tight. I'd really like to keep everything together to make the baking process flow. It's certainly an option and thanks so much for your idea!

[@ArjanDuijs]

Hey Philip, thanks for the inspirational vid. i am too strugling with the oven setup, my best results are the dutch oven still. the 4 loafs setup is interesting. i was wondering, what setting is your oven on? fan on?off? under+upper heath? just upper?

[@CulinaryExploration]

Hey Arjan, I have my oven set to bake mode which delivers heat from the top element and the bottom element. The fan doesn’t switch on, so it’s a conventional bake mode. I’ve found this gives me the best results. Hope this helps.

[@ArjanDuijs]

@@CulinaryExploration Thanks, ill give it a go this weekend. ill post my results

[@CulinaryExploration]

Awesome!

[@ArjanDuijs]

@@CulinaryExploration got the results to share. - pizza stone at bottom and center - fan off - first 20 min 200, after 220 Results were pretty horrible. bottom breads were burned after 20 min, and after 40 min the breads were still soft. whils the upper breads did the other way arround. bottom soft and top burned. * assume the center stone is not as hot as it should be. Perhaps the center should be steel instead. Second batch i tried with fan on got better results but still the same center problem. half way switched the breads from top to bottom and the other way arround. they came out better, but still burned at the bottom. - third batch got some weird looking breads.. taste wise no difference.. presentation: horrible. next week another try

[@CulinaryExploration]

@@ArjanDuijs I deliberately placed the steel in the centre as it gets hotter than the stone. But it should work with 2 stones. Did you incorporate any steam into the bake? Feel free to update me via email if you'd prefer [e-mail]

[@denrayr]

Don't put all 4 loaves in the oven to start. Start with 2 on the top shelf, then move them to the bottom half way through and launch the next 2 on the top at that time.

[@CulinaryExploration]

Nice idea, but it will mess with the steam. Ideally, I want to be able to steam all of the loaves together. If I stagger the bake I'll need to inject steam for the fresh loaves while I'm trying to get colour and crust formation on the first two.

[@Michael-cj9uo]

Hi man, quick Q. How come your dough never sticks to your fingers or worktop? cheers

[@susand.m3894]

Why did my sourdough did not proofed when I put it after the first rise . I left it for 24 hours in the refrigerator

[@gg8728]

How about chocolate sourdough?

[@QueenPrincess101]

❤

[@ramtha1973]

5:49do u own a gas or electric oven ?

[@AdoptHospitality]

Is this just for video or for real intention store setup? Why not renting a commercial kitchen if it’s for the latter

[@AdoptHospitality]

Such a great video btw

[@henrytheturnip]

I wish you well Philip, but for home-based business you don't have the luxury of redundancy (pun intended). Plan for failure. Every bit of your equipment has the potential to fail at critical moments. What will you do if your oven breaks just as the client is on their way to pick up the order, or if the proofing cabinet temperature controller goes wild and floods your house with floppy dough? Personally I would look at buying or renting a larger house with garage space you could turn into an auxiliary kitchen, or even renting a ghost kitchen.

[@CulinaryExploration]

Thanks, Henry. I appreciate there is a lot to go wrong, you are right. I think a large part of running any sort of business is problem-solving. I plan to start small and see where the journey takes me. I've dealt with similar issues as a private chef and you're right, they are a pain, but I think I can overcome most hurdles. I guess we'll see ;)

[@NiteOwlBread]

I did this whole thing, ending up with a bakery in a really poorly conceived location 😂😂😂🤓

[@CulinaryExploration]

Did you manage to rectify the issue and Is it something you are still running?

[@NiteOwlBread]

@@CulinaryExploration i injured myself moving a new oven into my place to pick right up where i left off. I then rushed recovery and REALLY injured myself (same spot) and had to ask my recurring customers to move on. Today- ironically- is my first paid home bake. Luckily I’m an electrician which is getting me past this hurdle. Thanks for asking! This is my mild-vent lol

[@CulinaryExploration]

@@NiteOwlBreadWishing you the best bud, sounds like things are getting back on track