Avoid This Sourdough Mistake (6 Consequences You Can Prevent)

[@tomannable5520]

Hallelujah! I have been struggling with my sourdough- making nice bread but lacking shape and hard to score etc. i was at 70% hydration as this was on the low side of what my books were recommending. Then i watched this - reduced hydration to 64% and wow! Beautiful dough, scored perfectly and a stunner of a loaf. Can’t thank you enough. 😊

[@namisingh9576]

You can’t even imagine what a help you are to people like us who are passionate about bread making but no one could help us like ur videos do ❤ really appreciate how you have helped me . Thanks tho can’t thank you enough 🙌🏻

[@ws.hicks0214]

Funny story. Coming from hobby cake baker over to bread baking, I was over confident in my baking ability and went with high hydration dough as my first attempts. Really shot myself in the foot there, as it now 4 years after I started venturing in this hobby that I can really say I had learned the ropes of bread baking. I imagined it'd only take me 1 year, or 2 years top to reach my current point had I stated from 60% dough as it should have been. But, another funny thing is, I'm now more familiar with higher hydration dough that working with 60% just put me out of my comfort zone as my muscle and skills are now in handling wet dough that I always feel my kneading just make the mess out of the dough rather than developing it.

[@jansteyaert1]

In commercial bakeries, they usually use between 55 and 58% hydration, this gives quite a stiff dough that doesn't stick too much and is easily processable (doesn't stick to machines, etc.). However, when making bread with all-purpose flour, 55% is generally a good starting point if you're making your first bread. the dough is very workable and very easy to work with. Usually another tip I would give people is to make yeast bread the very first time because the process is a bit more predictable (you can rule out starter problems). We did the same in high school (I did bread and pastry) and moved to sourdough later, and everything made a lot more sense. My preferred method these days is using a poolish, bigga, Pȃte fermentée, yeast starter or a combination of sourdough and one of these with great results and amazing flavor. But again, when making your very first bread, basic yeast bread makes the most sense to me.

[@MarySue1908]

This is the second time I have seen you put a chart in your video, I am in love 😍

[@MarySue1908]

Oh my gosh the chart is from your book! I didn't know! My prayers have been answered!

[@timmienorrie]

This video is a gem. Super informative and has filled in a lot of cracks in my knowledge. Super well done.

[@JavierLunaMolina]

"Too much hydration can mess up your dough, it is better to go from dry to wet than backwards" and "Don't just follow a recipe you find online, always tailor it to your environment" are two great lessons that I feel like made a huge difference in how I make dough (no matter the type!) I do wanna share that high hydration has been one of my most valuable tools specially when baking pizza in a home oven, specially when not using any of the "steamy" techniques Hendrick shared in the channel (and in the book!). Home ovens require a lot of time to bake a pizza and the crust will dry out if you make the dough with low hydration. Like, I don't want to say that high hydration is a must in that situation, but it is a very powerful variable to play with once you learn how. And while I also agree that it comes with a lot of new techniques you need to hone (handling high hydration is very tricky), it is well worth it and will make you a better baker. Just take your time learning the basics and mastering low hydration before jumping to HH, that's also something I messed up :P

[@the_bread_code]

I agree and thanks for pointing this out one more time. This has been my biggest learning since starting.

[@OceanFrontVilla3]

​@@the_bread_code What is a good hydration percentage for a bread that is half bread flour half whole spelt? Or half white spelt, half whole spelt? These two are my preferred breads.

[@wildeast66]

​@@OceanFrontVilla3He states it in the video: 60% works fine for most flours. However as he also states: every flour is different, not only every "type", literally every flour. Even the same type of the same brand varies from year to year, it's a natural product. Tip: Stick to the same flour. Start with 60% hydration, compare the consistency with the one in the video and try to adjust by adding small amounts of water or flour. Measure every bit, that you add and adjust your recipe.

[@MrStellamonster]

Just made an amazing sourdough bread ( third attempt using a different recipe), but I followed your 30min guide and also bought your book, which is a very interesting read. After the failed attempts I was nearly ready to give up but your recipe has changed that, thanks mate your vids are very informative and easy to follow, have to highly recommended your book as well❤❤

[@the_bread_code]

Thank you very much for the kind words. I appreciate that.

[@simplybeautifulsourdough8920]

What a useful video - very handy! Don't know if it matters at this juncture, but there's a repeat of flipping the lower-hydartion loaf out of the banneton & scoring. I know it's a pain to cut a chunk out in Studio, but though I'd mention it in case you'd like to.

[@the_bread_code]

oops, sorry I totally missed that. Thank you for pointing that out.

[@simplybeautifulsourdough8920]

@@the_bread_code You're welcome. Glad to know I'm not the only one.

[@kennethyoder9766]

Ha! I thought I accidentally hit repeat!

[@brendanmurphy4866]

This guy is exceptionally good

[@itsame_th2283]

High hydration is overrated in my experience. 60-65% is fine

[@JoseGomez-vr6mj]

Depends on the flour. Rye vs Wheat. Whole flour vs whiter flour. Strong bread flour like Manitoba vs weaker flour like the usual supermarket flour. But yeah 60-65% works with most whiter wheat breads.

[@JoseGomez-vr6mj]

he actually explained it in the video mb lol

[@babyelian77]

​@@JoseGomez-vr6mjWhole wheat flour needs more water, not less, in my experience, though

[@JoseGomez-vr6mj]

@@babyelian77 I never said whole wheat needs less.

[@barrychambers4047]

I like a stiff starter for much of the same reasons that you discussed concerning your dough. Thank you Hendrik!

[@Vashtikhan]

You are a really good teacher. Can you do a video for us who live in a hot climate here in the Carribean? I want to bake beautiful bread like you ❤

[@petterostberg9025]

I agree hydration is one of the keys to a good result, but I´d like a comment about the varyning environmental conditions in different places/time of year. A challenge to a nerdy german :)) For instance the air, and so the flour, has a much higher hydration in the summer, and specially compared between a kitchen in southern Europe in the summer vs. one in northern Scandinavia in the winter. Since your excellent vid´s are so informative and precise, it would be nice to have some comment in them on how much this affects the hydration in the dough. Otherwise there is no real point in going into fractions of decimals, or even within 2-3 decimals of dough hydration. When I´ve tried 60-65% here i Sweden it´s almost impossible to get a workable dough, it´s stone hard. To my experience there is much more of a "hands on" feel to it. A method of measuring the real hydration, not the amount of water you put in would be more accurate! And the sample jar for fermentation is the key to success! Thanks for your good spirit and encouraging vids!

[@mutzel1119]

09:18 German describing a "complete mess" 😂

[@jbkhan1135]

Excellent video and very informative! thank you again and glad to see you back! :)

[@s.b.2088]

Hey there Hendrik, thanks so much for sharing your expertise, I've been following your basic method for years with 80% good results. I can't get very good flour here, so I just use 60% hydration and all white flour. The problem I have is the dough always sticks to the bowl or pan after bulk fermentation, it can't fall out by itself and comes out with assistance in spaghetti strands. Then on the counter it sticks too much to properly form a smooth ball, so I have to use very wet hands and stretch it into a ball in the air. I do use your shot glass sample method to check fermentation level, but I think I must have a super strong starter together with poor flour. Any tips? Thanks again.

[@MauzyrockRC]

Thank you! Awesome info and advice for my upcoming winter bake sessions!

[@the_bread_code]

just curious, do you take a pause in summertime?

[@MauzyrockRC]

@@the_bread_code Ahh, not purposefully. I started a demanding (time) job and mismanaged my precious starter "Tony Levin" ( king Krimson) and it perished. So by the winterI will be resettled and have time to relearn and restart a fresh starter.

[@TundeEszlari]

You are a very good KZbinr.❤

[@kevinu.k.7042]

That old maxim of adding more water when using flours with more bran (wholemeal) no longer holds for modern flours. Bran is fully hydrated with about 70% water. Not so far off the hydration of doughs using commodity flour. Back in the day with lower protein flours using 55% hydration adding wholemeal flour did require more water.

[@lindachristman3702]

High hydration makes the bread soft but it’s too wet to toast nicely

[@the_bread_code]

And some people achieve more gummy crumb, which not everybody likes. However, can also come because the bread has been fermented for too long

[@mariaagelonitis465]

Thank you for your advice. Much appreciated!

[@dianeflook984]

So helpful! Thank you!

[@pascalichtertz4139]

Hi. I bought your book and am super happy. Could you tell me where you buy your flour? Thank u

[@mbalazs1981]

Very useful video, thank you. But what exactly do you mean by that? "time your fermentation perfectly" Do I basically have to treat this type of dough the same way I would if I were making Neapolitan pizza?

[@suussss71]

Hi, I have been following you for a while now and my sourdough comes out my oven just like yours. Im very pleased with your tips! But my kids demand closer crumb, because their jam is drippeling through it. I promsid them more closed crumb, but I found out it is easier said than done😮. What ever I did I got beautifull fluffy and nice open crumb with some bigger avioli. How can I get closer crumb, please help😢😢

[@imluctor5997]

you need to look at videos that tell you how the dough should feel. You also need to add more flour if it doesn' feel right. sometimes i have to add 50-100 grams more of flour. If that's the case you might want to change your recipe a bit so you don't put too much flour in compared to other ingredients. but be aware that for example adding more butter will also require more flour.

[@agentlx7536]

I would like to add that humidity also plays a roll in the hydration ability. I use 500g bread flour (which is about 12% protein) with 400g water and 100g starter for my focaccia which is an 81.8% hydration and its definitely not soupy like your dough in the pot to the left!

[@the_bread_code]

that’s a much stronger flour than the one I used. The one I used was a very basic cake flour with around 9% protein.

[@agentlx7536]

@@the_bread_code aah got ya.

[@alexgorki]

Thank you, sir!

[@ThatGuy-123]

Mich würde interessieren welche Mehle du verwendest. Kannst du mal einen Vergleich machen mit deutschen Supermarkt-Mehlen?

[@the_bread_code]

Das wäre eine super Idee - danke!

[@Dina_tankar_mina_ord]

Thanks for upload. Ive been searching for years no why a dough breaks and how to fix it. I dont know if its over or under neading. The doug gets more stringy than eleastic and no gluten has developed at all. do you have a video on this or mayby you can explain it here or in a nother video?

[@the_bread_code]

Interesting. Maybe it is the flour you are using. I recommend to look for a flour which has a higher protein content.

[@angelamaynard1589]

Do you ship your hard copy book to the UK?

[@the_bread_code]

Yes :-)

[@gezbiranveli5965]

Vreau să învăț traducere in lb. Română daca se poate. Mulțumesc explicatii pretioase cu rezultate foarte bune.❤

[@faekalkardinal]

for the germans, edeka type 405 wheat flour 13% protein, ez 80% hydration

[@the_bread_code]

Oh wow, I need to check. Is it labeled as extra backstark?

[@faekalkardinal]

@@the_bread_code profi-back-qualität, erhöhter proteingehalt, sehr gute backeigenschaften, aus ausgewählten weizensorten

[@faekalkardinal]

@@the_bread_code nope, nix, aber profi back qualität & erhöhter proteingehalt, ist die eigenmarke von edeka

[@valentinagazzara4595]

Grazie.

[@JackOusley]

This is what’s happening to me, I’m following the recipes and my dough is so wet and never looks like and of the pictures and videos. I haven’t had soup, but I have had wet, flat, and sticky dough.

[@holzsmsf]

A question...I do not use bakers flour but stone ground whole wheat Spelt or normal whole wheat flours. All the receipes show 80% + hydration due the the amount of bran in the flours. Thoughts??

[@anotheremailaddress9664]

As someone that has tried a number of not-white-bread flours, start at low hydration. (65%) Some of them provide no gluten structure, so you need wheat germ to get some protein to get an oven spring. Vitamin C in small amounts also rumored to enhance structure. In general, these casual references to “dough strength” cannot be generalized to other flours. I feel like high hydration is mostly “look how good I am..” Your proofing times also change.

[@clarabartha1737]

Well there's something called dough and there's something called batter. Each has its own uses and characteristics.

[@Raul28153]

have you incorporated a pregelatinized starch into an open crumb format?

[@the_bread_code]

Not yet - but I have seen many people doing. Please try it and report in our community: breadco.de/chat

[@TheCommuted]

I'd like to use a distance measuring chip to watch for proof. To discover characteristics of perfect proof across temperature. Also, has anyone put dough into a pressure vessel for instant rise?

[@the_bread_code]

Super interesting ideas if you test it, please let me know.

[@dernicolas6281]

some scene repeateing at 20 minutes but great content. :)

[@TheCompleteGuitarist]

Your soup dough is 80% hydration but looks more like 110% hydration. My sourdough starter is 100% hydration and never looks like a soup. You normal hydration is 60%. My 60% hydration doughs while workable never look that .... "slippery" and are usually a little tough and dry. I normally go for 70% but I am experimenting a little with higher.

[@estoniaforever]

Welches Mehl genau hast du in dem Video für dein Brot verwendet?

[@the_bread_code]

Das war ein Mehl von Penny, Typ 550 :-)

[@RamblinRick_]

Off-topic, but relevant. Two days ago, I started a new starter (my first in about15 years). I cannot use Rye, because wife is allergic. So, I'm making an all-wheat flour (13.34% Protein) starter, 100% hydration. It is very stiff. Should I increase hydration percent? If so, to what level? Or, should I just continue to feed on schedule for next five days (50g flour, 50g water) and everything will be fine? Or, is all-wheat just not a good idea? Should I mix in a bread flour or AP flour? I did all-wheat, because I've seen in other videos that it can replace a rye starter.

[@bsdnfraje]

Stick with it. Whole wheat (which I assume is what you refer to as all wheat) makes a great starter.

[@RamblinRick_]

@@bsdnfraje Yes, Whole Wheat

[@bsdnfraje]

@@RamblinRick_ Stick with it. It's not rye, but it is good.

[@the_bread_code]

you can make a sourdough starter out of every flower. Try to use a whole flower because it has more natural contamination with microorganisms. This will help to make the starter faster.

[@mdrakic]

Well, better make a focaccia/ciabatta if you use a 80% hydration.

[@braincytox7314]

Advise is great and all, but there's a small mistake: Neapolitan Pizza has a really high hydration. 60% is only for beginners' recipes. A self-respecting pizzaiolo will use at least 70% hydration, and professionals might go as high as 90% in some places

[@tib0980]

The traditional recipe calls for 60% hydration i think

[@wieli.]

Absolutely not true! The AVPN Regulation calls for 55-62% hydration

[@braincytox7314]

@wieli. I don't know what the regulation calls for, but just look for example at what the world champion in the category of neapolitan pizza uses. There are a lot of professionals who use higher hydration. This should speak for itself

[@braincytox7314]

​@wieli. I looked into it, and you are correct if you want to make pizza according to the associazione verace. Either way most experts use higher hydration

[@wieli.]

@@braincytox7314 The classic flour for neapolitan pizza is Caputo pizzeria. It has a P/L of around 0.5. I am pretty sure that anything above 70% hydration would be wayyy to runny to make a nicely shaped pizza, that doesn't stick; hence why most professionals I know keep below 60%

[@Francois_Dupont]

my problem* is always to mix too much flour and end up with the dough too dry. it is very hard to incorporate more water in. *= i meant to say that WHEN i have a problem. its that.

[@the_bread_code]

yes, that’s for sure. A problem. Not sure if you have a stand mixer, but the stand mixer should fix that.

[@Toppse92]

Du hast High hydration geliebt :D. Hattest du nicht sogar mal über 100%?

[@teppet4119]

man white flour bakers really be baking on easy.. whole wheat I have to use at least 70 or else it will end up dry and too stiff.

[@mspeir]

I'm sorry to call you out, but the dough on the left has far more water than 80%. I've never worked with an 80% dough that was soupy. While I've never worked with it, I've seen 100% hydration doughs that are not soupy. Truthfully, how much water did you actually add?

[@the_bread_code]

No problem. I appreciate the feedback. I recall measuring all the ingredients with my scale. However I was wondering the same thing when making the dough 👌. Regardless a low protein flour at 80% hydration is a big soup.

[@Nuron.Mukumi]

If you have flour which has 10g protein then 80% hydration will be soup :(

[@Ozzy6]

Is that hydration calculation incorrect as he doesn't count the water in the starter?

[@the_bread_code]

Yes. but mostly this is disregarded because it’s just a really small change in water.

[@Ozzy6]

​​@@the_bread_codeThanks for the reply. With 600g of water and 100g starter that's a difference of very close to 2%. I've found, with my own flour at least, that 2% can make a big difference.

[@davidwpinkston4226]

for some reason, i'm hungry

[@alexgorki]

...btw, nice sun-kissed glow.

[@hikerJohn]

This is a strawman argument. NO ONE makes a dough like that and tries to bake bread with it.

[@simplybeautifulsourdough8920]

I do! 😂

[@hikerJohn]

@@simplybeautifulsourdough8920 Why?

[@the_bread_code]

try to use a low protein flour and then try to use 80% hydration. Please report your findings.

[@hikerJohn]

@@the_bread_code And just how would you knead it or streatch and fold it? There are 80% hydration bread recipes but not with low protein flour. The recipe would state what flour to use.

[@simplybeautifulsourdough8920]

@hikerJohn Because I might as well try and make something good out of the ingredients. Why not?

[@tonycasarrubia1394]

I don’t understand why you have so many problems making bread after you have been making it for several years. I guess that the idea of German people being so efficient is not true. If you need help let me know.

[@RobinSongsAreMagical]

😂 I think you missed the point! Bread Code is illustrating issues many of us face or have faced and showing us how to solve / resolve them or avoid them to start with. It's tips, tricks and advice he is offering.

[@speakfreely.1776]

Jealousy is one hell of a drug

[@simplybeautifulsourdough8920]

Err.... He did it intentionally for the purpose of helping others. 🙂

[@the_bread_code]

thanks for the comment. this video was meant to demonstrate a common problem, new bakers are facing when making a breath dough. The key Takeaway is to go lower and hydration and save yourself from a lot of trouble.

[@Tilmann5138]

Nobody understood it as sarcasm as I did? Pretty sure it was sarcasm.