This ONE SECRET Makes YOU Master Sourdough Baking

[@the_bread_code]

Gluten Tag everyone. I definitely recommend this video covering the full process from start to finish: kzbin.info/www/bejne/hH7KnZutpZefhNU. It answers all the aspects of sourdough baking very much in detail. Happy baking!

[@nancyverdi2109]

You nailed it! thanks so much. seems like my problem has been over fermentation. and I'm going to try your trick of taking a small amount of the dough in separate jar and monitoring when it doubles in size. that's sort of like a timer. once it doubles in size then bulk fermentation is complete. thanks for making this very easy to understand.

[@aranyosa]

Great video thanks. I have the problem that the proofed bread which holds nicely on the bench and has decent finger poke elasticity flattens out on the pizza stone the frist 5 min of baking. The oven is 230c , the bread was done with 10-55-55 starter (@ double volume, for 500g flour) , long autolyse, several strech and fold ,until sample doubles, shape by fold 3+ rollup, proof in banetton overnight in fridge, scar ( perhaps too deep?) , spray with water, into steam preped oven. The flour is mix of t80 , t110 ( stone grainded) and manitoba. ~11-12 g protein on average , 70% hydrated (excl starter)

[@OceanFrontVilla3]

do these tips apply to einkorn sourdough? (especially the starter activity)

[@peteg8920]

I started my sourdough bread experience 2 weeks ago and finally after taking your advice here I have succeeded in producing my dream loaf. I think the main reason I succeeded was that I got my starter to double in 5 hours. You know , the loaf looks so good it seems a shame to eat it. All I do is take pictures of it and send them to my friends.

[@the_bread_code]

Hahaha, I have been there too! Happy it worked out. Cheers!

[@pressedearth9492]

The perfect loaf is a beautiful thing.

[@pressedearth9492]

The art is in the proofing given achievement of doubling in bulk fermentation. 30 minutes at this stage can be critical.

[@agtronic]

THIS IS THE VIDEO I needed to see. I have been struggling with sourdough since I first started two months ago. Every loaf I made always ended up like your over fermented one, unmanageable and sloppy. Thank you for clearing this up for me, it is invaluable. I'm surprised that the importance of fermentation is not discussed more in the bread world. I have watched a lot of videos and have read many threads on the subject in the last two months, and there has only been vague mentions of this in passing. I will try again and report back. Thanks for sharing your experience with everyone.

[@mariamarin7045]

Same for me! It is invaluable indeed! None explained as Breadcode did! Thank you so much!

[@wernerclarssen2939]

Me too! I always thought like 'give him more time to ferment right' 😂

[@mrgreenbudz37]

Exactly, OMG, yes. I ruined to doughs this weekend and just dumped them without even wasting time or gas to cook them.

[@evanhirsch6940]

I have watched a number of your videos. They are all super informative and clear and I have learned a lot. What I really find refreshing - even unique - is your sincerity and kindness. I notice occasionally a slightly snarky comment, but you always answer sincerely, take no offense and do your best to offer what you have learned to others. That shows a remarkable and sincere kindness. You also have a great sense of humor. Yes, I have cried too, over sticky dough! I greatly appreciate your honesty and lack of pretension. Thank you for sharing and wishing you all the best in the big "out there".

[@the_bread_code]

Moin Evan Hirsch, wow, thank you so much for the nice words. That truly means a lot. Yes, no need to be rude. I have been broke so many times in my life and learned that it's much better to be humble and nice. One thing that annoys me a little on KZbin is that in order to be successful, you have to use clickbaity titles. It's normally not my personality, but unfortunately there is no way around it if you want want to reach an audience. Then I am also thinking, it's a small price to pay in exchange for creating joy in so many people's lives. Please at any time reach out with more questions, cheers from Hamburg.

[@armankamalzadeh8016]

Yesterday at 9 am, I started slap and fold. Wonderful dough, beautiful gluten formed! I did 3 sessions of stretch and fold with 30 mins intervals. Then I laminated my dough and started 3 sessions of gently folding with one-hour intervals. Then I went out and let it sit for another four hours. And throughout the process, I put the dough in the turned-off oven while ensuring a bowl of hot water was also in the oven. At 10 pm, the dough was so jiggly. When I wanted to shape the dough, it was a disaster. I couldn't even hold the dough, it was falling through my fingers and I suffered from PTSD for a couple of hours. So yeah, bulk fermentation to double size is not a g good thing! Lesson learned for the second time!

[@the_bread_code]

Hi Arman, oooooooh noes! Shoot. That happens to me too from time to time. Your dough seems to have over-fermented. Over time your gluten breaks down as the acidity content increases. Try making sure to feed your starter a 1:2:2 ratio or so before you mix it. Furthermore closely monitor your bulk fermentation, bulk a little less than too much. I have a video on this too in case you are interested: kzbin.info/www/bejne/hmacgJmdf5l3ptU. Happy baking! Feel free to reach out with more questions!

[@armankamalzadeh8016]

@@the_bread_code well actually the starter was 1:2:2. I think 13 hours of fermentation was insane with hot water increasing the temperature and humidity of the turned off oven. Your method of separating a bit of dough till it's double in size is interesting. I'll use it next time. And yes that's what I did. Couldn't let the dough go to waste. It's tasty and surprisingly even have some tiny open crumb but that beautiful dough after the slap and fold deserved to have a more beautiful life.

[@kisszoli0307]

Dough straight from fridge to oven, after it's rest. It help more puff your bread, cold gas expands more in hot environmental. Put water into your oven + start your bread baking in Dutch oven, with lid on. Preheat oven with Dutch oven. After 30 mins, take lid off and finish baking. Even at half way, take your bread off from Dutch oven and place it on oven tray.😉

[@petedavis7970]

I recently had the best loaf of my bread making career of about 100 loaves. My issue was that I was adding my started without watering it down and I keep my starter pretty thick. Because it was so thick, it wasn't mixing well with dough and I'd get my bubbles, but then I'd get very dense sections of dough where the started didn't mix as well. I realized this a couple loaves back when I did a particularly bad job mixing the starter and the aha! moment happened. Not that my other loaves were bad. This one was particularly bad, but most of them were good. They just weren't great. So instead I'm now reserving some water from the autolyse and adding it to my starter before mixing it in with the dough and it made all the difference in the world. It was immediately apparent when working the dough that the dough just felt better and it responded better. It rose more (and more evenly) and the oven spring was insane. For the first time a loaf was in serious danger of hitting the roof of the oven. Oh what a happy day that was. It was also the first loaf where my 9yo daughter's eyes popped when she ate a slice. Thanks for your video. All you guys making these videos is adding to my knowledge about sour dough and improving every loaf I make.

[@the_bread_code]

Hi Pete, that's an awesome story. I typically keep my starter at 100% hydration all the time. So it is always a 1:1 ratio of flour and water. It will make the dough slightly wetter when adding it, but I account for that already in my recipes. One change of a parameter can already be a big difference!

[@Gus2vina]

Thanks for this. I may have experienced this unknowing with my Rye starter which tends to be thicker than white. This is a very good point.

[@txpepper]

Pete...I agree with your statement of reserving a little water to further thin your starter even if your starter is at 1:1 hydration. Also, since I use kosher salt, I dissolve the salt in a little bit of reserved water just to make sure I have a more even distribution. Probably an unnecessary step since the fold and rest procedure is such a long process. But since I'm spending so much time and effort, this extra small step makes me feel better. 😄

[@BlushingRoseDiaries]

After watching this video my bread has come out so perfect! Thank you so much! I stay in Fl and my environment is so much warmer. Shortening my fermentation time literally transformed my bread outcome. It’s such a simple change that made a load of difference!

[@arbees8684]

Learning a lot thank you, im new to sourdough baking which ive learned from different YT video tutorials, 2 or 3 months back, i have tried baking 3 loaves from different recipes,some sourdough bagels and i found different challenges everytime then I came across your channel that gave more sense ,you just saved my sanity, ough🙆as I've been trying so hard to learn more to make my own sourdough bread, I've noticed my bloating issues have eased tremendously 👌🙏

[@alethadullea4761]

I have watched a lot of people making sourdough and when I watched this video, I still learned something helpful. Thank you

[@the_bread_code]

Moin Aletha. You are most welcome. Feel free to reach out any time with additional questions. Happy baking!

[@dfertefwergwergrfgwr]

This is the best video on Breadmaking on KZbin. Great job!!! I hope you get many, many subscribers.

[@maconheiro0]

I’ve been reading a lot about sourdough bread but I had not found so far a clear and precise job as the one you are doing. Tks a lot.

[@the_bread_code]

Moin Kinn. Thank you so much for the comment. That really means a lot. Feel free to reach out at any time with more questions.

[@hudadesignbh]

Totaly👍🏼

[@jpcanada3659]

Wow....where did you learn all this stuff. Your baking science is inspirational.

[@sandramary4]

After at least 3 months of watching videos, reading websites and experimenting, I have decided that your channel is by far the best. Thank you so much for all the work you have put into this and for sharing your invaluable knowledge with us!

[@xenonmonkey]

This makes so much sense! I have been doing 8-10 hour ferments in the middle of summer with THE flattest, wettest dough! Thank you so much for the research and tips!

[@the_bread_code]

Moin Dalopi. You are most welcome! Also check this out: kzbin.info/www/bejne/p36cc4uBlq6lbJI. Made a video covering flat breads in detail. Cheers.

[@harrybond007]

Your tip about putting a test piece of dough in a tall shot glass, marking it and waiting until it doubles is the best tip!!, I now make great bread because of this - thank you!!

[@pyunker8820]

Hello and thank you! I’ve been baking with commercial yeast since I was 16, dare I say it, for over 50 years. Sourdough baking had me frustrated and stumped. Saw your video, The One Secret that Makes you a Better Sourdough Baker, and I finally realized that fermentation was my problem. Well that and a lack of patience. Your excitement and surprise over your discovery is what caused me to rethink my problem. THANK YOU!

[@the_bread_code]

Moin P Yunker. Awesome, hearing this from someone who has a lot of experience means a lot. No shame in yeast baking, I love baking with poolish. I choose either yeast, or sourdough depending on what kind of bread I am looking for. Although to be fair, sourdough baking is a little more complicated, as you can run into overfermentation much quicker.

[@mobilfone2234]

This could have been my comment, just replace 50 by 45 years :-)

[@InjusticeHater]

Danke! I continue in English for fellow comment readers. I know fermentation duration is my problem with baking. Today I took my overnight fermented dough out of the fridge as I wanted to bake Brötchen with it (I added soy-drink and sugar and a little bit of olive oil which I normally don´t). It behaved like your 8 hours fermentation dough and I was totally sad. Anyway, I quickly decided (as I did a lot of times) to bake that mess anyway. Not only because I hate wasting food in general but also because it tastes nice and sour anyway. I decided to add sesame, quinoa and millett, did something like a stretch and fold, incorporating those, preheated the oven and let the dough in my benetton in the fridge for half an hour to get some kind of a shape for transfer to the oven. To bake I really hurried getting the dough on my pizza stone but of course it turned into a sort of flatbread with too hard crust but soft and nice though slightly gummiy crumb anyway. Every yt baker would call it a complete failure, but it tastes amazing nevertheless, thanks to the sourness and the nice extras. I baked Brötchen with a little bit of sourdough starter for the taste + yeast in a dough I quickly stirred together then, but in the end they only fermented 2.5 h instead of at least 4, which would be way better for people with Reizdarmsyndrom (irritable bowel syndrome), but they were fantastic. Oh, if someone reads this: I am doing 16:8 fasting, also sth like 6:1 days (one to two days of fast per week, at least I try) and some months ago we did 10 days of fasting. No Buchinger, only water/tea/vegetable broth water (cooked out vegetables + salt. That reduced my problems with irritable bowel by something like 80%. It does to this moment. I also lost 1 kg per day during fast. I can only recommend gaining information on fasting and autophagy and do it, if you also have problems. Anyway, back to the topic: Thank you very much for your videos and this especially. It made what I knew but somehow not totally thought through clear like a slap on the back of my head!

[@the_bread_code]

Moin InjusticeHater. Thanks for the very detailed comment with a lot of precious information. Cheers!

[@leslieeswigart]

I keep my starters at room temperature and feed every day using only King Arthur bread flour. I only discard if I have to depending on the space I have in the jar for expansion. I mix my dough, let rest for, covered for 15 minutes and then perform 4 stretch and folds 15 minutes apart. I then bulk ferment only for about an hour which achieves about 25% increase in size. Then I proof in the refrigerator anywhere from 4 to 24 hours, usually overnight. I bake in a preheated Dutch oven at 450 degrees Fahrenheit 20 minutes lid on, 20 minutes lid off. My results are consistently excellent.

[@kennykeating5243]

I use all whole wheat flour for bread. My levain ferments for 24 hours at .5% inoculation rate. And I bulk ferment for 12 hours with 4% of the flour pre-fermented.

[@jbaby007]

Gosh as a beginner sourdough bread maker, this video was a complete treasure to find while starting my journey. Thank you for the incredible tips!

[@ddawson100]

OK, so I haven't ever seen mistakes described in books quite like this and this is the first time I've seen a discussion of where the over-proofing mistake can happen. And you explain why and how to prevent it. I'm so grateful! I've tried sourdough and tossed quite a few loaves. I've noticed they were too sour and were definitely too flat so now I know that these factors are connected and why it happened. It's so discouraging to make mistakes but now I know what I did wrong. Thank you so very much!

[@the_bread_code]

Moin and Gluten Tag David Dawson, you are most welcome! Feel free to reach out with more questions! Happy baking.

[@jacquelined.1611]

Thank you! This happened to me! Over fermented overnight. I was so proud because it had all kinds of bubbles, but when I went to divide it and put it in the fridge it was so gooey like yours. I made pizza crust and it didn’t give any left but still very tasty.

[@the_bread_code]

Moin Jacqueline. Oh yes, happened many times to me. I like to just toss it into a loaf pan. This really helped me with saving many doughs How did you make pizza crust out of it?

[@jacquelined.1611]

The Bread Code I divided it before putting in fridge, but just so gooey. Thank you for your helpful videos!

[@frankwcrespo]

These is the best resource on approaching an understanding of the process from start to finish. Ultimately the best teacher is in the actual doing.

[@the_bread_code]

Moin Frank Crespo, wow, thank you so much for the nice words. That truly means a lot. Please at any time reach out with more questions. Cheers from Hamburg.

[@frankwcrespo]

@@the_bread_code wow, I've never gotten a reply from one of these comments. Very cool! I've only recently begun to make some truly delicious successful sourdoughs. My latest puzzle is the scoring. My score tends to close up very quickly, and my bread tends to crack open at the seam underneath. The flavor and the texture of this breads are still very good with a nice open crumb. But I think (like you said) it all comes down to fermentation. There was something you said that I will try on my next loaf. I plan to refrigerate it after the bench proof. I usually score and bake after the bench proof. It so great to hear your reply!

[@kurtrammelsberg978]

Watched this video yesterday and Hurray!! I think I found my problem. Started baking sourdough with homemade starter a few months ago. Thanks for your efforts! Carol, wife of Kurt in SoCal, USA

[@the_bread_code]

Moin Carol. Awesome, glad you enjoyed the video. You seem to have a German name haha. Greetings to Kurt as well.

[@uncosito]

Thank you for this video!!! I've watched so many videos and I still always feel like I'm baking in the dark with no idea of whether my bulk fermentation is done. It's like trying to solve a riddle with a missing clue! You've answered so many questions!

[@the_bread_code]

Hi HeKnits. Thank you very much. What are some other questions I could answer in upcoming videos?

[@TheCompleteGuitarist]

BRILLIANT ... I have had that sloppy dough so many times and always thought that it was the acid destroying the gluten. Thank you for sharing your results. You can save that dough by baking it in traditional trays. It will still rise and give a good loaf. Infact I have a casserole dish which is smaller than a traditional dutch oven but larger than a traditional baking tray that will force the dough up and give a good rise instead of a pancake.

[@the_bread_code]

Precisely. This is so very much true. Thanks for the comment. I do this all the time when I feel I over-fermented.

[@slaffsla]

I have years of experience in sourdough baking, and still learned a lot. Great video!

[@vickigeorge5348]

I've been making sourdough bread for 4 months now and tried several different methods (that I watched on KZbin University). Your videos are by far the best (especially bc of your humor and expertise!). I was hit or miss with the fermentation process for this oven spring but thanks to you I've found the sweet spot. The environment is a big factor as I was on vacation in FL and every step in the making of bread was much faster bc of temp and humidity. Thank You!!!

[@Jacksonsjob]

I just tried this method and I’m seriously impressed! I did a 6 hour ferment and then I placed it in a pan for two hours before baking. The loaf was so tall it was 1/4 bigger than my normal loaves I ferment overnight on the counter. I have a second one in the fridge and can’t wait to see which one is better in terms of looks and taste. Your videos are awesome. I love to bake but just got into making sourdough in earnest a little over a year ago.

[@the_bread_code]

Fantastic! Thanks Jacksonsjob. Glad the video was helpful!

[@Jacksonsjob]

@@the_bread_code did you find the bread to be less sour for you with this method? I tried both breads, the one I rested over night and the one I baked the same day. The one I baked the same day was a fabulous tasting bread with zero sour taste to it. The one that spent overnight in the fridge was only slightly sour. When I ferment at room temperature overnight, the bread is noticeably sour. Does the fridge slow down the buildup of the acids? As much as I loved the spring on the loaves, I'd rather have a more sour taste. I'm relatively new to sourdough and I'm assuming the breaking down of some of the gluten and less spring might be a trade off? Thanks if you find time to answer!

[@Jacksonsjob]

@Jiminy Gibbet Thanks so much for the reply! That sounds plausible. I have thankfully learned a lot more about sourdough in the past two years, but I still don't know much. When I cold ferment the dough, the bread just isn't as sour as I'd like unless I leave it chilling several days as opposed to a single overnight stay on the counter. I'm doing something backwards. 🤣

[@susanmolnar7323]

Boy oh boy Henreik! i have been having a gooey sticky spreading mess for the last four breads! I was seriously thinking of pulling my hair out and quitting altogether 😒 Thanks so much for this video however! It helped me to rethink what I was doing and how to deal with the new dough I made today. I think I will be very happy with the results in the morning. I reduced the amount of water in my dough by 20 grams (using your single bread recipe) and only let it ferment for 6 hours as opposed to 8 hours. It had barely doubled. The dough is in the banneton for the night! Excited and can't wait to see what we get!

[@mmacrobert]

I had this exact situation recently - much swearing and frustration ensued. Knowing that an optimum exists can save a lot of frustration. I thought that more=better. Thanks for making this video.

[@the_bread_code]

Moin and Gluten machonky, Thanks. That means a lot. Feel free to reach out with more questions! Happy baking.

[@Titanette]

This is the explanation that says the truth. God bless you for sharing.

[@MickieMuellerStudio]

I knew my bulk fermentation was off but wasn’t sure what I was doing wrong. I’ve definitely been over fermenting. When you pointed out that the bulk fermentation starts when the starter and flour meet, that was my aha moment as I was starting the clock after the stretch and folds. I have a loaf in the fridge now that was easy to shape because I listened to your advice, thank you! This might be my best loaf yet!

[@mdansbyjr]

I never realized how off my fermentation timing was! Thank you for addressing this! Watching you try and form that 8 hour dough looked like ever loaf I've made. 🥴

[@the_bread_code]

Hi Borach. Yes, I have been there too. Don't give up. It will take a few more attempts!

[@satsuma0range]

Thank you for making this video! I’m glad I can use your three years of experience to learn after my third [frisbee disc shaped] loaf! My starter looks so healthy and active and doubles in size (in 28C weather) in about 3 hours reliably but when I try to make a loaf I end up with a frisbee!

[@the_bread_code]

Hi Kristie, glad I was able to help. Let me know how it goes. Fingers crossed!

[@callyhua]

WOW, such an informative video. I've been trying to bake sourdough for several months now and have been watching different videos. Your explanation of the balance between the yeast and the acid is excellent and now I know what my problem has been! I can't wait to use your knowledge to improve my baking. Thank you!

[@the_bread_code]

Moin and gluten Tag callyhua, awesome. Yes, I wish I had seen this video when I started. I was trying to change so many things, but the balance and perfect sweet spot between both is really the key. Feel free to reach out with more questions.

[@andybell4065]

Thank you! I was wondering why my dough which was fine in the cold kitchen in the winter was so sticky and runny in the summer. I realised it was a gluten problem, but thought I wasn't giving the gluten time to develop so INCREASED the fermentation time (which of course made things worse)! Used your trick to determine when the dough is ready to proof when I baked today and it looks to have worked a treat.

[@the_bread_code]

Moin Andy. That's great to hear. If you over ferment you can always safe the dough using a loaf pan. Happy baking 🙏🏻

[@ThatGuy-dj3qr]

Thanks for all the info. I think I have been guilty of overfermenting in my bulk fermentation at times. One trick that I have seen that works (instead of making a separate test sample) is to bulk ferment in a clear container. This way you can accurately monitor the fermentation of the dough.

[@the_bread_code]

Hi Brian, great tip and thanks for sharing!

[@_eiso_]

Best video so far! Saw all my errors now. Why didn’t I see this years ago when I tried and failed so many times.

[@johnweimer3249]

I have a friend that is an amazing bread baker who’s been teaching me. I have watched so many videos and I’ve been working so hard at it. I truly have to say this video surprised me in that it got to the little things that make or break your success. Much better than so many other same ole videos I’ve seen. if you want to learn how to bake bread this video is very important.

[@the_bread_code]

Hi John. Thank you very much for the comment, that means a lot! Glad I was able to help. Feel free to reach out with more questions!

[@Kousmichoff729]

Really informative video! You hit on all the important points. I've found that the "float test" for my levain is a good indicator to see if my sourdough starter is ready. (Mine is a 25 year old whole wheat batch born in Wisconsin.) So much is trial and error (always take notes on what you're doing!), as our kitchens are unique environments which vary seasonally-- record the ambient temp. of your kitchen as you experiment, too. I have a rule of thumb for my home baking: if I can make a loaf that turns out well three times in a row, I've got that recipe down pat. Thanks again for taking the time to post, it's always nice to find advocates of naturally fermented bread.

[@the_bread_code]

Hi David, thank you. The float test is great, buuuuut, even too sour starter passes the float test. Try tasting your starter on top of doing the float test. That will give you a really good feeling for your starter!

[@Jan46]

Thanks for your help, this is essential in sourdough baking, I do the poke test also but it reacts differently with different flours, you really have to learn how your specific flour ferments, sometimes in less than an half hour its already too late...

[@the_bread_code]

Definitely. Every flour is unique. I couldn't agree more. This why just blindly following recipes can work or will make you fail 👍. Great comment. Thank you.

[@the_bread_code]

​@Donald Kasper It's mostly the different levels of Gluten that make the white flour very different.

[@JeffSmith-xd3ys]

Gluten tag, Have been baking sourdough bread for several years with average results until watching your videos. Agree totally with your method to monitor fermentation and limit it by doing a doubling test which has made my bread above average. Thank you for all your good work and sharing. For us in USA oven size is an issue. Ovens are so large and a little challenging to keep full of steam. The trick you say is to put a tray above bread or foil which helps. I use strong flour 14% protein for yeast pizza by your cold fermentation method and sourdough bread. Mostly use Dutch oven for bread to trap steam. Pizza requires upper most shelf to get a good crust. Best regards, a huge fan of Bread Code.

[@JonathansCoffeeJournal]

Your channel has always been helpful to my sourdough loaves, but even more so with this video! Thanks for sharing!!

[@petelogiudice8202]

Amazing tips. Answered so many of the issues I've had! My starter has sat in the fridge neglected for months. This motivates me to make time to bake again.

[@the_bread_code]

Moin Pete LoGiudice, you are most welcome! Feel free to reach out with more questions at any time. Happy baking and cheers from Hamburg.

[@petelogiudice8202]

@@the_bread_code 2 feedings and my starter is resurrected! More than 2.5 times the size in under 4 hours! Used rye flour to feed it. So bubbly and beautiful!

[@the_bread_code]

@@petelogiudice8202 Awesome. Glad to hear! Cheers

[@tburbank1]

I’ve been struggling with flat loaves 😭 Thanks for this video, I think step #2 will be a game changer for me ☺️

[@the_bread_code]

Awesome, glad I was able to help! Let me know how it goes.

[@robfj3414]

Excellent closeup look at a part of sourdough baking that is really important to get a handle on. The timing and the overnight in the fridge are two things that have really improved the quality of my loaves. Not to mention that scoring is certainly way easier with cold dough. Now, my sourdough not only tastes great but is looking good as well!

[@the_bread_code]

Moin Rob. Thank you very much. That really means a lot! Glad I was able to help.

[@kirkinthemountains8327]

Great synopsis sir. I bake at 5000 feet and have to battle fermentation times and temperatures quite often. This is very helpful.

[@jonnifjader]

I'm so excited! Here is the explanation to my flat (but good tasting and crispy) breads. Can't wait to try making my 5th bread ever. A big Danke for your fäntästic videos!! Fingers crossed this time...

[@the_bread_code]

Thank you. Hope it turns out very well. Regardless, if it turns out flat and you don't like it, you can always make "Knödel" out of your bread.

[@jonnifjader]

@@the_bread_code Genau 😀 Another project... Think I'll wait with that 😅

[@oringe7326]

wow thank you for this video! your test was very insightful. i started baking sourdough breads in 2018 but stopped after a while i couldn’t find the time anymore but last week i finally reactivated my very sleepy starter and i can’t wait to get back into baking again! most of my loaves always looked more on flatter side and i noticed thanks to this video that i kept slightly overproofing! i read somewhere it was almost impossible to overproof but with your explanation it makes so much more sense! every time i would score my dough, it would already lose its structure and flatten out fast like in your video...

[@jakubkubicki1437]

Thanks man you really helped me to understand how the poke test works

[@the_bread_code]

Glad to hear it! I use the poke test all the time. It has helped me to bake way better bread.

[@pressedearth9492]

Your research has helped me immensely. This past weekend I experienced both over fermentation and rhe best bread I ever baked. The difference? Time in process. Aka fermentation. I watched a couple of your more recent videos after the initial flop and asking " what am I doing wrong as I had experienced better outcomes in the past but changed it up along the way. Thanks for posting your superlative research.

[@JT-ic9mp]

This was very enlightning, lots of aha moments as I realized I made most of these mistakes. You get a thumbs up!

[@the_bread_code]

Moin J Thompson, awesome. You are most welcome. Fermentation is they key!

[@kimw.5951]

Here I am, thinking the longer it ferments the better.... Oh boy, was I wrong 🙈 Thank you so much for this!

[@nataliacota7034]

Amazing video! I have been looking for these tips in a simple manner, and you did it! Thanks for share!

[@the_bread_code]

Moin Natalia. Awesome. You are most welcome!

[@malavedmd]

Thank you sooo much for this extremely well done video. Yesterday I had my nightmare dough. I will try again with this information in mind.

[@the_bread_code]

Hi Malavedmd, thank you. Hope it turns out better this time!

[@DARKLYLIT]

I have a professional baker friend who only uses 100% rye flour for his starter. The difference is astonishing. So much more activity from the rye than from whole wheat.

[@uweschroeder]

After a while of doing this you will develop the feel for the dough. I haven't followed a recipe in years. I just make a 80 to 85% hydration dough and do simple folds every half hour to hour during fermentation. Once I feel the dough has maximum fermentation and is just on the way to over-ferment I just bake it. Fermentation depends on so many factors: #1 is the flour used, #2 is temperature and then there's a couple more that are not so important. You want to use a very high protein content bread flour. Germany has a lot of good ones to choose from, here in the US I found a small mill that makes a great high protein flour somewhere in the 14% protein range. High protein flour is a lot more resistant to over-fermentation. Whole grain flours tend to over-ferment quicker despite a usually high protein content, so I mix flours about 60% bread flour to 40% whole grain flour. Temperature is of course the main issue - here on the west coast of the US there are days when you simply have to ferment it in the fridge because it will over-ferment on the counter in just 2 hours because it's too hot. A quickly fermented bread has less flavor, so I prefer slower ferments. I usually check the forecast and then I mix my dough at night before bed so it can ferment over night at a much lower temperature (here at the coast usually around 13 to 18 degrees Celsius) So yes, experiment. Every flour is different, every starter is different. You have to go by feel eventually. Going by recipe is nice for beginners, later you learn how it looks, smells and feels to know when it's time to bake.

[@the_bread_code]

Moin Uwe. What a great comment, thank you. You are not proofing your bread? Baking it directly after bulk fermentation? I so very much agree with everything you said. It takes time to develop this feeling for the dough.

[@uweschroeder]

@@the_bread_code Servus! Most of the time I do proof my bread while I heat up the oven, but I'm not as obsessed about it as most. When I feel the dough can't handle any more fermentation, i.e. I forgot while mowing the lawn or something, I have baked it directly from bulk. I just do the last "fold" more like a shape - very carefully to deflate the dough as little as possible - and then bake it right away. This produces a round loaf with a little more rugged crust because shaping it nicely and proofing it makes the crust smoother. But it works in a pinch or when you're having a lazy day. I also bake directly from bulk when camping - yes, I'm the kind of person who drives around Yellowstone National Park with a fermenting dough in the trunk which I fold using gloves at every other photo stop. By evening it's ready to bake in a dutch oven over the campfire. It's a bit rugged and doesn't look too pretty but who cares when you're out there, it's steaming fresh bread and while the other campers have "Astronautenfutter" (freeze dried instant rations), I have fresh bread with butter and a small selection of meats.

[@antheakaranasos2047]

@@uweschroeder I love this story! I'm a great cook, have baked *yeasted* bread before years ago when my kids were little, then just recently started the sourdough journey .... sourdough in the time of corona ... like so many others. Cooking ... and bread especially ... takes skill and intuition. I could tell from the start it wasn't going to be a connect-the-dots journey. As an artist and writer, I often explore new things by discovering and unraveling the process. I learn the rules to break the rules. And bread seems to have very few rules. I base that statement on the many online posts, videos, and recipes on sourdough I've read in the past 2 months. I've finally made some great sourdough and experienced a minor bump in the road due to the impact of warmer days up here in the humid Pacific NW near Seattle. The only unbreakable bread rules that seem consistent are: a) be sure to use strong flour/bread flour, b) measure in grams using a kitchen scale, c) de-chlorinate your water on the kitchen counter overnight to keep from killing or slowing down starter d) don't over ferment or over proof the dough, and e) don't add flour to wet dough to make it easier to handle. I found a fun kneaded sourdough recipe from Patrick Ryan's KZbin Masterclass at The Firehouse Bakery in Ireland. It's fun and simple if you like kneading and only takes about 10-15 mins of physical work. Next I'll experiment using different types of flour to feed my starter. I've been using organic bread flour due to lack of availability in shops. My co-op has more flour coming in now, so I'll give organic whole wheat and organic rye a go. I also read somewhere that high protein flour can go bad due to the oil content so it's important to get flour that's local and as freshly milled as possible. I'm not sure how important that is, but I like the idea and will support the local mill up in Bellingham. Cheers to camping and baking bread over the fire in a Dutch oven. I look forward to the post-corona days when camping with friends is back and I can try out your ferment-in-the-trunk method. That is so cool!

[@BellissimaMacarons]

Danke - This was super useful. Thank you for breaking down the science - I’m no scientist but being the daughter of an engineer, 😜so I know how important this level of detail is 😂😂😂. I live in warm and sunny and high altitude Pretoria, South Africa. And have been following recipes and videos of people in the US and Europe 🙄, so no wonder I wasn’t getting the same results! My environment is way different, and my dough just over proofed every time. I am going to focus on watching my own timing and getting the fermentation time correct! Fingers crossed 😄.

[@meerarajani5709]

That is true I have just started to make bread it looks like my bread that was over fermented Thanks for the video

[@the_bread_code]

Moin Meera. Awesome. Glad I was able to help. Feel free to reach out at any time. Cheers.

[@Gloria-gk3zv]

Fantastic information. I definitely needed this information. Cheers can't wait to try this tomorrow 😁👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼

[@the_bread_code]

Moin Gloria. Awesome. Glad you learned something new. Feel free to reach out with more questions 🙏🏻

[@dorothywandruff2121]

Oh man, this is worth a thousand loaves of well fermented bread. Thank you!

[@the_bread_code]

You are most welcome. Sank you 🙏🏻

[@lolobacco]

One of the best videos I have ever seen, thanks

[@the_bread_code]

Moin Laurent. Thank you very much 🙏🏻

[@claudbalestra4640]

You are my favorite baker! I absolutely love your videos!

[@Anesthesia069]

Re-watching this since I was disappointed by a flattish loaf today....I've not done it in so long but it always really gets to me!

[@shobhitchawla1848]

Excellent tips , thank you , you put in words and video all what we experience in our sourdough journey

[@the_bread_code]

Thank you Shobit. Yes, it's been a roller-coaster.

[@renettah.7908]

Thank you thank you thank you! I had a severely overproofed dough disaster yesterday and it made me wanna give up altogether! Learned a lot from this video.

[@the_bread_code]

Thank you Renetta. Yes, this can happen very quickly. I was also using 40% starter initially, this made the whole dough just way too sour. I even slightly underferment my doughs, much better than too much.

[@locutus1126]

As always, great explanations on this channel and the science of the process. I finally got a good loaf after a year of trying. I see main problem was over-proofiing. Another channel I was following would say 8-24 hours and longer was better flavour, so I went longer. My dough would look like a blob of goop. I went to 8 hours and it was perfect. It has been cold lately, so I went longer. I had 2 nice beautiful puffy loaves. His process is great but I don't have time to be baby sitting bread all day..lol..now I know why the homemade bakery near me charges $9/loaf, it's a lot of time in there to get it right.

[@ellamacaya8432]

Thank you for always sharing❤️❤️❤️ Guten Morgen from the Philippines🌹

[@the_bread_code]

Moin Ella Macaya, you are most welcome! Feel free to reach out with more questions at any time. Happy baking and cheers from Hamburg.

[@grahamspencer903]

This happened to me too! Accidentally left it bulk fermenting way too long. Thank you - this is a good confirmation of my mistake!

[@the_bread_code]

Moin Graham. Awesome. Thanks for the comment. Feel free to reach out with more questions any time.

[@doristeo1]

Thank you for sharing what u learnt using 3 years, shall try it next round, hopefully it reduce gummy texture in the loaf.

[@the_bread_code]

Hi Doris. Thank you very much. Yes, I feel you might not have fermented long enough. That's why the gummy texture.

[@aac8476]

Thanks for the scientific explanation, very easy to understand. Let´s see what happens next time. Regards from Colombia. New at this since the pandemia but love it

[@the_bread_code]

Hola A AC. Colombia is beautiful. I wanted to travel there this year. Hopefully soon again!

[@KatMa664]

Oh God I think you were in my kitchen last Sunday. Bummed me out. This was a very helpful video. Because I did not know what I did wrong. At one point my dough was rising beautifully then it was dead.

[@KatMa664]

So do you just put your dough right into the oven straight out of the refrigerator? Because when I start messing with my dough again for a final shaping that’s when I ruin it it doesn’t come up another time.

[@the_bread_code]

Moin Kathy. Yep, directly out of the fridge into the oven :-). It will do wonders!

[@lindalanford1821]

I love your channel. I just made my first sourdough today then started watching your videos. Making more tomorrow and incorporating some info you shared.

[@wholeNwon]

I used to use the "lost dough" technique just to have starter for the next baking day but never thought of using it to assess bulk fermentation. Dumb of me but thanks for the tip. I feed my starter with unbleached AP flour and it doubles in about 2 hr. or so. Passes the "float test", too. It's been a couple of weeks, so better feed it now.

[@carolhitchcock5383]

What an excellent and informational video. Thank you for explaining this so clearly, it is so helpful.

[@lornaj3310]

This is so interesting... I've been trying to follow the sourdough recipe in "Bread Song" - it's got a little bit of wheat in it and it always comes out a sloppy, slimy mess well before the book says the proofing should be done. I have had no idea what I've been doing wrong but this video gives me food for thought and some new things to experiment with. Thanks!

[@madtrade]

you are an honorary french man with this bread !

[@the_bread_code]

Merci. Ehm. Danke.

[@ChusiGarcia]

thank you so much! i tried making it one time and it turned out just as hard as a brick, im making some right now actually and im sure its going to get better.

[@the_bread_code]

Hi Chusi. Thanks for the comment. It sounds like your sourdough might not have been active enough yet. Try feeding it twice per day until doubled in size within 5 hours or so. Then proceed with using it! Happy baking.

[@wanroo]

Thank you so much for this video! I’ve always struggled with bulk fermentation time and proofing time! I’ve also wondered when a good time to cold proof is and you answered all the questions!

[@the_bread_code]

Thank you very much wanroo. That means a lot! If you have questions feel free to reach out!

[@bongoufsl6797]

@@the_bread_code bjjk

[@carlavanwezel8847]

@@bongoufsl6797 what does bjjk mean?

[@bongoufsl6797]

@@carlavanwezel8847 so sorry Carla. Phone keypad on with knowing. Sent in error. Have a great day

[@lysdexic9129]

was thinking about the same thing i.e. the growth of the start doubling should be the same as the bulk ferment and then whack it in the fridge. Yes temperature is imperative during bulk fermentation. Another thing I want to try is autolyse. Great video.

[@the_bread_code]

Thank you very much. The starter will double faster than the bulk fermentation, because you fed it let's say 1:1:1. Whereas your actual dough with 20% starter would be more a 1:5 ratio. So the bulk will take a little bit longer. Autolyse is a great. Just toss together flour and water, stir a minute and then let that sit for an hour. You will have amazing strength in your dough, without kneading.

[@lysdexic9129]

@@the_bread_code cheers man, just found your channel last night, will take a deeper look :)

[@skipper5110]

Thank you SOOOO much for another great video! I have been getting it wrong like this for a long time. I can't wait to try out your advice.

[@thizizliz]

Oh my gosh, I think this is what I've been doing wrong. Thank you so much. I will try the little scrap to watch it.

[@the_bread_code]

Moin and Gluten Tagthizizliz, Thanks. That means a lot. Feel free to reach out with more questions! Happy baking.

[@jeffreycohen1818]

Great fermentation advise for any level sourdough baker.

[@coder116]

Thank you so much for sharing these tips they are really great: they are worth gold. A very special greeting from Caracas-Venezuela.

[@the_bread_code]

Hi Juan. You are very welcome. Greetings to Caracas!

[@greatrulo]

You gave me great tips for improving my Sourdough game, thanks!

[@the_bread_code]

Glad to hear it! You are welcome. Feel free to reach out with more questions!

[@Picasso_Picante92]

You described exactly what happened to my dough. I used a standing mixer to get it properly kneaded. But I think the 4 hour bulk proof was too long in this warm weather When I tried to shape it, it was a sticky mess. just like the one in your video. Too much proof, leads to too much lactic acid which destroys the gluten. Result, sticky mess. I will try the little jar trick you showed. Thanks.

[@the_bread_code]

Hi Anthony, oh yes, summer happened to you haha. This happens to me too from time to time. I have a small video on this, in case you are interested: kzbin.info/www/bejne/hmacgJmdf5l3ptU. When I noticed I overfermented, I give up and take the dough and place it in a loaf pan instead. You will have delicious sandwich bread!

[@Picasso_Picante92]

The Bread Code Yup. I also baked the sticky mess in a pan loaf. Tasty but dense.

[@robynguinn8941]

I baked my best sourdough yesterday and I already ate it all. So far my attempts have been hideous, flat ugly loaves with too sour taste, near tears throwing them out... but one success has stoked me to keep going. Had no idea how complicated sourdough is yet it's the most simple thing in all of cuisine...flour, water, salt. Thanks for your advice, I'm going to apply it to this weekends loaf.

[@the_bread_code]

Hey Robyn, haha, I have been there. Don't give up. If you ever feel your dough is too sour, consider using a loaf pan. I save my bread like this all the time. I made a video on this here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/hmacgJmdf5l3ptU. Happy baking!

[@jolox.]

Great video! Very informative! I now much better understand the difference between fermentation and proofing! Thanks!

[@the_bread_code]

Moin Jolox. Thanks a lot. You are most welcome. Happy baking!

[@Rexyspride]

I have had SO MANY loaves come out looking like your 8 hour one. I'm going to try the small bit of dough in a jar next time for sure! Thank you so much

[@the_bread_code]

Thanks Paul. It's a great trick to help with overfermentation. How did it turn out?

[@dawnc511]

Thanks. My last sour dough I left to rise out of the fridge over night and it rose like a slop. So hard to shape and handle Thanks for all these simple tips. I'll let you know how my next loaf turns out following your tips. Can hardly wait to bake

[@sp1keNARF]

hey, great video - this helped me make the tallest boule i’ve ever made!

[@the_bread_code]

Glad I could help! Thanks for the comment. Feel free to send me more questions!

[@mrfreen]

Great video! Really explains the problems very well.

[@the_bread_code]

Thank you Beorn! Glad it was helpful.

[@elspethr2965]

Thank you for this great video! Watching this has cheered me up having had a mega disaster this morning and a loaf that looked more like a frisbee! ... tears. And the likely reason ... an overlong (overnight) bulk fermentation. I love the fact too that you share your own experiences of failures - hope for the rest of us : )

[@the_bread_code]

Moin Elspeth. Sank you very much for the nice words, that means a lot! Yes - too long fermentation I feel is a very common error people do. It only matters for white bread dough, if you bake a rye based bread you want it to be more sour. Happy baking and feel free to reach out at any time with questions!

[@andream.9618]

This video has been SOOOOO helpful. Thank you!

[@the_bread_code]

Hi Sippi, thank you very much. Glad it was helpful.

[@tonybucca5667]

I made a NICE Frisbee last night! I will be using your sample technique from now on!

[@alisonhendry2928]

Love the little jar trick!

[@tOwTforce]

DANKE!! genau das ist mir heute passiert (vor ne halben stunde) mit dem über fermentieren. Anfangs war alles top und dann sowas . jap, i cried a river . Danke jetzt weiß ich warum :D

[@the_bread_code]

Moin ley, gerne! Einfach dann den Teig in einer Brotbackform backen, das geht am Besten.

[@bedooribrahim6255]

You are the best really I had many benefits from your videos thank you very very very much I appreciate 🌹🌹

[@the_bread_code]

Moin Bedoor. You are most welcome. Happy baking!