I still remember standing at my kitchen counter at 11pm on a Tuesday, staring at a completely deflated loaf. Not just a little flat. Pancake flat. The kind of flat that makes you question every decision you’ve ever made, including the one where you thought sourdough baking was a relaxing hobby. I had done everything … Read more
It was 6:47 on a Sunday morning and I was standing in my kitchen in mismatched socks, staring at a dough that had clearly done absolutely nothing overnight. Flat. Dense. Sad. The banneton had left its pretty spiral pattern on top, sure, but underneath it was basically a frisbee. My husband walked in, looked at … Read more
I want to tell you about the day I set off my smoke alarm three times before 8am, stood in my kitchen waving a dish towel at the ceiling, and somehow ended up baking the most beautiful loaf of sourdough I had ever made in my life. That morning was my official deep dive into … Read more
It was 6 a.m. on a Tuesday, I had just pulled what I thought was my best loaf ever out of the fridge, and I dropped it on the floor. Flour side down. On the dog’s water bowl. I stood there in my pajamas, staring at a sad, wet, unscored mound of dough slowly absorbing … Read more
I still remember standing at my kitchen counter at 11pm, staring at what was supposed to be a beautiful sourdough batard. Instead, it looked like a deflated football someone had sat on. The dough had spread sideways into a sad, pancake-like oval, and I had absolutely no idea what I had done wrong. That was … Read more
I will never forget the look on my mother-in-law’s face when I proudly set my “rustic artisan loaf” on her Thanksgiving table. It had started out as a beautiful boule. It arrived looking like a deflated frisbee someone had sat on. I had cold-proofed it in an oval banneton, flipped it onto parchment, and watched … Read more
Understanding Sourdough Scoring Fundamentals Scoring sourdough bread transforms simple loaves into stunning artworks. The practice involves making deliberate cuts in the dough’s surface before baking. These cuts serve both functional and aesthetic purposes. Moreover, they control how the bread expands during baking, creating distinctive patterns that showcase your skill. The cuts you make guide the … Read more
Mastering the Art of Sourdough Scoring Sourdough scoring is an essential technique for bakers aiming to perfect their craft. It involves creating cuts on the surface of the dough before baking, allowing it to expand and achieve a desired shape. Proper scoring not only enhances the bread’s appearance but also influences its texture and structure. … Read more
The Dual Purpose of Sourdough Scoring Sourdough scoring represents a crucial intersection of form and function in artisan baking. When bakers slice deliberate patterns into their dough, they’re essentially creating controlled weak points in the surface. These intentional cuts guide the loaf’s expansion as it bakes. Without proper scoring, the internal pressure from rising dough finds its own … Read more
