sourdough technique

Gluten Development in Sourdough: Why You Stretch and Fold (And What It’s Doing to Your Bread)

· March 31, 2026
Gluten Development in Sourdough: Why You Stretch and Fold (And What It's Doing to Your Bread)

Nearly every home baker starts out assuming that dough basically develops itself — that if you mix flour, water, salt, and starter and just leave it alone long enough, structure shows up on its own. That exact assumption is what wrecked the loaf I proudly set on the counter the first time my in-laws came … Read more

What Actually Happens During Autolyse? The Science Behind That 30-Minute Pre-Mix Rest

· March 30, 2026
What Actually Happens During Autolyse? The Science Behind That 30-Minute Pre-Mix Rest

There’s a spot on my counter, just to the left of the stove, where my dented steel mixing bowl always lives — and one particular evening it held a dough I’d thrown together in a rush, certain that autolyse was a fussy extra step “real bakers” didn’t need to bother with because I was already … Read more