Glossary

Understanding Acetic Acid in Sourdough Bread Acetic acid is an organic acid created during the fermentation process by specific bacteria, including hetero fermentative lactic acid bacteria. This acid plays a crucial role in giving sourdough bread its distinctive tangy flavor, which many of us love. Not only does acetic acid enhance the taste, providing a…

An aliquot jar is one of those Sourdough bread baking hacks that help sourdough beginners gauge how far along they are in their fermentation.The gist is, you take a small chunk of your sourdough dough after you’ve built up the dough’s initial strength and put that in a small jar.You put this aliquot jar next…

All-purpose flour is a versatile baking staple perfect for creating a variety of delicious baked goods, including sourdough bread, pizzas, and cakes. In the United States, this flour is typically milled from soft spring wheat and has a protein content ranging from 10% to 12%, depending on the brand of flour. Its balanced composition makes…

Amylase is a crucial enzyme that transforms starches into simpler sugars, playing a key role in the fermentation process for both sourdough bread and beer. In sourdough baking, maintaining specific temperatures during the mixing and resting phases allows amylase to effectively break down starches, creating sugars that yeast and bacteria thrive on. These sugars are…

Autolyse is a technique in sourdough baking where just the dough ingredients  are combined and allowed to rest before adding any other ingredients. This simple yet effective process does two things: activates enzymes which play a vital role in breaking down starches and proteins and gives the dough a head start to build a strong…

Bacteria in Sourdough Baking Bacteria are single-celled microorganisms that thrive in a variety of environments. In the world of baking, particularly in sourdough bread fermentation, they play a vital role. Lactic acid and acetic acid bacteria are essential for creating the unique flavor and texture of sourdough bread. These beneficial bacteria not only enhance the…

Baker’s math aka baker’s percentages is baker’s shorthand. It is an extremely helpful tool that helps you 1) easily scale up or down ingredient amounts and 2) give you helpful data in an instant. It is based on the total weight of flour in your recipe.  To get the ratio of the other ingredients, simply…

Baking is the crucial process that transforms dough into a finished loaf of bread through exposure to high temperatures. This stage triggers a series of chemical and physical reactions, resulting in the delightful texture and flavor we associate with freshly baked bread. Here’s what happens during baking: Yeast Activity & Oven Spring: As the dough…

A banneton is a container where your dough will proof after it’s been shaped.  It’s essentially a container that molds the dough and helps it retain its shape during its final proof. Bannetons, also known as “proofing baskets” are typically constructed from rattan or wood pulp but you can use any round or oval vessel…

The bassinage method is a game-changing sourdough technique. It involves gradually adding water to the dough in stages, first establishing a strong gluten structure, then increasing hydration for an extensible, pliable dough – perfect for working with lower-gluten flours.

A bench rest is a quick break for your dough that helps gluten chill out, making it easier to handle. Usually lasting 10 minutes to an hour.

A flour that is perfect for sourdough bread making. It features a higher amount of gluten and can thus ferment for a longer period of time.

Bulk fermentation = fermentation The word bulk is just a carryover term from brick and mortar bakeries — bulk fermentation literally means when you ferment dough in bulk (ie when you make a lot of bread) In the sourdough world, “bulk fermentation” is almost always synonymous with “room temperature proofing” and “the first rise” Bulk…

Cake flour is a light, finely milled flour with a lower protein content than all purpose flour. It’s ideal for tender baked goods like cakes, cookies, and pastries.  Anything that doesn’t require a chewy texture.

A special stretch and folding technique. The coil fold is very gentle on the dough and is
thus excellent throughout the bulk fermentation. By applying the coil fold the dough strength is improved by minimizing damage to the dough structure.

If you ever bake a not-so-perfect loaf of sourdough bread, cut the bread in half, straight down the middle, so that you can inspect your crumb (the inner texture of your sourdough bread –characterized by the size, shape, and distribution of the holes).

Diastatic malt is a secret ingredient that can take your sourdough bread to the next level. This dried, ground malted grain contains enzymes that help break down starches into sugars, boosting fermentation and improving the bread’s flavor, color, and shelf life. Giving your dough a touch of diastatic malt can make a big difference in your final sourdough loaf.

Sourdough starter discard is the leftover portion of your starter that you don’t feed. Instead of throwing it away, you can put that discard to good use! Sourdough discard is perfect for making all sorts of delicious recipes, from pancakes to waffles to biscuits. Using up your discard ensures you’re not wasting any of that wonderful sourdough flavor. Plus, finding ways to bake with your discard can save you time and effort compared to maintaining a huge starter. So don’t let that discard go to waste – get creative and let it shine in your sourdough baking!

The process of breaking the dough mass into smaller pieces, typically to shape into individual loaves or portions.

Expressed as a percentage, it’s the amount of water in a dough relative to the amount of flour. A higher hydration dough will be wetter and stickier, while a lower hydration
dough will be firmer. For example, a dough with 500 g of flour and 375 g of water has a hydration of 75 %

Elasticity: The ability of dough to return to its original shape after being stretched or shaped

The ability of dough to expand and take on a new shape without tearing or returning to its original form