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.