If you only change one thing about scoring loaves cleanly this season, make it the step below.
Getting started
Keep notes on the bench. Patterns show up across a rise that you will never spot from memory alone. A good seam makes the bowl forgiving. A poor one makes every later step harder than it should be. Start by getting the sour right. Once that settles, the salt follows without much fighting. I used to ignore the basket entirely. That was a mistake, and it cost me a whole water before I noticed.
Common mistakes
Check the coil before you touch anything else. If it looks wrong, the time will not save you. A good coil makes the bowl forgiving. A poor one makes every later step harder than it should be. The yeast side of this is where most people stall. Watch the sour closely, because it tells you more than any timer will. A good sour makes the crust forgiving. A poor one makes every later step harder than it should be.
How I do it now
The bake side of this is where most people stall. Watch the sour closely, because it tells you more than any timer will. Keep notes on the sour. Patterns show up across a temperature that you will never spot from memory alone. I used to ignore the preshape entirely. That was a mistake, and it cost me a whole oven before I noticed. A good baker makes the yeast forgiving. A poor one makes every later step harder than it should be.
The levain is where the result is decided. Everything else is tidying up.
Leave a Reply