Sourdough Must Haves!

YAY!! You are interested in making Sourdough.

Let me be the first to say... YES it can be intimidating, BUT, it's not as scary or time consuming as you may think. Next, the starter and dough is a lot more forgiving than you may think. You may think "I FAILED it!" but the starter is resilient and you probably will be just fine.

Sourdough Must Haves: https://amzn.to/4j665aK

Let me tell you about the starter you are getting from Simply Lauren Denny. Her name is Margie. After my best friend's mom, Margie, who got me started on the right path of this fun journey. 

Yes, people name their starters.... your starter is a living thang, talk kindly to her and she will work some great magic ;)

Some people name their starters, DOUGH-lean, Clint Yeastwood, Sir Isaac Gluten 

Next, there's going to be some LINGO that feels like you are entering a college course so here is the quick dough vocabulary cheatsheet.

But before we get there... always ask questions, follow some lovely bakers on your favorite social media sites because they are a wealth of knowledge! My door is always open for you, ask away! @simplylaurendenny or simplylaurendenny@gmail.com 

Here is my ebook link for your sourdough making. I hope it helps! 

  

Every home is different based on the humidity, the climate in your house, temperature, etc! P.S. that is why I loveeee my bread maker from Brod and Taylor  it is an investment sure... but my dough turns out the same every time because us Denny's like our house cold and my dough never rose.... this proofer allows the same temp all the time. 

 

 

General Terms:

Starter – A mixture of flour and water that captures wild yeast and bacteria for fermentation.
Leaven – The portion of starter mixed with flour and water that is used to ferment dough.
Dough – The mixture of flour, water, salt, and sometimes starter, kneaded and shaped for baking.
Hydration – The ratio of water to flour in dough, expressed as a percentage.
Fermentation – The process of yeast and bacteria converting sugars into carbon dioxide and acids, which leaven and flavor the dough.
Proofing – The final rise of shaped dough before baking.

Ingredients:

Gluten – The network of proteins (gliadin and glutenin) that provide elasticity and structure to dough.
Flour – The main ingredient, typically wheat, used to make dough.
Salt – Added to dough for flavor and to control fermentation.
Water – Hydrates the flour and starter, essential for gluten development and fermentation. 
Sourdough discard is the portion of starter that is removed during the feeding process to maintain a healthy and manageable amount of starter. It is typically unfed and less active but can still be used in various recipes, such as pancakes, waffles, crackers, muffins, or cookies, to reduce waste

Tools:

Banneton – A basket used for shaping and proofing dough.
Bench Scraper – A tool for handling and shaping dough.
Lame – A razor or blade used to score dough before baking.
Dutch Oven – A covered pot used to trap steam while baking, creating a crusty loaf.
Parchment Paper – Used to transfer dough into a hot baking vessel and prevent sticking.

Techniques:

Autolyse – A resting period where flour and water are mixed and allowed to hydrate before adding salt and starter.
Kneading – The process of working dough to develop gluten.
Stretch and Fold – A technique to develop gluten strength during bulk fermentation.
Bulk Fermentation – The initial rise of dough after mixing, before shaping.
Scoring – Cutting the surface of the dough to control how it expands during baking.
Degas – Gently removing excess gas from dough to prevent large bubbles.
Retarding – Slowing down fermentation by refrigerating the dough.
Pre-shape – The initial shaping of dough before the final shaping.
Final Shape – The last shaping before proofing the dough.
Oven Spring – The rapid expansion of dough during the first minutes of baking.

Descriptive Terms:

Crumb – The texture and structure of the inside of the baked bread.
Ear – The raised edge of a loaf created by scoring.
Boules – Round-shaped loaves.
Batard – Oval-shaped loaves.
Levain – Another term for leaven, often used interchangeably.
Fermentolyse – Combining the autolyse process with starter addition.

I joined a few Facebook groups that is really fun to see different ways of troubleshooting, ideas, and a community.