Hi Olga, you say to divide the dough into two, then you give instructions for one, and there's no mention of the other. Does this recipe make two loaves, and if so, can it easily be halved to make one?
And one more query; when you detail the instructions about the levain, you go on to say that it needs to be 100% hydration. Isn't that what you've specified in the percentages?
Hi 👋 Cheryl! Thanks for pointing that out! I definitely should have said, repeat the same for the second loaf or you can bake both at the same time using two Dutch ovens or a large baking stone. You can definitely cut the recipe in half, but this is already a relatively small size of total dough. Makes two small 500 gram loafs of bread.
The note about the starter/levain was worth repeating. Mainly cause I know many folks maintain a different hydration starter, so you can create a 100% from whatever you have or account for the hydration difference by adjusting the formula. Since the starter/levain is such a high percentage (relatively speaking) you can’t use a 60% hydration starter without adjusting the rest of the formula.
Good luck! Let me know how it turns out or if you need further clarifications
The problem most people face with same day sourdough is the high temperature for bulk fermentation (which is also part of the Tartine method, they bulk ferment at 78-82F, if I remember correctly). In the US at least, most houses are not that warm, which means you need an artificial way to keep the dough warm without also baking everyone in your house by turning up the heat. You can buy proofers for home kitchens, but they relatively expensive. The only one I know of is the Brod & Taylor folding proofer. The most you can really bulk in there though is maybe a couple of batches, so that's a limitation too if you want to make more than say four loaves.
A proofer does speed up bulk fermentation considerably. I don't think I'd be making sourdough regularly if I had to contend with 8 to 12 hours of bulk fermentation!
I do use the Tartine method most of the time as I find it easier to break the process up into a couple of days. That said, I also sometimes do it all in one day when I need bread today.
This is definitely a great method for anyone who doesn’t live with air conditioning or in sub-tropical climates. I have struggled so much with temperature control in my house in Texas, our air conditioning has never properly worked.
I also have very limited refrigeration so as a cottage baker retarding does was always a huge limitation, but that’s only because I was focused on making Tartine style sourdough.
The major takeaway for this post honestly is to show or make sure folks know there are options and alternative ways of making sourdough bread.
Temperature (temperature control), I have talked a lot more about this in the context of panettone/enriched doughs, but it’s one of the most important things when it comes to baking.
So as far as what tools to invest in as a baker, temperature control tools are definitely a priority. The Brod&Taylor proofer is a good example of it, I also have a post on how to make a home proofer with an old cooler. Money is definitely always an obstacle, but there are many ways to try and save on costs. I had to get pretty creative when learning how to bake panettone since it’s insanely expensive.
Olga, this is such a great reminder that sourdough doesn’t have to be fussy at all. Great job, I look forward to using this ambient method more often when I get back into it!
This is so right on is not even funny. I'd. say 95% of the the people on social media are who think they are teaching others how to make "sourdough" bread don't even know what Tartine is or who Chad Robertson is! Praise to you!!
I have been making this style bread for over 10 years and STILL can not get the crumb like you get, , not just open, I get that, but it has a resilience that eludes me.
Btw, my favorite bakery which makes variations of this style does not cold proof due to space and time constraints, yes, it is not necessary. You are so correct in so many ways in this article I can't agree more!
The photo of the bread is beautiful. Great use of a light source.
That’s so sweet! Thank you ❤️
Hi Olga, you say to divide the dough into two, then you give instructions for one, and there's no mention of the other. Does this recipe make two loaves, and if so, can it easily be halved to make one?
And one more query; when you detail the instructions about the levain, you go on to say that it needs to be 100% hydration. Isn't that what you've specified in the percentages?
Hi 👋 Cheryl! Thanks for pointing that out! I definitely should have said, repeat the same for the second loaf or you can bake both at the same time using two Dutch ovens or a large baking stone. You can definitely cut the recipe in half, but this is already a relatively small size of total dough. Makes two small 500 gram loafs of bread.
The note about the starter/levain was worth repeating. Mainly cause I know many folks maintain a different hydration starter, so you can create a 100% from whatever you have or account for the hydration difference by adjusting the formula. Since the starter/levain is such a high percentage (relatively speaking) you can’t use a 60% hydration starter without adjusting the rest of the formula.
Good luck! Let me know how it turns out or if you need further clarifications
The problem most people face with same day sourdough is the high temperature for bulk fermentation (which is also part of the Tartine method, they bulk ferment at 78-82F, if I remember correctly). In the US at least, most houses are not that warm, which means you need an artificial way to keep the dough warm without also baking everyone in your house by turning up the heat. You can buy proofers for home kitchens, but they relatively expensive. The only one I know of is the Brod & Taylor folding proofer. The most you can really bulk in there though is maybe a couple of batches, so that's a limitation too if you want to make more than say four loaves.
A proofer does speed up bulk fermentation considerably. I don't think I'd be making sourdough regularly if I had to contend with 8 to 12 hours of bulk fermentation!
I do use the Tartine method most of the time as I find it easier to break the process up into a couple of days. That said, I also sometimes do it all in one day when I need bread today.
This is definitely a great method for anyone who doesn’t live with air conditioning or in sub-tropical climates. I have struggled so much with temperature control in my house in Texas, our air conditioning has never properly worked.
I also have very limited refrigeration so as a cottage baker retarding does was always a huge limitation, but that’s only because I was focused on making Tartine style sourdough.
The major takeaway for this post honestly is to show or make sure folks know there are options and alternative ways of making sourdough bread.
Temperature (temperature control), I have talked a lot more about this in the context of panettone/enriched doughs, but it’s one of the most important things when it comes to baking.
So as far as what tools to invest in as a baker, temperature control tools are definitely a priority. The Brod&Taylor proofer is a good example of it, I also have a post on how to make a home proofer with an old cooler. Money is definitely always an obstacle, but there are many ways to try and save on costs. I had to get pretty creative when learning how to bake panettone since it’s insanely expensive.
Olga, this is such a great reminder that sourdough doesn’t have to be fussy at all. Great job, I look forward to using this ambient method more often when I get back into it!
Thank you so much, Shelly! I’m so glad you found this post helpful. It really doesn’t have to be fussy 💕
This is so right on is not even funny. I'd. say 95% of the the people on social media are who think they are teaching others how to make "sourdough" bread don't even know what Tartine is or who Chad Robertson is! Praise to you!!
I have been making this style bread for over 10 years and STILL can not get the crumb like you get, , not just open, I get that, but it has a resilience that eludes me.
Btw, my favorite bakery which makes variations of this style does not cold proof due to space and time constraints, yes, it is not necessary. You are so correct in so many ways in this article I can't agree more!
Thank you so much, Thomas! Your passionate comment cheered me up. I was hoping at least one person would appreciate this post.
What’s your favorite bakery? I’m always trying to learn about new bakeries, and the work they are doing.
I’m glad this post resonated with you and thanks again for reading and sharing your thoughts.