Get to Know the Baking Phases and Terms

Sourdough Baking Phases

1. Preparing the levain – removing sourdough starter from the fridge and feeding it 4-12 hours before use.

2. Autolysing the flour – mixing the flour and water in a bread recipe followed by a 30-minute rest period.

3. Folding – a dough-strengthening technique performed at a set interval on bread dough during bulk fermentation. Each set calls for four stretches and four folds, one in each direction (north, south, east, and west)

4. Fermenting – proofing stage between mixing and shaping dough, where the dough ferments and creates air pockets or gas bubbles in the dough.

5. Shaping – transforms dough into its final form, a loaf or round boule.

6. Proofing -the second rise of sourdough dough is done mainly in cold temperatures like the fridge.

7. Baking – when the bread dough turns into freshly baked bread in the oven.

Sourdough Baking Terms to Know

Sourdough starter – a living culture of bacteria that is fed regularly and eats flour and water to create gas, which raises bread.

Sourdough discard - unfed starter that is removed from the jar before feeding your starter.

Feeding - Adding equal amounts of flour and water to the starter jar to feed the live culture of bacteria.

Activation - When feeding your starter, you are activating it for baking.

Alveoli - the gas bubbles or pockets in the crumb (soft interior) of bread.

Baking timeline - schedule followed when making and baking a loaf of bread.

Banneton - shaping basket made of natural rattan or cane used during cold fermenting or “proofing”.

Belly - the rounded surface of dough that opens during baking.

Cold ferment - placing sourdough dough into the fridge to lower the temperature during the first or second rise of bread dough.

Bulk ferment - the first rise of sourdough dough where the dough is fermenting in a large single mass and the dough doubles in size.

Long ferment – sourdough dough that is bulk fermented for longer than 8 hours, up to 24 hours, usually done in the fridge.

Bench rest – allowing the dough to lay on the counter before shaping.

Overproofed dough – dough that’s had too much fermentation activity from being left to ferment too long or at too high of a temperature for an extended period.

Dutch oven – a cast iron pot (some are ceramic-covered) used in the oven to bake bread and create a crust (a cheaper option than a bread cloche).

Bread cloche - stoneware dome used to bake dough in an oven that mimics a professional oven by creating a golden crust on bread.

Elasticity - stretchiness of the dough (sourdough is very elastic).

Hooch - liquid formed on top of a hungry sourdough starter (can form in the middle or at bottom).

Scoring - also known as slashing, is where cuts are made on the belly of the dough to control where it opens during baking. This allows pretty designs or rustic looks done with a sharp razor or bread lame.

Uncovered baking – when the loaf is uncovered for a certain amount of time in the oven. If using a Dutch oven or bread cloche, you’ll take off the top for this portion.

Covered baking - when the loaf is covered for a certain amount of time in the oven. If using a Dutch oven or bread cloche, you’ll keep the lid on for this portion of baking.

Resting - the time spent letting the dough rest between folds during shaping.

Rustic sourdough - sourdough loaf that doesn’t require kneading and is full of whole grains.

Artisan sourdough – type of artisan bread that uses sourdough starter instead of commercial baker’s yeast to rise.

Stretch and fold method - method of moving the dough to strengthen it in place of kneading.

Tension - creating tension in the dough to make scoring easier and a better belly when baking.

Poke test - testing the dough with a finger poke to see if it’s ready to bake (perfect poke: after pushing a finger into the dough, the dimple slowly starts to fill back in but not fully).

Water drop test – taking a scoop of unstirred sourdough starter and dripping it into a glass of water to see if it floats. If it does float, it’s ready to bake. If it sinks, it needs feeding and 4-12 hours to ferment.