The best tips for proofing sourdough! Foolproof Sourdough recipe

How to proof sourdough properly.

🥖Sourdough Proofing🥖
I’m addition to these cues, you can also do the poke test! The poke test is a reliable way to determine if your dough is ready to be shaped! Poke your finger 1-2cm into the dough. If the dough immediately pops back, let it keep proofing. If it slowly fills the indentation to about halfway, you can shape the dough and put in right in the fridge. If the dough remains indented and doesn’t refill at all, you should bake it ASAP!

Use all these cues to help you make a great loaf of bread!

Here is my basic recipe:
400g bread flour
100g einkorn or spelt flour
350g water
100g starter
10g salt

1. Mix everything together until full combined and rest for 30 mins.
2. Perform stretch and fold. Rest 30 mins
3. Perform 3-4 coil folds over 3 hrs and finish room temp bulk fermentation (until all the cues in the video are met). This could be anywhere from another 3-7hrs!
4. Shape dough and refrigerate.
5. Next morning, preheat oven to 490F
6. Bake dough for 7 minutes. Do expansions score. Drop temp to 420F and bake (covered for 30 minutes). Uncover and bake for 7 minutes.

Let me know if you have any questions in the comments!

Best proofing tips | when to shape sourdough bread | bulk fermenting sourdough | when to stop proofing | how to proof bread

[bryangrunauer]

Makes sense! I saw something similiar the other day, relating to plants. You can write in the calendar when to water each plant, but the best way is to pay attention to each and they'll "tell" you when they're fine or when they need water. Observation is an important skill.

[chrisgulbranson]

Agreed. So many people online say to only get a volume increase of 30-50% which always leads to under fermenting. I've found even at close to 100% if there are no bubbles on top or no doming it can still be under fermented. Between using a proofer and working out my own recipes I've finally learned so much more about getting bulk fermentation right. Bottom line seems to be if it's sticky and no activity on the surface it almost doesn't matter how much it's grown bc it's not done yet. I bulk at 80°f and there are all these charts that say 35% increase is all I need at that temp. That's just wrong. Always under fermented when I followed that.

[boeingboy]

Absolutely! I started trying to follow recipes and failed in the beginning almost giving up on bread. Decided to start a new culture and try again but only learning by testing different things. Now have a consistent schedule I can follow and my bread is so much better. Understanding the dough is key. 🔑

[carmelitajones]

I heard you, then I saw your masterpiece. Yeah, we would need a step by step tutorial.

[thesimplesaguaro]

Wonderful wonderful video, this is so true. I love your final loaf, beautiful ❤

[shadevrutaal]

Great… i like your bowl cover. Where can i get one? It’s handy.

[manuelamonteverde]

I tuoi pani sono capolavori 🥇un saluto dall' Italia 🤗🇮🇹

[savaven]

I believe I over did it on my bulk ferment by a few hours over night, it's my first loaf and everything was perfect I just know its over done its flat and loosing it shape I let it sit for nearly 12 hours in fridge and just popped it in. But it's 100% OK it's my first time and I'm getting to know my kitchen Temps and the starter it's all a learning process

[paulb]

Can you do a video on your recipe start to finish?

[BushCraftyAlpha]

can we get a video of your oven setup? It seems like you use a pizza stone and some kind of dome first then just oven? looking for ideas because I can't do certain shapes in a Dutch oven.

[donelbaron]

can you show us how do u do your bread ?

[xwbwuds]

Hello! What brand of flour do you use?

[amygraves]

I’m having so much trouble with the bulk fermentation!! My dough never doubles in size and if I wait longer over 16 hours my bread still doesn’t double and I get a pretty dense loaf that is super sour. If I go ahead and shape and put in pan around 12 to 16 hrs it tastes amazing but still a dense bread. I’m about to give up! My starter is like 6 months old so not super young. How can I fix this? Thanks

[ineujet]

Hi ! What oven do you use? Do you use steam? How many minutes after the bake do you make the deep score?

[kaileydavini]

Hi! I tried the expansion score after 7 minutes and it was too wet to cut through. Any tips?

[natalieford]

I was wondering if you would recommend wholemeal spelt over white spelt. We don’t get Einkorn flour in Australia. Thank you.

[rosskline]

Are you using the 7 minute initial bake to warm up the dough after being in the refrigerator? Or is there another purpose? Just curious.

[christinascleaning]

I have yet to find a video that shows what you do with your dough after you put it in your proofing basket do you have to need it anymore or anything or do you just plop it into your Dutch oven

[Vikusja]

Do you prepare the starter by yourself?

[EmorettaRobinson]

Are you Canadian or were Canada raised? Your "out" was very "oot" sounding. And in no way am I meaning to offend. I had a friend who married a Canadian. I like how Canadians pronounce "out" and "about."