Dough and hydration

20 questions bakers asked about dough and hydration, most-asked first, each with the answer and the chapter it comes from.

What is the windowpane test for sourdough dough? The windowpane effect is a method used to test the gluten development in your dough. To check for it, stretc …
What is a basic single-loaf recipe using a stiff sourdough starter? Here is a single-loaf stiff-starter recipe: 400 g bread flour, 100 g whole wheat, 300 to 350 g water, 50 g s …
What is autolyse in sourdough baking? Autolyse is when you mix just flour and water and let it sit for 30 minutes to several hours. This process h …
Can I autolyse dough overnight before adding starter? You can, but I do not recommend it. Rather than soaking flour and water overnight and adding starter later, …
Can I use coil folds instead of rounding if I don't have a suitable countertop? Yes, coil folds are a fine substitute. Rounding on a counter is just one way to build dough strength, and st …
Can you over-knead sourdough dough with a stand mixer? Short answer: with a stand mixer you can technically over-knead, but in practice it is very hard to reach. E …
Does autolyse time matter for sourdough bread? Rather than fine-tuning autolyse time, I would skip it and use a fermentolysis instead. Mix your flour, wate …
Does machine kneading versus hand kneading affect sourdough results? Machine kneading can be more consistent, but hand kneading gives you more control. Both methods can achieve …
Does shaping sourdough with tension deflate the gas bubbles inside? You do press some gas out, and that is fine. The dough refills during proofing, and the tension you build is …
How can I get 80% hydration sourdough dough to hold its shape after removing from the banneton? Achieving 80% hydration can be tricky! Start with lower hydration, like 60%, to build gluten strength, then …
How can I shape sourdough bread without counter space? Loaf pans are your friend here: you skip shaping completely and just move the dough from the bowl into a gre …
How do I prevent dough from sticking to razor blade when scoring? Try drying the dough's surface with a bit of flour before scoring. Another helpful tip is to pop it in the f …
How do I test different hydration levels to find the right one for my flour? Use 100 g of flour in each bowl and just vary the water, for example 55, 60, 65, 70 and 75 g across five bow …
How do I use my senses to check if dough is ready? Using your nose is just a playful way of saying you can rely on your senses to check the dough! You can feel …
How do you hold a lame to create an ear when scoring? When using a lame, position the sharp blade at a 45° angle while scoring. This technique helps create that b …
How do you incorporate a flour and water pre-soak into sourdough without uneven hydration? That pre-soaked flour trick works, but the uneven hydration usually comes from adding all the water at once. …
How do you shape a batard successfully? The batard shape takes a few tries, so you are not alone there. Two things help most: make sure the dough is …
How do you shape very sticky sourdough? In most cases it is not too much water but a gluten network that has not been developed enough, or a dough t …
How long should dough rest after preshaping? Fifteen, one five. After pre-shaping, 10 to 15 minutes uncovered is usually enough, and if the dough still f …
What if my flour is not strong enough for high hydration? You don't need very high hydration for great bread. The book recommends around 60% hydration for most flours …

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