Beginner’s Sourdough BreadYou just have to be around the house to do make the levain from sourdough starter, autolyse, mix, do the stretching and folding, do the proofing on the counter, dividing, preshaping, shaping, and popping in the fridge. All the work is in one day, then you bake the next day. But you need to be around for a good chunk of Day 1.
A simple, approachable, and delicious loaf of sourdough bread
By Maurizio Leo
Quite a few people have tried to simplify the process so you aren't captive to the bread dough. Here's a good approach I have not tried yet.
Don't be a bread hostageI'm going to try this approach next. Being retired and kids grown, I have more time, but still I feel like a "bread hostage" at times.
Finally, sourdough bread that fits your schedule
By Martin Philip
April 6, 2020
Maura Brickman holding a loaf of her breadBakers are friendly people. So friendly, in fact, that they ping my phone at all hours. Sometimes it’s a question (Hey! Where can I get those proofing baskets!?) or a picture of a great bake (Check this out!!! Jealous?) or a request for a recipe (Send me that Rye Pretzel pls). The conversation is open — you don’t need an intro — just let the random texts fly!
Recently, one of these exchanges changed the way that I make bread at home.
Maura: I’m not using preferments. I just use starter from the fridge ...
Me: No preferment??!
Maura: Nope
Me: How much bulk fermentation?
Maura: 12 hours ... it works ...
Me: ???? Send me a pictureMaura Brickman, a serious home baker in Connecticut, followed up her text with a picture of a large crusty loaf with gorgeous color. It was bakery quality by anyone’s standard — and she made it with "unrefreshed starter," straight from the refrigerator.
As a baker, convention has been my path to reliable results. I trust what I have done before — I know how to produce reliable results.
Maura doesn't care about convention. Free of “should” and “ought to,” she bends her breadmaking process to fit her busy schedule. She doesn’t take any guff from her starter or loaves — she's the boss of her bread.
