I feel seen ; ). I became a "real, live baker" during the pandemic and, while the information via social media was somewhat overwhelming, sometimes incorrect or even judgmental, it also gave me a pathway to an amazing community of bakers, millers and bread supporters. I truly found my folks there who still provide me with support, inspiration and never ending resources for learning. And, thankfully, I attended a workshop last summer where your advice to "Just bake your bread" gave me the confidence to trust myself a little more and let go of what I don't need when I am baking. Zen and the Art of Baking, perhaps?? Goals. Many thanks, sir.
A new experience for me. The levain was a bit slow in my cold kitchen but then amazing. It was all going so well until the final prove where my lack of anything of an appropriate size made me think I was going to bake a complete failure.
I was so pleasantly surprised (btw had no rye so used spelt… 🤷🏼♀️)
i don't know if i'll ever make one of your recipes as i'm not a big sourdough fan, but i love reading them! quick question: i could have sworn that you recently posted a link to the oven(s?) you use at home, but now i can't find it. would you mind doing so again? thanks so much!
As always, so thankful for your gift with words and the kindness in them. Your timing somehow always manages to be just right; how do you do that?? I’m entering a season where my market bread baking is taking a back seat for a bit (my daughter gets married next month!) and I’m really looking forward to baking bread purely out of necessity and love for my family and and also with intention for sharing with others. No over thinking or critical eyes, just baking the bread we love to eat and enjoying the freedom to experiment. Thank you for your encouragement and love for this craft!
Bernard Clayton’s Complete Book of Breads sits on my kitchen shelf along side Dan Leader’s Bread Alone. Loose, stained, and folded pages in each. Now joined by your Breaking Bread and KA Big Book. Comfortable now to “tweek” recipes and play with the doughs. Successes and failures, all part of a bakers life! Thanks.
Thanks for sharing this Martin! Question: it seems like a high proportion of pre-ferment. About twice what I think of as standard. Is there a particular reason for this? Thanks.
Trying to understand the convo between you and Paul. Can you show me the math? I get a % of 40%. Unless you are using only the 152 g of flour in the pre-ferment. Thanks, Todd
Hi Martin. A fellow Vermonter and KA enthusiast here! My dilemma is that we travel a lot and as a result keeping a starter going is nigh onto impossible. Consequently, I’ve stayed away from sourdough bakes. Is there any formula that I could use to substitute a yeast preferment for a starter? I realize that the taste would be different…
Use a 1/4 t of yeast in the preferment and 1/2 t in the final. Those are guesses but should get you close—when the dough has risen 1.5x proceed to shaping.
The joy that comes from sharing bread with others and seeing their reaction when receiving it makes making bread worth it. I’ve never had someone tell me the bread is under proofed, too dark, a little too dense etc. when it was. They’re just so happy and running for the butter.
This article came at the perfect time! I;m in the middle of experimenting with a bread i modified from a traditional recipe my mother in law passed down to me! There are so many variables i don’t know whether to treat this like my normal SD process or like the original recipe (there is no real recipe as it was all in my mil’s head). You said trust your self. So i am trusting my intuition so far so good. Keeping my fingers crossed as i go the bake this. After all it is just an experiment. I’m sure in the end it will taste wonderful.
Love this! I’m Harrison, an ex fine dining industry line cook. My stack "The Secret Ingredient" adapts hit restaurant recipes (mostly NYC and L.A.) for easy home cooking.
A few months ago, I did a one time failed attempt on the classic KAB miche as YouTube demo’d by Martin Phillip. Gave up. Then started learning the sourdough routine after buying the Keep It Sweet Kitchen micro baker’s dehydrated she got from a Paris, France bakery 7 years ago. That one bloomed in 3 1/2 days and it’s all I use now. Was just about ti give a half recipe version another try when the ancient electric coil burner stove’s oven died a few days ago. They installed a lovely new elec stove yesterday. Plan: feed the starter tonight 2) start Step 1 in a half version of this new, Daily Miche. To respond to your baking in a loaf pan question: I usually find that, when a recipe reports « large loaf » or even 2 loaves, a halved recipe of the ingredients, things usually fit comfortably.
I feel seen ; ). I became a "real, live baker" during the pandemic and, while the information via social media was somewhat overwhelming, sometimes incorrect or even judgmental, it also gave me a pathway to an amazing community of bakers, millers and bread supporters. I truly found my folks there who still provide me with support, inspiration and never ending resources for learning. And, thankfully, I attended a workshop last summer where your advice to "Just bake your bread" gave me the confidence to trust myself a little more and let go of what I don't need when I am baking. Zen and the Art of Baking, perhaps?? Goals. Many thanks, sir.
A new experience for me. The levain was a bit slow in my cold kitchen but then amazing. It was all going so well until the final prove where my lack of anything of an appropriate size made me think I was going to bake a complete failure.
I was so pleasantly surprised (btw had no rye so used spelt… 🤷🏼♀️)
Tasted 😋
So glad, Emma. If you are looking for a vessel, rather than a 9” or 10” pie pan, a sauté pan could work, too.
Hope that you’re enjoying the bread.
M
i don't know if i'll ever make one of your recipes as i'm not a big sourdough fan, but i love reading them! quick question: i could have sworn that you recently posted a link to the oven(s?) you use at home, but now i can't find it. would you mind doing so again? thanks so much!
Thanks for sharing that it's all good regardless of it looking perfect.
I started to bake because I missed European bread.
I still search for the bread I left almost 50 years ago.
As always, so thankful for your gift with words and the kindness in them. Your timing somehow always manages to be just right; how do you do that?? I’m entering a season where my market bread baking is taking a back seat for a bit (my daughter gets married next month!) and I’m really looking forward to baking bread purely out of necessity and love for my family and and also with intention for sharing with others. No over thinking or critical eyes, just baking the bread we love to eat and enjoying the freedom to experiment. Thank you for your encouragement and love for this craft!
It all sounds like a perfect time to realign and bring focus closer to home. So glad that this resonated, as always. Appreciate you, Carrie!
Your path echoes mine. Mix the dough, bake the bread, learn from your practice, repeat. Don’t get bogged down by the voices around you.🍞🥖🥐
Exactly. 🙏🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼
Bernard Clayton’s Complete Book of Breads sits on my kitchen shelf along side Dan Leader’s Bread Alone. Loose, stained, and folded pages in each. Now joined by your Breaking Bread and KA Big Book. Comfortable now to “tweek” recipes and play with the doughs. Successes and failures, all part of a bakers life! Thanks.
So great. Thanks for coming along, Tom!
M
Thanks for sharing this Martin! Question: it seems like a high proportion of pre-ferment. About twice what I think of as standard. Is there a particular reason for this? Thanks.
Hey Paul,
20% of total flour isn’t high—what are you referring to as standard? The baker makes the rules. 👍🏻
Martin
Trying to understand the convo between you and Paul. Can you show me the math? I get a % of 40%. Unless you are using only the 152 g of flour in the pre-ferment. Thanks, Todd
Not sure what Paul is talking about. Prefermented flour % is always calculated as PF flour/Total Flour. 20% in this case.
Hi Martin. A fellow Vermonter and KA enthusiast here! My dilemma is that we travel a lot and as a result keeping a starter going is nigh onto impossible. Consequently, I’ve stayed away from sourdough bakes. Is there any formula that I could use to substitute a yeast preferment for a starter? I realize that the taste would be different…
Great question!
(We might get some Spring at some point.)
Use a 1/4 t of yeast in the preferment and 1/2 t in the final. Those are guesses but should get you close—when the dough has risen 1.5x proceed to shaping.
Will be a different loaf but still delicious. ❤️
M
This looks yummy! We'll be doing that soon.. How can I scale it down to bake in a 9" x 5" x 2.5" loaf pan?
Said so well, Martin!
The joy that comes from sharing bread with others and seeing their reaction when receiving it makes making bread worth it. I’ve never had someone tell me the bread is under proofed, too dark, a little too dense etc. when it was. They’re just so happy and running for the butter.
This article came at the perfect time! I;m in the middle of experimenting with a bread i modified from a traditional recipe my mother in law passed down to me! There are so many variables i don’t know whether to treat this like my normal SD process or like the original recipe (there is no real recipe as it was all in my mil’s head). You said trust your self. So i am trusting my intuition so far so good. Keeping my fingers crossed as i go the bake this. After all it is just an experiment. I’m sure in the end it will taste wonderful.
Thank you for your most excellent Substack. I look forward to it and trying your recipes. Please keep writing and sharing your journey…no apologies!
Love this! I’m Harrison, an ex fine dining industry line cook. My stack "The Secret Ingredient" adapts hit restaurant recipes (mostly NYC and L.A.) for easy home cooking.
check us out:
https://thesecretingredient.substack.com
A few months ago, I did a one time failed attempt on the classic KAB miche as YouTube demo’d by Martin Phillip. Gave up. Then started learning the sourdough routine after buying the Keep It Sweet Kitchen micro baker’s dehydrated she got from a Paris, France bakery 7 years ago. That one bloomed in 3 1/2 days and it’s all I use now. Was just about ti give a half recipe version another try when the ancient electric coil burner stove’s oven died a few days ago. They installed a lovely new elec stove yesterday. Plan: feed the starter tonight 2) start Step 1 in a half version of this new, Daily Miche. To respond to your baking in a loaf pan question: I usually find that, when a recipe reports « large loaf » or even 2 loaves, a halved recipe of the ingredients, things usually fit comfortably.