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Stage 1: The Initial Mix

Bring everything together — you're officially baking!

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Welcome to your bake! 🎉

In this stage you'll mix flour, water, starter, and salt together. Don't worry about it being perfect — a shaggy, rough dough is exactly what you want right now. The magic happens in the hours ahead. Just fill in your amounts below, mix well, and hit Complete Mix when you're done.

Formula (65% Hydration)

  • Strong Bread Flour
    g
  • Filtered Water
    g
  • Active Starter
    g
  • Fine Sea Salt
    g

How to Mix — Step by Step

  1. 1Combine flour and water in a large bowl. Mix with your hands until no dry flour remains. Cover and rest 30 min (autolyse — this kick-starts gluten development).
  2. 2Add your active starter and squeeze it through the dough until fully absorbed. The dough will feel slippery at first — keep going!
  3. 3Sprinkle salt over the dough, then add a tiny splash of water to help it dissolve. Squeeze and fold until the salt is worked in.
  4. 4Do 2–3 minutes of folds in the bowl (grab, stretch, fold over). The dough should feel cohesive and hold together — a little rough is perfectly fine.
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After you hit "Complete Mix"…

The app will start a 60-minute rest timer automatically. This rest lets the gluten relax before your first stretch & fold. You can leave the dough covered on the counter — no action needed yet!

"It doesn't need to be smooth yet. Trust the process — the gluten will build itself over the next few hours of bulk fermentation." 🍞

Stage 2: Bulk

4 Rounds of Stretch & Fold — the app guides you step by step

Total Fermentation Time
00:00:00
Initial Rest — 60 Minutes

Let the gluten relax before your first stretch & fold. Round 1 unlocks when this timer finishes.

60:00
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How Stretch & Fold Works

Each round is 30 minutes long and unlocks automatically when the previous one finishes. When a timer starts, grab the dough from one side, stretch it up as high as it will go without tearing, then fold it over the center. Rotate the bowl and repeat 4 times. That's one "set" — it only takes about 30 seconds! Then cover the bowl and let it rest until the next round unlocks.

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Round 1
30:00
lock
Round 2
30:00
lock
Round 3
30:00
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Round 4
30:00

Take your dough's temperature now. This tells you which row of the table below to use for timing.

°F

✅ How do I know bulk fermentation is done?

After all 4 rounds of stretch & fold, look for these signs before moving to shaping:

  • check_circle Dough has risen 50–75% in size (use a rubber band on the side of the bowl to track)
  • check_circle Dough jiggles like jello when you shake the bowl
  • check_circle Bubbles visible on the surface and along the sides
  • check_circle Dough feels airy and light, not dense
  • check_circle Smooth, domed surface (not flat or sunken)

If you're unsure, wait another 30 minutes and check again. Over-proofed dough is harder to fix than under-proofed!

Dough Temp vs. Target Rise

Dough Temp Approx. Time Target Rise
65°F (18°C)14–18 hrs80–100%
68°F (20°C)12–14 hrs80–100%
72°F (22°C)8–10 hrs75–90%
75°F (24°C)6–8 hrs50–75%
78°F (26°C)4–6 hrs40–60%
80°F (27°C)3–5 hrs30–50%

Stage 3: Shaping

Creating tension and surface skin — almost there!

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You made it through bulk fermentation! 🙌

Shaping has two parts: a quick preshape (a rough round), then a 30-minute bench rest, then the final shape (a tighter round) before it goes in the fridge. The goal is to create surface tension — the skin on the outside of the dough is what gives your loaf its structure in the oven. Take your time and be gentle. Even an imperfect shape bakes into beautiful bread!

Preshape Bench Rest
30:00

Technique: Final Shape

After the bench rest timer, do your final shape:

  1. Lightly flour your work surface with rice flour
  2. Flip the dough upside-down onto the bench
  3. Fold top edge to center, bottom to center, then left and right sides over
  4. Flip seam-side down and cup both hands around the dough
  5. Pull it gently toward you, dragging it across the bench — this creates tension on the surface skin
  6. Repeat a few times until the surface feels taut, then place seam-side up into your floured banneton

Shaping Checklist

  • check_circle No bubbles popped on surface
  • check_circle Strong lateral tension felt
  • check_circle Seamless bottom closure

Stage 4: Proofing

Into the fridge overnight — the hard part is over!

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You're in the home stretch! ❄️

The cold fridge slows fermentation way down, letting the dough develop more complex flavor and firm up so it's easier to score. After the 10-minute ambient proof and stitching, cover your banneton in a plastic bag and put it in the fridge. You can bake it 12–16 hours later (or even up to 48 hours for extra tang!). Come back tomorrow for the exciting part — baking!

Final Stitching Window
10:00

Stitching Instructions

Wait 10 minutes after basket entry. "Stitch" the dough by pulling sides over each other like a corset. This adds structural support for the oven spring.

Cold Proof Guide

  • 1

    Place banneton in a plastic bag to prevent skinning.

  • 2

    Retard in fridge (38°F / 3°C) for 12-16 hours.

  • 3

    Bake directly from cold for best scoring definition.

Stage 5: Oven Mechanics

The Maillard reaction and final transformation

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Dough in Fridge For --:--:--
Oven Temp
°F
Phase 1: Steam Expansion

Lid On • 25 Mins

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Preheat oven & Dutch Oven to 500°F. Lower to 450°F immediately after placing dough inside. The steam trapped inside allows the crust to expand fully.

25:00
Phase 2: Color & Cure

Lid Off • 20 Mins

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Remove lid to develop deep amber crust. Target internal temperature: 205-210°F. If the crust darkens too fast, lower temp to 425°F.

20:00

Bake Complete

Documentation and Reflection

Crumb Rating

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