What Is Malted Flour? Pre-Blended Malt Flour for Convenience
Malted flour is bread flour that already contains malt (either malt powder or ground malted grain) blended in by the miller—saving you the step of adding malt yourself. Malted flour is wheat flour that has been milled with malted barley flour or malt powder added at the mill, typically at 0.5–1% of the flour weight. […]
Best Flour for Sourdough Bread — A Beginner’s Complete Guide
The best flour for sourdough bread as a beginner is bread flour with 11–13% protein content. It gives you the strongest gluten network, the best oven spring, and the most forgiving dough to work with. All-purpose flour works too and is a perfectly acceptable starting point — but bread flour gives beginners a meaningful head […]
Sourdough Discard Pizza Dough With 00 Flour
If you’ve ever wondered whether Italian 00 flour can improve your sourdough discard pizza dough, the answer is yes—but not for the reasons most people think. If you’re still deciding which flour to use, see our complete guide to the best flour for sourdough pizza. Many home bakers switch to 00 flour expecting instant pizzeria-quality […]
Bulk Fermentation Chart at 80°F
80°F (27°C) represents the upper threshold of practical bulk fermentation for sourdough. At this temperature, fermentation moves quickly—completing in just 3-4 hours with standard starter percentages—but the accelerated pace demands close attention and precise timing to avoid overproofing. Warm-temperature fermentation occurs naturally in summer kitchens, tropical climates, and heated homes during winter. While many bakers […]
Printable Bulk Fermentation Chart for Sourdough (Free PDF Download)
Bulk fermentation timing depends on multiple variables—temperature, starter percentage, hydration, and flour type—which makes it hard to remember all the adjustments mid-bake. This printable chart consolidates the timing ranges, visual cues, and troubleshooting steps from the full bulk fermentation guide into a single-page reference you can keep on your counter or tape inside a cabinet […]
Bulk Fermentation Time Calculator
Calculating bulk fermentation time doesn’t require guesswork when you understand the relationship between dough temperature, starter percentage, and fermentation speed. With these two key variables, you can predict your bulk fermentation timeline with surprising accuracy. Most sourdough recipes provide timing estimates, but those estimates only work if your dough temperature and starter percentage match what […]
How to Fix Overproofed Sourdough: Emergency Solutions & Creative Pivots
You opened the fridge, turned out your dough, and it spread flat across the counter. Or you left it on the bench too long and now it smells faintly of beer. Either way — you have overproofed sourdough, and you need to know what to do with it right now. The short answer: don’t throw […]
Can You Bulk Ferment Sourdough in the Fridge? (Cold Bulk vs. Cold Proof Explained)
One of the most common points of confusion in sourdough baking: cold bulk fermentation vs. cold proofing. Many bakers think they are the same thing. They are not — and mixing them up leads to either underproofed or overproofed bread. 🧮 Calculate Your Bulk Fermentation Time Calculate your bulk fermentation time before moving to the […]
How to Know When Bulk Fermentation Is Done: 6 Signs to Look For
Bulk fermentation is the step where most sourdough bakers feel the least confident. The recipe says 4 hours, but your kitchen is warmer. Or cooler. Or your starter was more active today. Time alone is never the answer. The good news: your dough tells you when it’s ready. You just need to know what to […]