Sourdough words, explained

Sourdough starter

A living mix of flour and water, full of wild yeast and friendly bacteria. It makes your bread rise, instead of shop-bought yeast.

Levain

A small batch of starter you build up just for one bake. Some recipes use your starter directly, so you won't always see this word.

Feeding

Also called feed.

Adding fresh flour and water to your starter, so the yeast has food again.

Ratio

Also called 1:1:1.

How much starter, flour and water you use in a feed, by weight. 1:1:1 means equal amounts of each.

Discard

The part of your starter you take out before feeding. You can bake with it (crackers, pancakes, banana bread) instead of throwing it away.

Peak

The moment your starter has risen the highest after a feed: domed, bubbly and smelling pleasantly sour. This is when it's strongest.

Active starter

Also called ripe starter.

A starter that has risen and is full of bubbles, ready to use in your dough.

Mature starter

A starter that is a few weeks old and rises reliably after every feed.

Hooch

A grey or brown liquid on top of a hungry starter. Pour it off (or stir it in for a tangier taste), then feed.

Float test

Drop a spoonful of starter into water. If it floats, it's usually ready to use. Handy, but not foolproof.

Flour and dough

Flour is the dry powder; dough is what you get once you mix it with water.

Bread flour

Also called strong flour.

Flour with more protein, so it builds more gluten. Your bread rises higher and holds its shape better.

Wholemeal flour

Also called whole wheat flour.

Flour made from the whole grain, bran included. More flavour, absorbs more water, rises a little less.

Rye flour

Flour from rye grain. Makes a denser, darker and more flavourful loaf, and ferments quickly.

Hydration

How much water is in the dough compared with the flour. 75% means 75g water for every 100g flour. Higher hydration gives a softer, stickier dough.

Baker's percentage

Writing every ingredient as a percentage of the flour. The flour is always 100%.

Gluten

The stretchy network that forms when flour and water are mixed. It traps the gas, so your bread can rise.

Dough strength

How well your dough holds its shape. You build it with folds and time.

Autolyse

Letting the flour and water rest together before the salt goes in. In most of our recipes the starter is already stirred into the water. The dough becomes smoother and easier to work with.

Stretch and fold

Grab one side of the dough, stretch it up and fold it over the top. Turn the bowl and repeat. This builds strength gently.

Coil fold

Lift the dough from the middle so the ends fold underneath. Gentler than a stretch and fold, and good for wet dough.

Lamination

Stretching the dough out very thin on the counter and folding it back up. Often used to add seeds or other fillings.

Windowpane test

Gently stretch a small piece of dough until it's thin. If light shines through without it tearing, the gluten is well developed.

Fermentation

The yeast and bacteria eating the sugars in the flour. This makes gas (so the dough rises) and flavour.

Bulk fermentation

Also called bulk or first rise.

The first rise: the whole dough in one bowl, from mixing until shaping. Most of the rising happens here.

Proof

Also called final proof or second rise.

The rise after shaping, usually in a banneton or a tin.

Cold proof

Also called cold retard.

Letting the shaped dough rise slowly in the fridge, usually overnight. It fits around your day and gives more flavour.

Kitchen temperature

The warmer your kitchen, the faster the dough rises. That's why the planner asks how warm your kitchen is.

Underproofed

The dough hasn't risen enough. The bread comes out dense, sometimes with a few big holes at the top.

Overproofed

The dough has risen too long. It spreads out, the loaf stays flat and tastes very sour.

Poke test

Press a floured finger gently into the dough. If the dent springs back slowly and leaves a small dip, it's ready.

Pre-shape

A first, loose shaping into a rough ball.

Bench rest

Letting the pre-shaped dough rest on the counter for 15–30 minutes, so it relaxes before the final shape.

Final shape

Shaping the dough into its final form (round or oval), with a tight surface.

Surface tension

The tight, smooth "skin" you create on the outside of the dough while shaping.

Seam

The line where the dough was folded closed. It usually faces up in the banneton and down in the oven.

Boule

A round loaf.

Bâtard

An oval loaf.

Banneton

Also called proofing basket.

A basket the shaped dough rises in, so it keeps its shape. Dust it with rice flour so the dough doesn't stick.

Bench scraper

Also called dough scraper.

A flat tool for lifting, cutting and moving sticky dough.

Preheat

Heating the oven (and pot or steel) well before the bread goes in. This gives a better rise and crust.

Dutch oven

A heavy pot with a lid. It traps steam around the bread, giving it a better rise and a crispy crust.

Baking steel / stone

A thick plate that holds a lot of heat. Great for pizza, focaccia and an extra-crispy base.

Steam

Moisture in the oven during the first part of baking. It keeps the crust soft for a while, so the loaf can rise fully.

Scoring

Also called score.

Cutting the top of the dough just before baking, so the bread opens where you want it to.

Lame

A razor blade on a handle, used for scoring.

Ear

The raised, crispy edge along the score that opens up during baking.

Oven spring

The quick rise of the bread in the first minutes in the oven.

Internal temperature

The temperature at the centre of the loaf. It's done at around 96°C / 205°F.

Crust

The outside of the bread.

Crumb

The inside of the bread: the soft part with the holes.

Open crumb

A crumb with many large, irregular holes. Typical for high-hydration bread.

Tight crumb

A crumb with small, even holes. Ideal for sandwich bread.

Gummy crumb

A crumb that feels sticky or wet. Usually cut too early, or underbaked or underproofed.

Cooling

Letting the bread rest at least an hour before cutting. The inside is still baking.