the best kind of banana bread IMO
4 Likes
Anyone had any practice using wheat gluten in sourdough loaves? Discovered that the flour we can get hold of here in France is particularly low protein. Fine if using an instant yeast, but terrible if using a sourdough starter and especially when autolysing as the Wench likes to do.
Just a plain white loaf today.
I’m starting to improve my kneading technique but I need to get a razor blade for the slashing, which leaves much to be desired 
4 Likes
Used to use a surgical knife before I turned pro
1 Like
The island shop has had plenty of plain flour in recently, but no bread flour. Good to see they had it in today as my own stocks were getting low.
2 Likes
Two words: Kenwood mixer 
Why?
I enjoy the kneading process
2 Likes
Im loving your gash
2 Likes
You say the nicest things
1 Like
I know i should be in government
Well, I cut down on the amount of water used in feeding, seems to have worked, thanks John
Made a batch of sourdough yesterday morning 50,% wholewheat, proved for 3 hours, looked great. Shaped it put half in the fridge left half to prove in the kitchen, went out and when I returned 3 hours later it was obvious that the room temp batch was over proved 
I cooked it anyway and it turned out as expected. I baked the one from the fridge this morning and that too was overproved 
I am disappoint 
2 Likes
that doesn’t look bad at all. from reading your post jon im wondering if you are stretching and folding.
Once the batter has proved overnight I then stretch and fold every hour four times and then leave in the bannetons checking every half hour using the pinch test to check if they are proved. oven proving is not usually an issue with sourdough.
It’s hardly risen John, it’s very solid. So you prove 1st time, then overnight in the fridge before shaping? The instructional videos I have watched say second prove overnight in the basket, then allow to come back to room temperature then bake.
this is what I do. which is for two loaves, so half if you only make 1 loaf
in the evening I mix 200ml of my starter with 500g of flour add 625-650 of water depending on how wet I want the loaf. cover and leave somewhere warm overnight
in the morning usually after nine am I add another 600g of flour and 26g of salt, a couple of table spoons of olive oil
knead till its well silky and then cover and leave for an hour then every hour I stretch and fold. I do this three times then transfer to banneton to final prove usually a couple of hours and then bake
I think the need to Stretch and Fold is recipe specific.
Jim Layeys no knead loaf returns has big holes but no S&F. My last two full sourdoughs were identical except one was stretched and folded thrice and the other one not at all - Both had very large holes in but the non S&F ones holes were just a bit bigger.
I’m wondering if JB’s recipe calls for no S&F if the issue is more related to a low activity starter yeast ?
yes may be, he needs to post some before and after pics of feeding.
personally I prefer smaller holes
That’s deffo good looking starter