Sourdough Bread: A Beginner's Guide - The Clever Carrot
It's made with 5 simple ingredients: bread flour, active sourdough starter, water, salt and olive oil (which makes the interior crumb incredibly ...
‘autolyse’
Cover the bowl with plastic wrap, reusable wax wrap, or a very damp kitchen towel. Let rest or <anchor>‘autolyse’</anchor> for about 30 minutes to 1 hour. After the dough has rested, return to the bowl and work it into a ball (it doesn’t have look perfect).
Sourdough Baking Glossary - The Clever Carrot
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# Sourdough Baking Glossary

###### While you certainly don’t need to know every bread term in this sourdough baking glossary, think of it as your personal cheat sheet to increase your knowledge (and to sound cool when talking to bread heads!) – Emilie

###### Sourdough Baking Glossary | theclevercarrot.com

Ever hear two bread bakers talk about sourdough?

It’s like a make believe secret language sure to intimidate any outsider…

OK?!

The thing is, only intermediate to advanced bakers talk like that which is fine and everything, but really confusing to the beginner baker. You can bake perfectly good bread without memorizing every bread term in a sourdough baking glossary.

But, because I know you’ll fall down the rabbit hole eventually (I totally did), here are 12 hand-selected terms that I feel you will benefit from.

# Sourdough Baking Glossary

### 1.) Sourdough Starter

### 2.) Levain

This is an offshoot of your sourdough starter. For example, if you take a portion of your starter (made with all purpose flour), and mix it in a separate bowl with with rye flour, you’ve now created a levain. The goal of a levain is to build specific flavor profiles, with different types of flour, without changing the original makeup of the sourdough starter itself. People use the term “sourdough starter” and “levain” interchangeably which is confusing. Now, you know the difference.

### 3.) Autolyse

Also known as the “first rest,” this term refers to the resting stage right after the dough has been mixed.

So, imagine this: after you combine the dough, mix it into a shaggy ball, and let it rest for 30 minutes…. that’s autolyse. This resting stage can range anywhere from 15 minutes up to 4 hours or more, depending on the recipe and the baker’s preference. I love a good, long autolyse when time permits. The benefit is to jumpstart gluten development without kneading. It makes the dough much easier to handle, too. Just feel it after 30 minutes vs. the 1 hour mark. The longer the rest, the softer and more manageable the dough will be.

### 4.) Bulk Rise

Sourdough needs to rise twice . The bulk rise, also known as the “first rise” or “bulk fermentation” is where the majority of the gluten development takes place. This is a crucial step in sourdough baking. Strong gluten is needed for proper structure and overall height. The bulk rise can take anywhere from 4 -12+ hours or more, depending on temperature. Either way, rush the bulk rise and you’ll end of with a brick.

### 5.) Stretch and Folding the Dough

During the bulk rise, you have the choice to stretch and fold the dough. This is a technique that gently aerates the dough without squashing out all the beautiful bubbles into oblivion. Some call it kneading, but I wouldn’t go that far- it’s minimal at best. Incorporating this technique will increase the overall volume of your bread giving it a plump, artisan look when done correctly and properly shaped.

### 6.) Second Rise

Remember what I said earlier? Sourdough needs to rise twice? This is it. Also known as the “final proof” or “final rise” here, the shaped dough rises for the very last time. The duration is no where near as long as the bulk rise; you’re looking at 30 minutes and up to 2 hours at room temperature, or alternatively, overnight in the fridge. The dough is ready when it puffs up and no longer looks dense.

### 7.) Proofing Basket

Usually made from natural fiber, proofing baskets cradle the dough and prevent it from spreading during the second rise. You can find proofing baskets in both round and oval shapes. They are also known as “bannetons” or “brotforms.”

PS- when left unlined and heavily floured, they create pretty coiled patterns on the surface of baked bread.

### 8.) Score

A cut or slash made in the dough prior to baking. This technique is both functional and decorative. It allows the steam to escape and controls the direction in which the loaf opens up. Your design can be as simple or artistic as you’d like.

### 9.) Bread Lame

Pronounced “lahm,” a bread lame is a tool that bakers use to score the dough. It’s essentially a razor blade attached to a long handle. Do you need a bread lame as a beginner? No, using a small serrated steak knife or even just a solo razor blade is fine. But eventually, bread lames are fun to play around with. You’ll see. It will make you feel professional.

### 10.) Oven Spring

This refers to the increase in size of the bread during baking. Plump, lofty loaves have great oven spring whereas dense, flat loaves lack oven spring.

### 11.) Crumb

This is the interior cross section of the bread. Imagine cutting a slice of sourdough and inspecting the inside texture… does it have big holes? Small holes? Is it dry? Damp? This is what bakers call the “crumb” (not to be confused with the mess on the floor if you don’t eat over a plate).

### 12.) Hydration

You will hear bakers talk about hydration all the time. I wouldn’t get too caught up in this when you’re first starting out- it can sound really confusing. But it’s not. Here is what you need to know:

Hydration is the ratio of water to flour in bread dough. It’s often expressed as a baker’s percentage.

For example, a recipe with 300 g of water and 500 g would be 60% hydration (300/500). Low hydration doughs, which are dry and somewhat stiff in texture, fall in the 55-65% range; 70% and up are considered high hydration doughs, which are wet and a little more difficult to handle.

Hydration can be applied to sourdough starters, too. A starter fed with equal parts flour and water by weight is defined as 100% hydration. Characterized by a thickish batter-like texture, it is the most common starter that bakers use.

#### Ready to bake sourdough bread? Click here for my Beginner’s Guide.

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Artisan Sourdough Made Simple |theclevercarrot.com

### Artisan Sourdough Made Simple

A beginner’s guide to delicious hand-crafted bread with minimal kneading.

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Did you find this post helpful? By leaving a star rating and review, it will help others find my recipes and tutorials too. As always, thanks for your support! —Emilie

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### Comments

3. Debra Pricesays

Wow what a GREAT site. A plethora of information. Thank you

4. Susan Halesays

Thank you for translating the sourdough Greek. I made bread fir years and I was lost by some of it. Seems a lot of the new people I see in Facebook groups are lacking in using common sense because they feel inadequate since they aren’t doing it perfect. Many of them to me have made great looking bread. They have forgotten the journey and the kiss method.

Looking forward to getting your book and trying your recipes. I almost love using the discard more then making the bread.

5. Patti Darwinsays

What is the best pan to bake artisan sourdough bread in?. I have a small 8″ cast iron dutch oven. Would that work?

- Emilie Raffasays

Patti, any oven safe pot with lid (that can heat up to 450 F including the handles) will work. Your cast iron dutch oven is perfect. Do you know how many quarts it is? A 5 1/2 qt. pot is a good standard size.

Can you please share some techniques for shaping a high hydration loaf? While I respect (follow) the instructions for touching the dough as little as possible, when I form the dough, mine always seems to be the consistency of a blob (that’s my technical term for “it spreads” and I can’t form it into a tight loaf). It always comes out delicious (and good looking) so that’s the most important part. Thanks so much for your cookbook! It’s held my hand throughout my sourdough journey and I’ve recommended it to a number of people.

7. Dianesays

Hi Emile

I have purchased your book and find the recipes are wonderful. Everything was going along fine until I purchased fresh milled flour and now nothing works, can you help explain why.

- Emilie Raffasays

Hi there! It’s most likely due to the different enzymes in your new flour. This is not a bad thing. However, in comparison flour from the grocery store has added vitamins, minerals etc. so it will perform differently than freshly milled flour. If you’d like to use freshly milled, I would get your starter used to it first before trying to bake with it. See how that goes!

Hello, I baked your easy sourdough sandwich bread and almost cried at how beautifully it turned out! As I was exploring other recipes on your site, I saw the picture at the top of this post and I’m wondering if it is a recipe for sourdough buns/rolls? Is that recipe on your site somewhere? I’d love to know where to find it! Thank you!

- Emilie Raffasays

Hi Chris! The recipe is for sourdough bialys, a lovely soft roll, which is in my book (pg. 121).

Reply
09. Fiona Millssays

Hi Emelie,

I am a beginner Sourdough bread maker. I have made 3 loaves using your recipe and suggestions. The 1st one was great but the other two had crusts that were almost teeth breakingly hard. Any suggestions. I have used a Cast iron Le Creuset casserole pot as a kind of Dutch oven.

Many thanks

- Emilie Raffasays

Fiona, a hard crust could be due to many things. The type of recipe/dough, temperature, method… what specific recipe are you referring to?

10. Kensays

Hi Emilie, yours is the best sourdough bread site out there. Can your beginner recipe be used for baguettes? If so, are adjustments necessary? Thank you. Ken

- Emilie Raffasays

Thank you Ken! Appreciate the kind feedback. I wouldn’t use the Beginner recipe for baguettes; it’s not the right dough. I have a recipe in Artisan Sourdough Made Simple that you might like. It’s a beginner baguette “twist”… something to get your feet wet before diving into true, bakery-style baguettes which requires a specific method and technique (and pan…).

Reply
11. Mary Greenwoodsays

Hi Emilie i have just turned 70. I have baked all my married life(47 years ) . I have tried sourdough numerous times and have had very limited results. I found you by accident and it,s the best thing i could have done. I have tried two recipes since Friday using discard starter for blueberry cake ( but used blackcurrants ) and the gorgeous cinnamon rolls. Both of which turned out fantastic. I started my bread yesterday left overnight on the worktop covered ,the rise this morning was fantastic and we are in the middle of winter here in UK. Just waiting for second rise and then the bake hoping i have the same results as my two other bakes . Will post result either way. Thank you so much your methods are also very simple to follow.

- Emilie Raffasays

Hi Mary! You are quite welcome. Comments like this make my day! I’m thrilled to hear you are enjoying your sourdough journey. :)

Reply
12. Courtney V Freemansays

Hello Everyone, I have been having a blast with the sourdough starter and the last couple of loaves of bread I played with the cooking method to change the thickness of the crust and WOW it’s awesome. I do have a inquiry ” it there a way to make the sourdough starter more sour?”

I’m one of those people that likes it real sour!

one other idea I tried and has worked really well for my starter is once it got going, I put it in a gallon freezer bag, squeezed out the air and have left it on my counter due to the amount I’ve been using it. I open the bag maybe twice a day to get the gas out and feed it as instructed.

the amount of yeast activity is amazing, now if I can get the sour taste stronger woo hoo.

13. Maysays

Hi Emilie,

In one of your recipes it calls for 50/50 whole wheat + bread flour starter (100% hydration). My starter was made with all purpose flour. So, I’m not entirely sure how to make this 50/50 whole wheat + bread flour starter. Since my starter is made out of all purpose flour can I just feed with whole wheat flour?

Thanks so much for your help!

May

- Emilie Raffasays

Hi May! What recipe are you referring to? Either way: you can certainly feed it with ww flour instead. Or, just make the recipe with your original starter (made with all purpose flour). It will be fine :)

Reply
14. Carol Trimsays

Hi Emilie

I love your book thank and now will start attempting some of the different recipes other than the first two breads. I have three questions I would like to ask.

1. Do you weight the starter before adding the flour and water to get 100% hydration. Ie 60g starter, 69 g water and 60g flour?

2. When you are feeding a room temperature starter, do you discard 50% each time before adding water and flour.?

3. I live in Australia Can I use Plain flour or bread flour instead of All Purpose flour?

Many thanks

- Emilie Raffasays

Hi Carol, thanks so much! Please see below for the answers to your questions:

1.) Yes. The easiest way to do this, is to weigh an empty jar first and then write the weight on a piece of masking tape affixed to the bottom of the jar. For ongoing future feedings, all you have to do is subtract the weight of the jar to get the weight of the starter (without having to manually measure it).

2.) Yes. But it doesn’t have to be exact!

3.) Yes. Plain flour is perfect (it’s our equivalent to all purpose flour here in the US).

Reply
15. Mary Ann Boehmsays

Hi Emilie, I sent you a message on Facebook before I found your blog. I am getting ready to make your Golden Sesame Semolina bread and would like to do a long ferment overnight in the fridge. Would also like to form the loaf into a batard. Is there any problem with either of those?? Love your book!!

- Emilie Raffasays

Hi Mary Ann! You can do a long overnight ferment in the fridge for this recipe (I’m assuming you’re referring to the bulk rise?) Also: you can shape the loaf into a batard, not a problem at all. Enjoy!

Thank you for this fantastic resource!!

- Emilie Raffasays

You are quite welcome!

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Hi! I’m Emilie, author of the best selling book: Artisan Sourdough Made Simple. I’m a bread baker, pasta maker, and head over heels for old world Italian recipes. Let’s cook together! More here: about Emilie.

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