This one covers enclosed baking environments, and it's where a lot of the "why does my bread look like that" questions actually get answered. The core concept is the closed loop. Your dough already has the moisture it needs to create its own steam environment. You don't need to fill your oven. You just need to trap it. A covered vessel does exactly that, and once you understand why it works, you'll stop guessing and start making deliberate choices every time you bake. Here's what's in the lesson: The closed loop explained: why enclosed baking produces better crust and oven spring Dutch oven: preheated vs. cold start, and why both are legitimate The 7-minute uncover trick for better ear development on tighter doughs Ice cubes inside the pot for a steam boost on low-hydration loaves Alternatives when you don't have a Dutch oven: double loaf pan, foil tent, metal bowl cover, bread cloche When enclosed baking is actually the wrong choice Watch it here: https://youtu.be/Hic3fcLNp_M Or find it directly in the Classroom under the Oven Setup and Steam course. Drop your questions below. If you've been getting inconsistent results from your Dutch oven, this is a good place to start troubleshooting. Perfection is not required. Progress is. Henry ⭐🔥

What is this? I saw it in another group. Sourdough Aliquot Jar Set and how would you use it? https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0G5HB8Y91?ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_fed_asin_title&th=1

Windowpane. This is one of those small things that makes a big difference. You take a small piece of dough and gently stretch it. If it stretches thin enough to let light through without tearing, you’ve got strength. That’s your signal. Your dough has developed enough gluten to hold gas, keep its shape, and actually turn into bread instead of spreading out on you. If it tears right away, you’re not there yet. More time. More folds. Let the dough catch up. Here’s the shift. Stop asking “how long has it been?”Start asking “what is the dough showing me?” That’s how you get consistent. Drop a comment if you’ve ever had dough tear on you during shaping. That’s usually where this shows up.

I do not like the irregular loaf shapes. Looking for some advice. My new plan is to mix as always, do a bench stretch and fold immediately, then start BF followed by two coil folds. Once is hit 50% BF, divide the dough and place 300 g into each 4”by 6” loaf pans.back into the proofer until the dough hits 70%, the cold retard. Next morning place the pans back in my 78 f proofer for 90 minutes the bake onto top of a baking steel using an inverted roasting pan to trap the stream. Any thoughts ? Advice? Alternative ideas.

/di-uh-STAT-ik malt/ A flour additive with active enzymes that break starch down into sugars. Those sugars feed your yeast, which helps improve rise, crust color, and overall fermentation. In your kitchen, a small amount goes a long way. Better oven spring, deeper crust color, richer caramelization on the exterior. But too much and those enzymes keep working past the point where you want them to stop. The result is a gummy crumb no matter how long you bake it. Measure it carefully. This is not a more-is-better ingredient. Diastatic malt is one of 150 terms inside the Crust and Crumb Glossary. Drop a comment below if you've used it before or if you have questions about when and how to add it to your bakes. Perfection is not required. Progress is. Henry ⭐🔥