My mom said one thing about my failed sourdough that totally shifted how I bake

I was complaining to my mom last weekend about how my third attempt at sourdough came out like a hockey puck. She just shrugged and said, 'Maybe stop trying to control everything and let the dough tell you what it needs.' At first I thought that was nonsense, but then I realized I had been obsessing over exact timings and ignoring how the dough actually felt. That conversation hit different because she's been baking for 40 years and never uses a recipe, just goes by feel and smell. So my next batch I ditched the timer and paid attention to the dough instead, and it actually rose double in size. Has anyone else had a family member drop a simple piece of advice that changed your whole approach?

2 comments

2 Comments

the_sam14d agoTop Commenter

Three attempts isn't that many for sourdough though.

fiona98514d ago

Tried that approach myself once and ended up with dough so sticky it basically became wearable dough jewelry. I mean, maybe I'll get it right by attempt twelve or so.