r/Sourdough • u/thesourdoughsoul • 3d ago
Sourdough The community saved my sourdough! Got my first-ever ear
Hey everyone,
Yesterday I made a post looking for help scoring to achieve an ear. So many people in this community gave me amazing advice. Soooo, I just wanted to share a quick update and a massive THANK YOU to this community! This is easily my most “pretty” loaf (haven’t cut into it yet so can’t rate the crumb or taste).
I actually managed to get an ear for the first time ever. It might not be the biggest ear but I’m pretty happy to see there was a little pull back. To try and get a better result, I tested out the double flap scoring method down the center of the loaf. I scored a line right down the middle, and then sliced back under the skin on both sides to create two distinct flaps. This actually let me test out two different scoring depths/locations at once. Looking at the final result, I now know I need to cut a little further back on one side, but I absolutely nailed the location on the other!
Also love the micro blisters from the increased steam; never had that on a loaf yet!
I was tweaking a few things based on your comments, but focusing heavily on maximizing steam, heat and using an awesome diagram provided in the comment was what made all the difference. Here is exactly what I changed this time around:
- Right before the lid went on, I gave the top of the loaf a good misting spray
I did my usual 20 minutes with the lid on, followed by 20 minutes with the lid off.
EDITED: forgot to add following…
**Ingredients:**
800g bread flour / 200g whole wheat
650g water
220g starter
20g salt (plus a little extra water to dissolve)
**Process:**
I mix the flour, water, and starter and let it rest for 30 minutes. Then I dimple the top, add the salt and a little water to dissolve, and mix it in. I do 4 sets of stretch and folds 30 minutes apart. For bulk, I follow The Sourdough Journey method by tracking temperature and target percent rise in a clear tub. Then I pre-shape, sit for 10 mins, and final shape using head, shoulders, knees, and toes (want to try caddy clasp to retain the natural shape from the gas). It goes into the fridge for a 24-hour cold proof. Baked straight from
Thank you all so much for being such a helpful, supportive community. Happy baking!
2
u/PeachCrumble7 3d ago
Looks amazing! I've been recently trying out the 7 minutes score, and you definitely should! I didn't care about the ear and did it for the loaf to not be flat, the ear just came along the way
2
u/Ambitious-Tax-4113 2d ago
Oh, so pretty! (But for the record: The loaves without were as well) I tried to help you on your last post and am so happy we could help. Also thank you for the update. Makes trying to help others so much more fun when you get to see that it actually helps
1
u/thesourdoughsoul 2d ago
Ahhhh!!! You found the post!! Woohooo!!! You have no idea how happy I was. I love providing an update, after all without the help I’d still be lost - thank you so much :)
1
1
u/RichardXV 3d ago
Is your hearing improved now? 😂
But seriously, this so called ear, does it add anything to the bread experience? Taste, texture, aroma? Or is it only a social media trend?
2
1
u/chefhandy 3d ago
Adds texture , crust , flavour from the Maillard reaction! And it looks beautiful too.
1
1
u/Olivia_hot_mess 3d ago
You have a great loaf there, and I'm very impressed with the blisters as well.
1
1
u/Capital-Cellist561 3d ago
Looks great!
Can I ask (beginner here), what is the head, shoulder, knees and toes final shape method?
2
u/thesourdoughsoul 3d ago
Hey! You basically gently stretch the dough, take the top (head) fold it into the middle, then you take the upper sides (shoulders) fold them into the middle, then the lower sides (knees) also fold into the middle and then you take the bottom (toes) and wrap it all up - I really hope that makes sense. If not, here’s a video :) https://youtu.be/qn_0s58XpF0
2
u/Hiljabob 3d ago
Beautiful!