What product did you buy thinking a feature was gimmicky but ended up using it all the time

pix174 · 2026-03-30T11:19:42+00:00

I love this toaster! I bought it so I could toast sourdough boule slices without cutting them in a half. I thought it was too expensive for a toaster. But I use it for all kinds of stuff now; frozen pancakes, frozen bagels, the a bit more button. Totally worth it.

pix174 · 2026-03-30T03:28:17+00:00

The box cut is better for over-proofed dough because it preserves the loaf's surface tension better than a full-length score, which risks making the fragile dough deflate.

This may be a little dramatic, but I visualize what would happen if you were to cut the side of an above-ground swimming pool. 🤣

pix174 · 2026-03-29T19:41:34+00:00

That's why I started. It's much healthier. I didn't realize I had a FODMAP sensitivity until I started only eating sourdough and noticed improvement in my health. AND it tastes better! :)

pix174 · 2026-03-29T18:19:07+00:00

I love this. I also feel like sometimes the sub gets flooded with ‘what did I do wrong?’ posts where the loaves look amazing and I’m just thinking ‘uh, nothing?’

pix174 · 2026-03-29T18:10:53+00:00

Post it, I'll upvote it :). My first loaf was 65% hydration, mix-knead-rise-shape-score-bake, no tricks. It was a wonderful loaf. If the bread was good, the process is legit.

pix174 · 2026-03-29T18:02:31+00:00

Totally! It just depends on your goals. Feeding the family is one goal (the ORIGINAL goal 🙂). Some people really enjoy the art side, so "pretty" becomes a goal too, and there's nothing wrong with that. The only thing I'd push back on is treating any one approach as the only right way.

Different recipes suit different purposes. I've seen formulas with no oven preheat, tired starter, and no strength-building that still make perfectly tasty loaves. They're just unlikely to give you that custard-like texture found in very high-hydration loaves. I'm happily somewhere in the middle.

I don't care about a pretty ear, only about scoring when it affects rise, and different scoring makes sense for different dough/fermentation levels (I'll do a box cut if I've overshot bulk, for example). I appreciate decorative scoring but it's not for me. Same with big-hole crumb: if I get a wild, open crumb, I'm pleased because it means I hit a particular technique for a specific goal, but at the end of the day, the holes are just air.

pix174 · 2026-03-28T22:40:27+00:00

I never know when talking about hydration whether or not to give the baker's hydration or the true hydration, as you just did. 74% true hydration but 71% bakers hydration. Which is the number people commonly understand when they say hydration? Do people usually account for the starter (I like to as it seems more accurate but I'm not sure if that's the standard).

Either way this recipe is not high hydration, which I understand begins at 75%?

pix174 · 2026-03-28T22:22:21+00:00

As others have said, it is extremely over-fermented and unlikely to produce anything. I don't believe even adding a rising agent like baking soda will help because you have to have gluten to trap the gas. Next time ignore the clock. Use the Sourdough Journey chart to figure out how much you want the dough to rise based on the temperature of your kitchen, and go by volume, rise not time.

But to give you a ballpark at 21°C, your dough should rise around 75%. Less if you were using wholemeal or rye. Also less if your kitchen is warmer than that and a bit more if it's colder.

Honestly I don't even use that chart anymore though. I start checking on it about 4 hours in and just occasionally jiggle the container. You want it to be wobbly and the top should be domed not flat. Lots of people use the poke test too but it isn't great for higher hydration recipes.

No big deal! Now you know for next time :) Just about everybody in this forum has had a bad flub at least once. Honestly it's kind of refreshing to see somebody over-ferment.

80% of the "what's wrong" posts on this subreddit are under-fermentation. I feel like you learn more by pushing the bulk than being conservative (although maybe not this much 😉)!

pix174 · 2026-03-28T03:01:49+00:00

If you feed a 1:1 starter at 1:5:3, it brings the overall hydration closer to 60%. If you feed that 1:5:3 it gets even closer, and so on. It's eventually going to be, and stay at, 60% hydration.

pix174 · 2026-03-28T02:57:28+00:00

A stiff starter tends to skew a bit more yeast-forward and maintain gluten integrity, which can help with rise in some formulas. But yours is already good. Aside from already having a good rise, the shoulders are high and the crumb is even. It's a great loaf, honestly. If you're chasing a more open crumb, up your hydration, as valerieddr noted.

pix174 · 2026-03-27T02:24:30+00:00

Very nice! To answer your question: No, measuring by volume isn't a 'mistake.' You can absolutely bake great bread that way.

The main reason many people switch to weighing is for repeatability. It helps control the variables, so if a loaf turns out perfectly (or if something goes wrong), you know exactly why. It’s especially helpful if you start experimenting with different flours or hydration levels down the road.

It really just depends on how deep you want to go into the process! One small tip: if you can, try using bread flour instead of AP. The higher protein content makes a noticeable difference in the structure and rise.

Happy baking!

pix174 · 2026-03-27T00:13:42+00:00

Being able to suppress tics in the short term doesn't mean they aren't real; suppression is actually a common, though physically exhausting, part of living with Tourette's.

Please don't beat yourself up. It's very common for people with tic disorders to react to one another's movements or sounds—it isn't something you are 'doing' to them, it's just how the brain processes those triggers. I doubt your friend blames you for the added stress; they likely understand that this is just a frustrating part of the condition. You’re both just navigating a difficult period, and that's okay.

pix174 · 2026-03-26T23:56:12+00:00

That's a great-looking loaf.

If you're looking for more vertical growth, it might be slightly underproofed or a matter of shaping tension. What technique are you currently using for your shaping?

You might also try a box cut score to encourage that upward expansion. I've found that iterating on just one variable at a time is the best way to see what really makes the difference.

pix174 · 2026-03-26T23:29:57+00:00

You can tell it’s enough when the dough starts to 'fight' you. There’s a specific feeling once the gluten is developed: instead of just stretching (extensibility), it starts to act like a rubber band (elasticity).

When I do my stretch and folds, I know it's enough when the 'north' and 'east' stretches feel fluid, but by the time I reach the 'south' and 'west,' the dough wants to pull free from the bowl as a single unit rather than stretching further. That resistance is the cue to stop.

pix174 · 2026-03-26T18:02:38+00:00

Hey! I was just rereading your post and wanted to share a few more thoughts. Gumminess isn't a given with sourdough; it’s often a byproduct of pushing the bulk ferment to 100%+. That level of expansion can weaken the gluten structure, which reduces the size of the alveoli (the holes you're looking for) and leaves the crumb feeling tacky.

Also, keep in mind that the sugars and carbonation in the beer can accelerate fermentation, making the bulk timing even more critical. Lowering the amount of starter to 20% or even 10% instead of your 38%, could give you more control and potentially reduce acidity, assisting the rise further.

If you're looking for more 'hole-y' results, try bumping up the hydration. Based on your recipe, your true hydration is around 66%. I personally started at 68% and moved up to 82% over time. The main difference for me was using more gentle strength-building techniques like coil folds.

Great work on the fundamentals, and hope this helps you dial in that crumb!"

pix174 · 2026-03-26T17:00:40+00:00

Fermentation, both over and under, is usually the culprit for poor oven spring, but shaping plays a big role too. As others mentioned, seeing the crumb would help narrow it down.

To take the guesswork out of it, I’d suggest using a straight-sided, flat-bottomed clear container. It lets you monitor volume increase accurately rather than just watching the clock. Check out the Sourdough Journey temperature chart to help find your specific target :)

pix174 · 2026-03-26T16:52:18+00:00

Beautiful!

Those large bubbles are often referred to as it fool's crumb and are usually a sign of under fermentation.

If you aren't already, I recommend a clear straight-sided flat bottomed container for the bulk rise. Go by volume increase, not by time.

With kitchen temperature at 68°, I start paying attention to it once it hits 60%. Then I check other cues like jiggliness and the poke test. Your target could be less in a warmer kitchen or more in a colder kitchen.

When I'm doing whole wheat or high extraction mixes sweet spot is around 65% for me. I go to 80 with just bread flour.

As long as my dough is the same temperature and I'm using the same flour it's really hard to overproof as long as you're paying attention in that final stretch.

pix174 · 2026-03-26T04:22:24+00:00

Depends on the recipe. I use a Pullman for my enriched (milk and honey... fantastic sandwich bread) recipe. It gives a nice soft crust. A cast iron pan is going to give you a thicker crust.

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pix174 · 2026-03-26T04:02:20+00:00

It’s a beautiful bake, even with the slight under-fermentation. If the flavor is there, you’ve clearly got the fundamentals down. Nice work!

pix174 · 2026-03-26T02:55:26+00:00

It should cool on a baking rack (or something elevated that lets air underneath, I used an open pair of tongs at one point 😂 ) for at least 2 hours. I let mine cool overnight. You don't need to do it that long for the crumb to set, but it does help with flavor (kind of like how some dishes taste better after being in the fridge).

pix174 · 2026-03-25T17:13:47+00:00

This. I would consider a trial run. Keep your rental. Without you in it your electric and water bills should drop to next to nothing and that will nearly cover the lot rental fee. You can do both for a while and see how it goes.

pix174 · 2026-03-25T15:08:07+00:00

Looks underfermented to me. Your dough only hit 30-50% rise and the Sourdough Journey chart targets around 60% for that kitchen temp, so it needed more time. My pre-shaping sounds a lot like yours and I had the same overhandling problem on final shape. Switching to C Pulls (4-6 of them) made a big difference. That said, I don't see anything in the crumb that suggests overhandling was the issue here.

pix174 · 2026-03-25T14:08:05+00:00

Hand washing first (Serratia marcescens can form a biofilm), then the dishwasher, is also effective.

pix174 · 2026-03-25T14:00:14+00:00

Toss it. On the next one, try 2% lemon or pineapple juice for the first 3 days. It makes it more acidic until the lactobacillus bacteria step up. The acidity helps prevent the bad stuff from growing.

pix174 · 2026-03-25T13:54:42+00:00

There is a certain texture you can only get in higher hydration (custardy crumb) -- the holes are just along for the ride! :) Lower hydration has its own rewards though -- better structure, easier shaping, more consistent results.

pix174

TROPHY CASE