Same batch of sourdough. Two very different results. One portion kinda formed into a loaf. The other? Absolutely no chance. 😂 It was way too soft and wet to hold its shape. Most likely culprit: too much hydration for this dough. But this is one of the things I’m learning to love about sourdough, it’s not failing, it’s repurposing. So today: 🍞 The “kinda” loaf is getting baked, and we’re going to see what happens. 🥖 The dough that refused to become a loaf is becoming focaccia instead. 💧 And today’s new batch is already getting an adjustment: less water. Every batch teaches me something. Sometimes the recipe works exactly as planned, and sometimes the dough tells you it has other plans. 🍞Experiment. Adjust. Repurpose. Bake again.🍞 And who knows, the “failed” focaccia may end up being the best thing I make today.

@Sandra Brenes thank you for your wonderful insight into gluten free starter and bread on today’s Zoom call! Can you please lead me to the information you talked about regarding gluten free baking, tips, etc.? 😊

Let’s talk about the question that comes up every summer: “Did I leave my dough in the fridge too long?” In a warm-weather rhythm, the fridge isn’t just a backup plan — it’s part of the method. For many home kitchens, a long, cold proof can: - Give you better flavor without racing through bulk - Make stickier summer dough easier to handle and score - Let you flex your bake time around real life, not the other way around The longer fermentation is where we start to see some of the maximum gut health benefits. Sweet spot...3 days up to 5 days. Then there is that week that you forgot that you had dough in the fridge, and the only time you remember is when you open your fridge, but you just close the fridge...pretty soon 5-6 days have gone by and you wonder if you can still bake it...the answer is YES! Just like a starter becomes more watery when it has not been fed, eventually our dough will do the same thing. If you notice that your dough is really high hydration on that day 5 or after, (meaning, when you try to shape it it just puddles, you can easily turn it into focaccia by putting it in a 9x13 baking dish smothered with olive oil. Then add more olive oil, spices/salt, dimple it and let it rest...bake it up). It may not haven been what you wanted, but you can go with the flow and use up that dough anyway! Happy Baking!