Trevor Jay Wilson

How to Make Sourdough Pan Bread [Video]

Posted on by Trevor

(Originally Published on December 7, 2016 by Trevor Wilson)

That’s right, today we’re making pan bread. Just plain ‘ol pan bread. I know that many of us started baking at home so that we could escape the tyranny of pan bread. But I tell ya what, I love a good pan loaf. It doesn’t even have to be fancy — factory made pan bread will do.

I know, I know.

But hey, I grew up eating Wonder Bread. And if you were to plop a loaf of that stuff in front of me right now I’d happily eat the hell out of it. I don’t care what anyone else says, nothing makes a better PB&J than soft squishy air-whipped pan bread.

There’s no shame in enjoying a good factory-made white pan loaf. And I suspect that many of those who are so adamantly against that style of bread might guiltily sneak a bite if they thought no one was looking. But I’ll offer a compromise . . .

We’re going to make our pan loaf with a sourdough starter, and we’ll even include a touch of whole grain to fancy it up a bit. We’ll keep it unenriched so as not to stray too close to factory-made territory. But I have to warn you, we’re going to be making this with a stiff dough. I know that shit ain’t cool anymore, but we’re going old school here. Folks will just have to deal.

Here’s the thing . . .

pan-crumb-closeup

Pan bread is supposed to have a fairly tight and even crumb. Not every loaf is made better by extreme openness. There’s room in this great big world for breads of all textures, including humble even-crumbed pan bread.

And personally, the last thing I want is a high hydration custardy pan loaf. Blame it on my Wonder Bread upbringing if you like, but I want a traditional fluffy crumb — more like cake than custard. If your preferences differ, then that’s cool. But here we’re doing it my way.

Don’t worry though, just because we’re using a stiff dough doesn’t mean our bread will be dry and unpleasant. Stiff dough can and will make a lovely moist and tender loaf so long as it’s well made. And it doesn’t take any special technique or secret formula to do so. In fact, it couldn’t be easier.

Let me show you how . . .

pan-crumb-1

Recipe

726g Bread Flour
32g Whole Spelt Flour
16g Whole Rye Flour
486g Water
17g Salt
100g Starter @ 100% Hydration (50g Bread Flour, 50g Water)

Baker’s Percentages for Final Dough (numbers are rounded):

Bread Flour — 94% (6% prefermented)
Whole Spelt — 4%
Whole Rye — 2%
Water — 65%
Salt — 2%

Directions

Mixing

We’re gonna be using the exact same mixing method here that we used in the Easy Baguette post from earlier. To find out why I love using this method go read about the mixing over there, but here we’re just gonna cover the how . . .

First, just add all your ingredients to the bowl and mix until everything is evenly incorporated and you have a nice shaggy clump. Don’t try to develop the gluten, this initial mix shouldn’t take more than a few minutes. Once the ingredients are evenly disbursed and everything has come together then cover and let rest for 1 hour.

This hour long rest allows the gluten to develop on its own. It’s not quite an autolyse, since we added the salt and starter, but it does the job all the same. Of course, if you prefer to give the dough a traditional autolyse then you’re always free to do so. But first, ask yourself exactly why you’re giving this dough an autolyse . . .

Okay, Gotta Rant

The autolyse is usually performed in order to 1) hydrate the flour and develop the gluten while minimizing mix time (and therefore limiting flour oxidation and preserving flavor), and 2) to help create a more extensible dough by virtue of uninhibited enzymatic activity working to condition the gluten.

Well, we’ve got issue no. 1 covered — the dough sits long enough here for the flour to hydrate and the gluten to develop, all while minimizing mix time and preserving flavor. The addition of salt and starter doesn’t noticeably inhibit this process. As for issue no. 2, yeah — perhaps we’re not getting quite as extensible a dough as we might if we were to autolyse it instead.

But do we even need an extensible dough here?

Extensibility is often helpful in developing a more open irregular crumb. But we’re making pan bread here — we want a more even crumb. Extensibility also helps with certain shapes and shaping methods. But again, we’re just making pan bread. We’re not rolling out long loaves like baguettes, or using a lot of folds and stitching as we would if we were making a Tartine Style loaf. So in this case, extensibility just isn’t that valuable a quality.

So here’s the tradeoff . . .

If you choose to autolyse your dough instead of using this method here, that’s cool and all. But adding starter and salt to a fairly developed stiff dough takes some effort. With wet dough it’s no problem — everything just blends right in. With stiff dough however, it’s more difficult to make sure all the starter and (especially) the salt are fully mixed in and well blended.

I’m not saying it’s the most difficult thing in the world, but it’s certainly more work and more risk than just blending it all together from the start. And in return for this extra work and risk, you get . . . what exactly? A slightly more extensible dough, which really doesn’t matter here.

Sure, you can say that the autolyse also helps to free up sugars that help in fermentation and improve crust browning during the bake. But really, this is an extremely minor effect — more noticeable with faster rising yeasted breads than with sourdough. If you had two loaves of this pan bread in front of you, one made with a traditional autolyse and one made with the method as described here, I would bet money that you wouldn’t be able to tell the difference. I know I can’t.

Now despite what it sounds like here, I’m not trying to convince you not to use an autolyse. I love a good autolyse as much as the next baker. I’m just trying to emphasize the point that we should never approach a method by rote — we should have a reason for every step we take in a process. And if the reason doesn’t justify the effort, then perhaps we should find an alternative way.

So if you honestly feel that the effort of the autolyse justifies the results in this loaf, then by all means go for it. Personally, I don’t feel that it does. That’s why I do what I do. Your bread, your choice.

End Rant

Alrighty then, now that I got that off my chest let’s get back to our mixing . . .

After the dough has sat (covered) for an hour, we can just give it a couple minutes of kneading — just until it smooths out nicely — then call it a day. I like to knead my doughs in the bowl, but feel free to knead on the tabletop if you prefer.

I like “bowl kneading” because it doesn’t require the addition of extra flour to prevent sticking, and because it’s cleaner — just a dirty bowl to clean up rather than a dirty bowl and a dirty bench. Plus you’re maneurvable. You can walk around while kneading the dough, or go sit on the couch and watch TV as you knead. You’re not chained to the bench.

Once the dough is nice and supple, place it into a lightly oiled bowl and cover for proofing.

Bulk Fermentation

This dough should take around 2-4 hours to proof at room temperature. You’re aiming for a 30% to 50% rise in volume. For the baguettes we made last time, we were aiming for something closer to 30%. But here, 50% is preferred. The further a dough proofs, the more strength it gains (up to a point).

With baguettes, too much strength is the enemy — it makes them difficult to roll out. But for pan bread, a little extra strength is just fine. Plus, dough that is bulked somewhat young tends to have a more irregular crumb, and we’re looking for an even crumb here.

There’s no need to fold this dough. Since stiffer doughs are stronger by nature, and since the loaf will be supported by the pan, we don’t need to worry too much about developing extra strength and structure. Of course, you’re more than welcome to fold the dough if you prefer. Again, it just comes back to whether you feel the ends justify the means. For me they don’t.

Preround

Nothing too complicated here. Just one note — an oval preshape here will make for an easier loaf to shape. While making a round preshape is perfectly acceptable, it does make it a bit harder to get straight even sides on your pan loaf. It’s more likely that you’ll end up with a shape something akin to a long football or an egg rather than a nice even cylinder. As the loaf proofs in the pan, it’ll tend to be substantially taller in the center where the meat of the dough resides, while the tapered ends will just spread out to fill the pan, rather than proofing up. This gives you a rather sloped loaf shape with shorter slices on the ends and taller slices in the middle. Best to avoid that if we can.

But as always, whatever works best for you is what works best.

Shape

pan-profile

It’s easier for you to just watch the video a few times to see how I shape this loaf. But the basic idea is to flip the preround onto its back (don’t forget to lightly flour the work surface so the dough doesn’t stick). Then you just (gently) grab the upper corners of the loaf and fold them into the center. Then you (again, gently) grab the resulting top point and fold that into the center as well.

The next part is where it gets difficult.

Essentially, you roll the loaf into itself while lightly pressing into the center with each roll. This inward pressure actually spreads force outwards towards the surface of the loaf which creates surface tension. Once the loaf is fully rolled up into a nice log just roll the seam over so that it becomes the underside of the loaf. Then, if you like, you can push and pull the loaf against the bench to create even more surface tension.

Finally, just roll out the very ends of the loaf using the sides of your hands (not the palms) to create little nipples which you can just fold under the loaf. This seals off the ends of the loaf, and “squares” them so that they better fit the pan.

Of course, there are many alternatives when it comes to shaping. So feel free to use whatever method you prefer. This particular method, in addition to pan loaves, works great for many types of batard or “deli” shapes. It’s actually one of my favorite shaping styles, and probably the one I use most often in production settings, with a few adjustments here or there.

Once the loaf is shaped, place it into a lightly oiled pan. Now, I use a 12″ X 4.5″ X 3″ bread pan. For my international friends out there, that’s 30.5 X 11.4 X 7.9 cm (roughly). I sized this recipe to fit that particular pan. For those who are using a standard 8.5″ X 4.5″ (21.6 X 11.4 cm) pan, you can either resize the recipe (cut it in half) or split the dough to make two loaves. If that doesn’t fit quite right, then adjust as necessary. And don’t forget, a smaller loaf will require an adjustment in baking time.

Proof

This loaf typically takes 1-3 hours to proof. Just cover it with a damp cotton tea towel to prevent a skin. Now, I always say to use a damp towel because that’s what I need to use to prevent too much skin from forming, but your mileage may vary. So if a dry towel works fine for you, then go for it. As for me, a damp towel it is. Then I remove the towel 15-30 minutes or so before I’m ready to bake it so that the damp surface can air out a bit.

Keep in mind that if you have trouble retaining steam in your oven, then a damp surface on the loaf might actually help out a bit with the ovenspring and crust browning. So again, do what works best for you — if that means leaving the towel on the loaf for the entire proof then so be it.

Score

pan-score

Feel free to score however you like. With pan loaves, I tend to score with a few different patterns — either the one you see here, a crosshatch pattern, or a single cut down the center. The single cut is the easiest, the crosshatch is the most difficult, and the one on this loaf is inbetween. But you can score in a myriad of ways so feel free to experiment.

When I score pan loaves, I’m not usually trying to get an ear, so I keep the blade at a 90 degree angle. What matters most to me is just using a score pattern that allows for a nice even expansion of the loaf. Something visually appealing. Something symmetrical.

Bake

I bake this at 425F (218C) for 20 minutes with steam, then I pull the steam, rotate and bake another 20 minutes. For steam I use a pan of lava rocks, but there are many many different ways of steaming an oven. Whatever works best for you. Just be sure to keep a safe distance from the steam or you WILL get burned. Not fun.

When it comes to pan bread, I don’t like it to be too dark. I prefer a lighter and softer crust. In fact, I usually bag it up in plastic once it’s fully cooled so that the crust softens completely. That’s right. Now, if you prefer it dark and crusty, then feel free to bake it hotter and/or longer until you achieve the crust you like. It’s all good.

Cool and Enjoy!

pan-feature

You know the deal — two hours. Don’t you dare cut into it before then. Or do. Whatever. Your bread, your choice. When people tell me not to do something, I typically give ’em the finger and do it anyway. Even when I know it’s a bad idea. So I fully respect those that do the same.

Cheers!

Trevor J. Wilson

Original comments no longer active.

Comments

  1. Kaleb L. saysDecember 7, 2016 at 3:35 PMGreat post, Trevor! I’ll can’t wait to try this one out over the weekend.I’ve recently been doing some research on starters, and wondered if you could give any insight on your process/technique in making a healthy sourdough starter. Any help would be much appreciated!Cheers!Reply
    • Trevor Wilson saysDecember 9, 2016 at 9:33 PMThanks Kaleb! I hope it works out well for you!But damn, you’ve asked me a very difficult question. Don’t worry, you’re not the first. I should probably just get my ass in gear and write a post on the subject. But the truth is that there’s no one “best” method for making a sourdough starter. Most methods work just fine. In fact, I rarely make starters the same way twice. I love experimentation. And I’ve made a hundred starters in my day. Unsurprisingly, I’ve learned a thing or two in that time.The trouble that most folks run into when creating a starter is that they have no idea what they’re doing. That’s okay. It’s to be expected. When I made my first starter I didn’t know shit. No child is born knowing the ways of the world, and no baker knows the ways of sourdough until they’ve suffered the trials of creating their first starter.So there’s really two issues at play: 1) how to create a sourdough starter, and 2) how to maintain and use that starter. The thing is, creating a sourdough starter is simple — just mix flour and water. Done. You have a starter. Of course, it’s nothing capable of raising bread. Now you have to maintain it in a way that encourages strength. There’s an overlap. And that’s where the difficulty lies.So, I can’t tell you exactly how best to create and maintain a starter. What works for one might not work for another. But I’ll tell ya what, I’m gonna give you a link to a fantastic tutorial on creating starters, and another on other starter related information. Let’s start with those — https://www.theperfectloaf.com/7-easy-steps-making-incredible-sourdough-starter-scratch/ and — https://www.theperfectloaf.com/category/starter/ You may have already discovered these if you’ve done much searching on sourdough starters. Maurizio is an excellent baker and has compiled some great information. His wonderful articles and beautiful photography communicate ideas in a way that I can’t.But one thing I can tell you is this — know your medium. A sourdough culture is a collection of wild yeast and bacteria. Much of those microbiota are found within the flour, but the rest are found in your environment and on YOU! So, if the goal is to create a culture of yeast and bacteria, what’s the best thing you can do?That’s right, you make sure there’s plenty of yeast and bacteria to go around at the time of creation.It may seem disgusting, but the best thing you can do when creating a sourdough culture is to be as unclean as possible. When I made my first few cultures, I was diligent when it came to hygiene. I sterilized everything. And what’d I get? Sterile tasting cultures. Sure, they might raise bread just fine. But flavor? There was none.Now I understand.Dirt and grime are your friend. Do you think those famously delicious cultures that were made a hundred years ago were created by folks who sterilized their hands and crock jars with antibacterial soap?No.The bacteria of the world are what create great starters. And so, it’s the bacteria that you must cultivate. Be dirty. Be unclean. Dig your hands in the dirt. Let your dog lick you until your hands drip.Then go make your starter.Disgusting as it may seem, this is how great starters are made. Every starter I ever made while clean was a bland failure. My best starters have always been made when unclean . . .When natural.Good luck!TrevorReply
      • Kaleb L saysDecember 9, 2016 at 11:52 PMWow Trevor! Thank you for taking the time to discuss this in further detail. As crazy as it sounds, It really makes sense to have a “dirty” environment when you really take in what’s happening with a starter.I started creating a whole wheat starter tonight, and I was totally a clean freak about it. I’m going to experiment with a more bacterial approach in the next few days, and look forward to the outcome!Thank you again for your insight, Trevor, and have a wonderful weekend!Cheers!KalebReply
        • Trevor Wilson saysDecember 14, 2016 at 10:41 AMI should probably add, even though I’m sure it goes without saying, that only during the initial creation of the starter do I recommend dirty hands. That’s sufficient to seed the starter with the widest variety of microorganisms. By the time it’s ready to bake with, whatever dirt or grime that might make it into the starter during that initial mix will have long since been weeded out through the dilution of multiple feedings. At all other times — such as during starter maintenance and, of course, making the actual bread — we should adhere to proper cleanliness.Reply
      • Dean saysDecember 10, 2016 at 12:55 PMYeah, you opened a can of worms, Trevor, talking about starter 😉 I love your simple methods, as well as the fantastic results I get from following them. Your methods were a real game-changer for my sourdough addiction, err…I mean sourdough hobby. Having said that, I’d like to chime in on starters (and yes, you should make a post on the topic).Here are a couple links that are quite technical in nature that most science geeks will love. Sourdough is a scientific art-form, no? At any rate, the pineapple juice method gave me the best results of any techniques I’ve tried. They were written by a microbiologist, Debra Wink. Mastering the detail she goes into is not needed for successful SD, but I personally found it fascinating.http://www.thefreshloaf.com/node/10856/pineapple-juice-solution-part-1
        http://www.thefreshloaf.com/node/10901/pineapple-juice-solution-part-2I’ll add that I appreciate your notes on autolyse. Most of the time I like the simplicity of just throwing the ingredients together all at once, especially if I’m using a stiff 40% motherdough or a combination of stiff and liquid starters. If I want additional enzyme activity I can just add 0.25-0.5% malted barley flour (diastatic malt) and I’ll get the extra sugars from the flour.Thanks again, Trevor!Cheers,
        DeanReply
        • Trevor Wilson saysDecember 14, 2016 at 11:12 AMThanks for including those links Dean! Much appreciated! I’ve read some of Debra’s posts — many times over, in fact. Fascinating stuff, just like you say. The pineapple juice method has long been on my list of “must-try’s”, but I still haven’t gotten around to using it yet. Someday, someday. But I’ve heard good things from many who’ve tried it.As an aside, I’ve created many starters with a similar approach — using acidic liquids during the initial creation. Most were made with active cultures (like buttermilk, kefir, yogurt, etc.). All came out quite nice. It’s doubtful that any of the cultures present in the liquid survived long term in the final starters (though you never know), but I’m sure the acid helped clear the road for the buggers that did finally populate them.Anyway, thanks again for the contribution! Cheers!TrevorReply
  2. Petra saysDecember 7, 2016 at 3:57 PMMost beautiful loaf, I shall bake it on Saturday. Hope mine turns out as nice as yours.
    I have a stiffer starter at 80% hydration, shall I usse some more water in the recipe to make up for it?
    PetraReply
    • Trevor Wilson saysDecember 9, 2016 at 9:56 PMHi Petra, I gave you a more detailed answer in the comments section in the video, but I’ll answer here for any that might be reading and wondering the same. Yes, you can use whatever hydration starter you like. All you need to do is adjust the amount of water in the recipe to accommodate the change. Everyone has their own preference when it comes to starter hydration — so often times it’s better to just adjust the recipe rather than adjust the starter. Whatever works best for you is what works best. Cheers!TrevorReply
  3. Ron saysDecember 10, 2016 at 5:23 AMThanks for this great post, i love how excited you are about bread 🙂 i will probably make this one tomorrow as a sandwich loaf for the week.it should be an interesting experiment in seeing the effect of the small details, since the method here is so similar to your previous post.Reply
    • Trevor Wilson saysDecember 14, 2016 at 10:46 AMI hope the recipe worked out for you Ron! You’re right, small details can cause some interesting changes in bread characteristics. The method here is very similar to the baguette method I wrote about, but the small addition of spelt and rye actually causes a pretty dramatic change in flavor, to my tastes at least. I hope you enjoyed it. Cheers!TrevorReply
  4. Ru saysDecember 10, 2016 at 8:57 AMHi Trevor!I really like the look of you pan bread. I think recently, I was becoming a bit of a bread snob, so its great to get a bit of a reminder that there aint nothing wrong with a good ol’ pan bread. I’ll definitely be trying this recipe.Although, I don’t really have access to spelt flour, could I use whole wheat instead?Thanks for all the great posts, i really like your blog.Reply
    • Trevor Wilson saysDecember 14, 2016 at 10:49 AMThanks Ru! I’m glad you like my site! You can definitely swap out the spelt with whole wheat instead. Spelt has a slightly different flavor and makes for more extensible gluten, but honestly, it’s such a small amount in this recipe that it won’t make much of a difference at all. Best of luck!TrevorReply
  5. Doris saysDecember 10, 2016 at 9:34 AMI really enjoyed the detailed reasons for the not quite autolysing of this dough. I can not wait to try it!Reply
    • Trevor Wilson saysDecember 14, 2016 at 10:51 AMThanks Doris! Sometimes I just can’t help but ramble on and on about certain things. But I like to think it’s for a good cause. I hope the method works out for you. Good luck!TrevorReply
  6. Phyllis saysDecember 12, 2016 at 10:53 AMStarted this loaf later in the evening;late enough that I set my alarm for 2 a.m so I could bake it. Does that put me in solidarity with the bakers of the world?It was so worth it. Great ovenspring and wonderful flavor. I had one issue with the wet towel as it stuck to the dough but that was manageableNext time I will start earlier in the day.Thanks so much, Trevor. You are now my go to person for sourdough bread baking.Happy holidays
    PhyllisReply
    • Trevor Wilson saysDecember 14, 2016 at 12:09 PMHey Phyllis, I’d say that kind of dedication most certainly does place you in solidarity with the rest of the bakers of the world! I’m glad the loaf was worth it! As far as the towel sticking goes, sometimes that can be caused by the type of towel you use. I use a thin fine weave 100% cotton tea towel. 100% flax linen works well also. Other materials can cause issues (especially terrycloth). Also, depending on your environment, you may not need to wet the towel before hand. The more hot and humid the weather, the less the need to wet the towel. If it’s really muggy, you may not need to cover the loaf at all (or may need to lightly flour the top before covering). A little experimentation should lead you to the method that works best for you. Good luck!Reply
  7. Gary saysDecember 17, 2016 at 7:44 PMYour bench knife seems to glide over the worktop effortlessly , super smooth. I have issues with mine not only does the bench knife snag and feel rough , during the bench itself the dough seems to meld to the wood and leave an imprint !Is it a particular wood and oil/finish which suits making bread?Cheers
    GReply
    • Trevor Wilson saysDecember 19, 2016 at 7:38 PMHey Gary, I can’t speak to the particulars in your case. But I can certainly confirm that some benches — and some bench knives — make for a better user experience than others. The bench I use is maple with a food grade polyurethane finish applied to it. It’s a pleasure (though the finish is starting wear in some spots). I also have a maple board that I used to use before I got my bench — same type of wood, but so much stickier.Part of the difference is the finish. Not necessarily the type applied — after all, most bakeries get by just fine with a mineral oil finish. But it’s really how the wood was surfaced. How smooth was it sanded? And after sanding, was the wood dampened and sanded again? Sometimes wood that’s been sanded glass smooth becomes rough once dampened. The moisture raises the grain. This encourages sticking from the dough. To smooth it out better it may need to be dampened and sanded several times.If your bench feels a bit rough or granular when you run your fingers across the grain, then it may need further sanding. Better yet, if you’re a skilled woodworker, then planing will make a far better work surface. Sanding smooths by abrasion, so in reality it just makes thousands upon thousands of tiny scratches — the finer the grit, the finer the scratches. And therefore, the smoother the wood feels. But the scratches are still there (unless filled in by your finish). Planing, on the other hand, cuts the wood smooth. No scratches. Work surfaces that have been planed make for less stickiness than those that have been sanded.As far as the actual finish goes, like I said, mineral oil is just fine. So long as you have a quality work surface then mineral oil will do the job. You don’t need a food grade polyurethane finish. In fact, I’m tempted to remove and replace the finish on my own bench — I’m used to the oil finishes I’ve worked on in every bakery I’ve ever been. Someday, perhaps. But it ain’t broke (yet) so I’ll probably just wait until it wears a bit more.As for the bench knife . . . two things: 1) How sharp is it? The sharper the better. You can sharpen your bench knife with a regular flat edge metal file. 2) Is the blade warped at all? Sometimes bench knives come with a warped blade. Even a slight bend can cause noticeable effect. Warped blades don’t make even contact with the work surface. This can cause the dough to drag and gather along the lifted area. Turn your bench knife so that you’re looking head on to the edge. If it’s warped (it’ll bend to either a smile or frown, depending on which way you’re holding it) then the trick when using it is to make sure that it bows upwards — like a smile — so that it’s the corners that are lifted from the bench, not the center. Then, when scraping, just use enough pressure against the table so that the edges flatten out against the bench. That’ll get it working like a straight edge. My own bench knife is warped, so I have to check it’s alignment every time before I use it.But one other thing to keep in mind — the more experienced the baker, the less the dough will stick to all things. That includes bowl, hands, bench, and blade. Dough handling ability alone can often account for the apparent differences in dough stickiness. Just something to be aware of. I hope that helps.TrevorReply
  8. Vivian saysDecember 26, 2016 at 12:06 PMTrevor I have made all of your bread recipes except for the Bagettes. Yesterday I baked this Pan Bread. It billowes out beautifully on top. I used a. Silicon bread pan. Put it on top of a small tray with a 1/4 of water. Of course the top browned more than I wanted but the loaf was still divine. I just got an order for Organic APF and was curious to know your opinion in the difference between this bread if I substitute Bread flour for APF. I believe besides having a bit less protein it will also have less of a chew correct? I am going to try it myself in order to compare.
    Keep those amazing recipes and videos coming. I watch them over and over to learn the subtle nuances in your techniques .
    Happy New Year
    ViviReply
    • Trevor Wilson saysDecember 28, 2016 at 1:36 PMHi Vivian, I know you found my previous answer on the Tartine article . . . but for anyone else reading, you are correct — substituting APF for the bread flour will create a slightly weaker and less tolerant dough, and will provide a bit more tender crumb. Experienced bakers can get fairly equal results as far as the final bread goes, but newer bakers will have an easier time working with dough made from bread flour. The differences are subtle, but noticeable. In general though, bread flour and APF can be substituted for each other under most circumstances just fine.TrevorReply
  9. Jesse Birkett saysDecember 28, 2016 at 5:38 PMHey Trevor,I saw this post on pan breads and I had to share this with you: go to 6:37 of this video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vXHg-1-WIDQ. The video is mostly gratuitous pastry shots, but at the end there is a piped quick bread. Look how they make the cut though, with another piped dough. Kind of blew my mind.Reply
    • Trevor Wilson saysDecember 28, 2016 at 7:27 PMThat’s wild dude! I’ve never seen that before. Mind blown. Thanks for the link bud, much appreciated!Reply
  10. Jim Minetti saysDecember 29, 2016 at 7:09 AMThanks for the great video and write-up on this pan bread.My takeaway is that breads are only as mundane as we allow them to be. This simple pan loaf is improved by using various flours, an active starter, and the techniques we use to make our artisan breads. I am excited about trying the new formula. Break out the peanut butter and jelly!Reply
    • Trevor Wilson saysDecember 29, 2016 at 11:17 AMSo true Jim! Good bread is more about the heart and the hands than it is the recipe. And I confess, this bread does in fact make a killer PB&J! I consider this an “artisan style” pan loaf (a bit heavier), but you can actually use the exact same recipe to make an even softer and fluffier pan loaf by simply tweaking the method a bit. I know you didn’t ask, but here goes . . .I often like to make sourdough sandwich style loaves with a lighter and finer texture more akin to a traditional soft sandwich loaf. But without the added fats and sugars. The trick is by achieving extreme inflation through heavy degassing. I know that sounds a bit paradoxical. Let me explain: degassing expels and redistributes the gas within the dough. This creates smaller air cells with a tighter and more even crumb structure. That’s why we typically avoid degassing with our regualar breads — I know you already know that. But after a few cycles of degassing and re-inflation, these numerous fine cells create a very light and feathery soft crumb structure. Hold a slice up to the light and it’s completely translucent.So what I do is 1) allow the dough to rise for a few hours until it’s nearly doubled. 2) Then I punch it down in the bowl to degas and fold it tightly. 3) Then I let it nearly double again (usually takes about half the time as it did the first time), 4) punch it down again with another tight fold then immediately preround it. 5) Let it rest for an hour. 6) Degas heavily then shape tightly.This is not my normal gentle approach, but it creates a highly inflated and extremely strong dough that’s capable of a surprisingly impressive rise. If you don’t degas heavily at the shaping stage it can be muscly and very difficult to work with. This dough takes up so much volume that you would need to use less dough in order to fill the same pan. It doesn’t work well for wetter doughs, but with stiffer doughs it creates a very nice effect (if that’s the effect you’re looking for, which I often am with sandwich bread).Lately, I’ve been using this method when making a traditional all-white San Francisco style sourdough. The loaves are so voluminous they bump the top of the combo cooker when they spring in the oven. I actually have to score them differently to avoid developing an ear, otherwise the ear is pushed back into the loaf and looks kinda funny. I suppose I could just make the loaves with a smaller amount of dough, but the results I get with my usual 800g recipe and the no-ear cuts are very similar to the style of bread I’m aiming for. A touch more authentic. And one perk about this method is that due to the prolonged fermentation, loaves develop more flavor and more tang (perfect for San Fran style bread). I’ll probably make a post about it in the future — you just got a preview!Cheers!TrevorReply
      • Jim Minetti saysDecember 29, 2016 at 1:38 PMExcellent Trevor!This information will make for some fun experimentation so my neighbors thank you in advance for the free samples.Reply
  11. Douglas saysDecember 30, 2016 at 1:59 PMSo, Trevor, once again I have to congratulate you and to thank you for a fantastic recipe. The instructions were perfect and the result was great first time. It’s summer here and RT is around 25C, so proofing time was towards your lower bracket.I think these loaves would be perfect for any kind of sandwich. I’m on a flaxseed kick at the moment so I added some to the mix.A couple of observations:1) I have started weighing my loaves before and after baking. With higher hydration boules and batards, I find that around 25% of the weight is lost in baking, through evaporation. With these loaves, very little moisture seems to have been lost, I suppose because the loaf tins prevent water from escaping. So, although the raw dough is a lower hydration, the end result is certainly moist enough. It will be interesting to see what the bread is like toasted.2) Whenever I bake bread in loaf tins, I find that the sides and bottom are a bit under-done. My remedy is this: around 5-10 minutes before the end of the bake, I remove the loaves from their tins and put them upside-down on the oven rack. Then the bottom and sides brown nicely.And lastly a question: generally I prefer to bake in the morning, and have fresh bread for lunch. Is there a way to adapt this recipe so the proofing can be done in the fridge overnight?Reply
    • Douglas saysDecember 30, 2016 at 2:21 PMForgot to mention – I just couldn’t resist doing a couple of stretch and folds. I really did try not to, but I felt I really had to get my hands on the dough! And the dough seemed to get smoother and glossier when I did them.Reply
      • Trevor Wilson saysJanuary 3, 2017 at 8:23 AMHa! No worries! Every recipe/method is just a guide — each baker should adjust things as they see fit. Cheers!Reply
    • Trevor Wilson saysJanuary 3, 2017 at 8:20 AMThanks Douglas!Regarding your observations . . .1) Pan loaves definitely lose less moisture during baking than free-standing loaves. Just like you say, the pan reduces the exposed surface area which reduces moisture loss. Also, the stiffer the dough the less moisture will be lost during baking. I find that stiffer dough tends to make more “tender” toast, which is more to my usual preference. In fact, if I know that I’ll primarily be using a loaf of bread for toast then I typically go with a stiffer dough for that very reason. With wet dough, unless the bread is just barely toasted, it tends to be too hard for my liking (especially if it was baked very dark — the crust can then become unpleasantly tough or burnt during toasting). There’s just too little room for toasting to a nice golden brown without turning the bread into a jawbreaker. But again, that’s just my personal preference.2) Sounds like a good remedy. I know a lot of bakers who like to remove the bread from the pan after it’s fully set and bake the remaining time sans pan in order to get a darker crust all around.To answer your question, you can definitely refrigerate this loaf overnight to accommodate your schedule. Refrigeration will give it a tangier flavor and often a more open crumb. But I can’t really recommend specific refrigeration times because there are simply too many variables at play. For me, I usually let the final loaf proof to near completion before refrigerating — my refrigerator chills the dough very quickly and the dough will usually hold out for 24 hours or more. But many folks need to refrigerate their loaves soon after shaping or they might overproof in the fridge. You’ll just need to use a bit of trial and error to figure out what works best for you. Good luck!TrevorReply
      • Douglas saysJanuary 17, 2017 at 2:28 PMThanks, Trevor. I finally got round to trying this with an overnight in the fridge. I mixed in the afternoon. BF was around two hours at it’s pretty warm here at the moment, then the shaped loaves went in the fridge. Next morning, I took the loaves out, and warmed up the oven for nearly an hour as I decided to put the tins on my new baking stone. The stone was useful towards the end, when I took the loaves out of the tins and rested them on their sides and bottoms on the stone itself, to brown them.Nice result!Reply
        • Avrelija saysJanuary 4, 2019 at 3:07 PMI refrigerated this dough right at the end of bulk (around 50% rise) and carried on the next day. The result was excellent. Also, because I don’t have a loaf tin pan, I proofed and baked the bread in a batard shaped pan, so the sides got a nice golden color. Because of the stiffer nature of this dough it did not flatten out to the sides of the pan. And since it has a lid, there was no need to steam the pan. I just gave the dough a few quick sprinkles of water after scoring and the loaf came out wonderful. Even but light crumb.
          P.s.: I know it’s been two years since your comment but I just had to share how wonderful and flexible this recipe is. Thanks, Trevor, hopefully we’ll see some more videos and articles from you.Reply
  12. Julia saysDecember 31, 2016 at 1:22 PMTrevorFirstly wishing you a very Happy 2017. Thank you very much for another fab recipe. I had just pulled out a fabulous pan bread from the oven, it smelled heavenly, thanks to your clear and concise instructions.Reply
    • Trevor Wilson saysJanuary 3, 2017 at 9:36 AMThank you Julia! And a happy 2017 to you as well! I’m glad the loaf came out well for you. Keep up the good work!Cheers!TrevorReply
  13. caroline honse saysJanuary 1, 2017 at 12:34 PMI’m completely blown away by this post and especially the comments!As much as I may have wanted to join the “cool bread group”, I just don’t LIKE crusty no-knead bread. I hate the hard crust. Heck, I prefer a Pullman pan where the bread essentially has NO crust. So thanks so much for your recipe and method that I can use with my beloved Pullman pans.I do have a question. My ideal loaf of bread would be 50-75% whole grain, a soft but chewy crumb, a soft crust, and only a very slight tangy taste. If I use a preferment starter method, what length of time do I need to ferment it to get the wonderful flavors of sourdough bread but very little of the sourness?Thanks again for your great and enlightening post and comments.CarolineReply
    • Trevor Wilson saysJanuary 3, 2017 at 10:07 AMThanks Caroline! I’m glad you’ve enjoyed the post and discussion! It’s important that we all make the kind of bread that suits us personally. I have a problem with dogma that tells people what they should like. What’s good for one may be gross for another. There is no right or wrong when it comes to personal taste, and therefore there is no right or wrong when it comes to the kind of bread we enjoy. If you like no-crust pullman loaves then more power to you. I like them as well.As to your question, if you’re looking for a softer high percentage whole grain sourdough (and wish to keep it lean, i.e. no added fats or sugars) then I suggest as a starting point following this method and just switching out some of the white flour for whole wheat. In order to keep a similar dough consistency you may need to increase the water a bit since whole grain flour absorbs more water than white flour does. Baking it in the pullman pan should keep it soft enough.But if you’d like it even softer and fluffier, then I suggest letting the dough double during the bulk fermentation, punching it down (and folding), and letting it rise again maybe 30% to 50% in volume (but don’t let it double again). High percentage whole grain breads won’t have the same wide open crumb structure as whiter loaves will, so the punching down won’t damage the crumb in that sense. However, what the doubling will do is make sure that the dough is nicely inflated. Even though the bread will be of a finer crumb structure, it will be full of air and therefore light and fluffy (as fluffy as whole grain can be, anyway).Regarding sourness, if you wish to avoid too much tang then there are a couple ways to do it. Firstly, don’t refrigerate the dough. I know this recipe doesn’t call for refrigeration, but most home bakers do refrigerate their dough — this brings out sourness, especially when it comes to whole grain. I rarely refrigerate high percentage whole grain breads precisely because I’m not a big fan of too much sourness in my whole grain breads.Secondly, use a larger amount of younger starter. Now, this is admittedly debatable. Some bakers say that using more starter makes for more sour bread, and there’s certainly logic to that argument. However, some bakers (including myself) feel that using less starter (and necessarily utilizing a longer fermentation) will create a more sour bread. I’ve done side by side experiments and I consistently get more sour bread by using less starter (and a longer proof). And since younger starter (maybe 3-4 hours old) brings less acid to the mix, that will contribute less sourness as well.So for me, using a large amount of young starter will give a quicker rise and a less sour loaf. I would increase the starter amount by 50% or so (maybe even double it), and keep it on the young side (under 6 hours). That would keep the bread more on the sweeter side (and don’t forget to adjust the flour and water in the recipe to account for the larger amount of starter). But I should note, it’s extremely important that if you use a young starter that it still be very active. It must be capable of doubling or tripling in volume within 8 hours of refreshment. Using young and inactive starter is a recipe for sluggish dough and underproofed bread. Best of luck!TrevorReply
  14. serverhead saysJanuary 2, 2017 at 7:08 AMHi Trevor.I see your breads have very short final proof times like 3-4 hours. I have seen in some other blogs up to 24 hours “retard” proof time is common. Does it make a big difference to ferment the dough in longer time, or just 3-4 hours ok (it is better not to wait overnight of course 🙂 )?Thank youReply
    • serverhead saysJanuary 2, 2017 at 9:34 AMLet me answer myself 🙂 I found the exact answer on this post http://www.breadwerx.com/make-tartine-style-country-bread-video/Reply
      • Trevor Wilson saysJanuary 3, 2017 at 10:18 AMHa! Glad you were able to find the answer! But to add to that, proof times can vary quite dramatically due to the large number of variables. Temperature, starter amount/activity, dough consistency, ingredients, etc. All can have a noticeable effect on how long a particular loaf takes to proof. I tend to use smaller amounts of starter than most bakers, and my proof times often reflect that by taking a bit longer.But as you noted, since I usually proof entirely at room temp my rise times are short when compared to those who refrigerate their loaves. This is really just a matter of personal preference. Many bakers prefer the flavor/sourness that comes from refrigerating, whereas I usually like the flavors that develop at warmer temps. And, of course, convenience is a factor as well. Many folks refrigerate their dough in order to better fit it to their schedule. When I refrigerate my bread, that’s usually the main reason as well. Cheers!TrevorReply
        • serverhead saysJanuary 4, 2017 at 4:38 AMThanks for your descriptive answerReply
  15. pRose saysJanuary 5, 2017 at 10:45 PMtrevor,
    this is crap! who wants a pan loaf bread to eat with PP&J?? not me!lets get back on point… big open crumb that requires sick skills that i do not have… that’s why i come to breadwerx to witness the brilliance of the bread king… not for some artisanal interpretation of wonder bread! heck, my body was built strong in 14,000 ways! i want to break my body down now…. just like my starter does when feeding on my soon to be lost ancient grain only milled by ancient tribal people unpolluted by modern society and the curse of the internet….so can we please get back to our regularly scheduled program?? like crystal bread that when i melt cheese on it in my toaster oven, it drips though the holes and i collect it afterwards from the stainless in a lame interpretation of a Fontina Val d’Aosta crisp?!? raw milk only please!please get back on it…. i have zero pan loaf envy…. lets coat our open crumb loaves in seeds, and add thyme, or maybe some green something…. or…. you know….here’s to an open wholly 2017!best.Reply
    • Trevor Wilson saysJanuary 10, 2017 at 1:27 PMHa! Now that was a worthy rant, my friend! Too funny! But I’ll tell ya what, I’ve got a few different videos in the works right now — one of which is a ciabatta. Perhaps I’ll make that one my next — just for you, of course. Thanks for the good humor bro!Cheers!TrevorReply
  16. Maciej saysJanuary 7, 2017 at 12:42 PMHi Trevor,I’m intrigued by your steam method with lava rocks. To generate steam I usually sprayed water with a sprayer bottle but noticed that the oven temperature drops significantly doing it this way. Well, I must admit that I had cold water in the bottle. So I tried by pouring very hot water into the bottle and spraying it into the oven but the result was that the spray bottle got damaged (the pumping mechanism). So I wonder if your method with lava rocks also affects the oven temperature. Does it drop a lot after you pour the water in? Do you use cold or hot water?Best
    MaciejReply
    • Trevor Wilson saysJanuary 10, 2017 at 1:39 PMHi Maciej, any time you open the oven door the temperature will drop. And the colder the water you use the more more it will drop as well. Many bakers who use this method to steam their bread will use boiling water in order to reduce the temperature drop when they steam. I just use hot tap water and it seems to work fine for me. I’ve never measured the before and after temps of the oven so I don’t know how much the temperature drops, but it hasn’t yet been enough to cause problems. But every oven is different and we have to learn to work with what we’ve got.Cheers!TrevorReply
  17. Maciej saysJanuary 7, 2017 at 12:56 PMHi Trevor,I’m intrigued by your steam method with lava rocks. To generate steam I usually sprayed water with a sprayer bottle but noticed that the oven temperature drops significantly doing it this way. Well, I must admit that I had cold water in the bottle. So I tried by pouring very hot water into the bottle and spraying it into the oven but the result was that the spray bottle got damaged (the pumping mechanism). So I wonder if your method with lava rocks also affects the oven temperature. Does it drop a lot after you pour the water in? Do you use cold or hot water?Best
    MaciejReply
  18. Tracy saysJanuary 7, 2017 at 3:04 PMHi Trevor,As a relative newbie at making bread, I try to follow directions as closely as possible. That being said,
    where do I find a 12×4.5×3 inch loaf pan. I have been looking all over the web with no joy. Help!P.S. Your videos and bread recipes are excellent. Keep it up!ThanksReply
    • Trevor Wilson saysJanuary 10, 2017 at 1:51 PMHi Tracy, here’s a link to the exact pan I used . . .https://www.amazon.com/Wilton-Recipe-Right-Piece-Long/dp/B0032JRVCG/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1484073894&sr=8-1&keywords=Wilton+Recipe+Right+2+Piece+Long+Loaf+Pan+SetYou can also halve this recipe to fit in a standard bread pan (or make two loaves). Cheers!TrevorReply
  19. Judy saysJanuary 12, 2017 at 5:41 PMTrevor, thank you so much for this post.
    I live in South Australia, the hottest state in the hottest continent, and lose my baking mojo every year around now because the heat messes with my still-developing skillz. This pan bread is perfect, delicious, easy to make & bake and I’ve recommended it to a few other Aussie friends who are currently experiencing the same hot weather-related problems.
    Cheers!Reply
  20. Tracy saysJanuary 12, 2017 at 8:04 PMTrevor, thanks for the bread pan info. It’s great to see somebody who actually answers questions!Reply
  21. Kim saysFebruary 15, 2017 at 6:34 PMTrevor,I love your website. Thank you for the great videos and recipes. I just made the pan bread and my husband can’t stop raving about the flavor, texture, and crunch. I’m looking forward to trying more of your recipes.Reply
  22. Mrs. C. saysMarch 27, 2017 at 8:05 PMThis is exactly what I have been dreaming of. I too grew up on Wonder-bread and I am having a very hard time with all the Artisan recipes as I can not handle the dough because of weak wrist and arthritic hands. I was looking for a solution and I’m so glad I found your site! I have ordered the pans from Amazon and they should arrive tomorrow. Since they come in a set of two pans; if I decide to make two loaves, would I just double the recipe? I assume this would be the case, however many times with my bread making my assumptions turn out to be wrong. I will be kneading this with an Ankarsrum mixer with the roller attachment and I’m thinking kneading for about 5 minutes. Do you think that will be sufficient? Will the dough still be sticky when ready to proof or silky?Thank You so much and look forward to your newsletter!Reply
  23. Lynn saysJuly 2, 2017 at 12:45 AMTrevor:
    After reading this post, I got so excited and purchased the bread pans and lava rocks. Sadly, my dough never rose. I don’t know what I did wrong? I Have been making bread the tartine way for years and I have had my starter (pet) since 2012 with no issues. When I get ready to bake, I feed my starter 3 times a day for 3 days. Not knowing how much starter to use, I just assumed the tartine way and used 1 TBSP. starter to your 50g of bread flour and 50g of water. Was I wrong in this step? I really want to have success in this bread pan recipe. The ambient temperature in my place is 78 degrees even in the hottest of weather. Any other suggestions?
    Thanks.Reply
  24. flavio saysSeptember 6, 2017 at 3:19 PMola Travor….primeiramente quero te falar o quanto gosto dos seus videos, sao muito bons…inpiradores!
    Agora uma pequena duvida…o percentual dos ingredientes é sempre calculado pelo peso total das farinhas ou somente pelo trigo branco?
    na receita do pao pan temos:726g Farinha de pão (65% de agua seria 471g)
    se somarmos todas as farinhas 774g (65% de agua seria 503g)pode me ajudar a esclarecer essa duvida?– restante da receita:32g Farinha de espelta integral
    16g Farinha de centeio inteira
    486g Água
    17g Sal
    100g Starter @ 100% de hidratação (50g de farinha de pão, 50g de água)Percentagens de padeiro para massa final (os números são arredondados):Farinha de pão – 94% (6% preferida)
    Whole Spelled – 4% de
    centeio inteiro – 2% de
    água – 65% de
    sal – 2%Reply
  25. Joe Doaks saysOctober 15, 2017 at 5:36 PMI’m a beginner so I made this because it looked pretty easy. Well it wasn’t as easy as you made it look. Kneading was a tough because it stuck to my hands. I guess I should have wet my hands. Still it turned out pretty much like the video and it was delicious. One real problem is that the damp cotton tea towel stuck to the loaf so I had to ditch that which made the top crust thick. Is there some trick to this? Thanks for doing this. This is a great article.Reply
  26. Ima Purnomo saysNovember 24, 2017 at 3:45 PMHi, Trevor!
    I bake this bread a few times now with whole wheat flour before I scored some spelt and rye flour. Then when I followed the recipe to a T except for minor adjustment of measurement to fit my pan, it actually rose really high in the oven. I was too tired to bake it off right away so I covered it w/ a shower cap and stick it in the fridge overnight. In the morning I simply took it out from the fridge, warm up my oven and tossed it in w/o letting it come back to room temp. It rose high in the middle but not the sides and it tasted somewhat sweet. Is this normal? ThanksReply
    • Trevor Wilson saysDecember 4, 2017 at 7:48 PMHi Ima, what you are describing does not sound normal to me. But honestly, I have no idea what could be the issue. Usually refrigerating loaves makes them more sour, not more sweet. As for being tall in the middle, but not the sides — the only thing I can think of at the moment is that perhaps there was a shaping issue. But’s that’s just pure speculation. I would need to see for myself what’s going on in order to give you a more accurate answer.I would probably try it again and see what happens. If these problems are a pattern, then perhaps just go back to the whole wheat version you were making before. Again, I can’t imagine why the change in flours would cause such dramatic effects (after all, the whole grains are just a very small portion of the total flour). But ultimately, results are what matter most. If you get good results with one recipe, and bad results with the other, then best stick with the recipe that provides good results. I wish I could give you a better answer.Cheers!TrevorReply
  27. M Kahle saysDecember 19, 2017 at 12:36 AMHello, Trevor. I’m new to your site and am learning a lot about the nature of sourdough and the endless possibilities it presents as far as being creative. Thank you for the clarity in your explanations. One question: regarding making two loaves of the sourdough pan bread, when is the best time in the process to divide the dough?
    Thank you.Reply
    • Trevor Wilson saysDecember 20, 2017 at 9:50 PMThanks for the kind words! The best time to divide the dough is at the prerounding stage. After you finish bulk, turn out the dough onto the bench, then just split the dough in half (or weigh it, if you have a scale) then preround each loaf separately. All set!Cheers!TrevorReply
  28. Rebecca Campbell saysJanuary 19, 2018 at 4:42 PMI am pretty inexperienced baker. I don’t understand all the technical aspects and terms. I taught myself to make a reliable yeasted bread 20 years ago. I didn’t even know about sourdough, but learned about it in the course of my life learning about nutrition. I tried to make my own starter a few times in the past and failed, because I didn’t have a good understanding of what was happening. In the fermenting craze (for lack of a better word) that’s been going strong for the last 8 years or so that I’ve been aware of, I finally gained a working understanding of fermentation, including sourdough. But I’m no pro baker. I’ve had a good starter going for a few months the now finally, and I’ve been doing no knead breads, etc. I got a pullman pan with a lid to make a loaf that’s more familiar to my husband and small kids. I had not been able to make a successful loaf in it until now. Either the amount of dough wasn’t enough, or the techniques the recipe called for were too much for my skill and I got only a short loaf. I guess it would be easier to make a yeast bread in a pullman pan but I wanted sourdough for health reasons. So gosh darn, this is a long story. I just found your recipe last night and threw it together with white unbleached flour which is what I have, and it worked! I didn’t get all your techniques down, but got enough of the idea that it worked! I got a perfectly filled and baked pullman pan loaf. I’m so excited. I’m going to get spelt and whatever else I need to make variations on what I have done. I would also like to work on shaping like you did in the video. Anyway, from a newbie, thanks!!! I’ll be baking a loaf every day now.Reply
  29. Terri Cantor saysJanuary 21, 2018 at 6:30 PMHey Trevor,I have nothing to say except that this is an awesome recipe! I usually cut the recipe in half since it’s just two in the house and I’m not “supposed” to be eating so much gluten 🙂 I’m playing with the sourdough amounts, just because we’re not as much of a fan of the more sour notes – though this has very little when the recipe is followed closely.Thank you for making incredibly instructional and beautiful videos along with such clear and detailed blog posts.
    TerriReply
  30. Sydney saysJanuary 30, 2018 at 5:50 PMThanks for this post. I just had a slice from a loaf made following your recipe and method and it turned out perfectly. I used 2-8 1/2 x 4 1/2 pans and multiplied the recipe quantities by 1.4 to get 2 loaves.I especially appreciate your explanations and how you direct us to ask the right questions–Autolyse? Knead? Stretch-n-fold? Why or why not? Although I have been a daily cook and baker for years, I have never mastered sourdough. My resolution for 2017 was to make a palatable wild-yeast sourdough loaf, which I achieved in November after producing many impossibly sour, pale or impenetrably tough doorstops. Since then. I’ve made a few more. But could I make a sandwich loaf, the type of bread we use most?Thanks to this recipe, yes! I also feel like this and some of your other posts provide a nice bit of the information I need to ditch the recipe book and make whatever I want with a decent chance of success. Plus, I’ve acquired a good set of troubleshooting tools from this and other sites to use when needed. Freedom!Peace, bread and butter! Sydney B.Reply
  31. Gabriel Liong saysFebruary 25, 2018 at 9:18 PMHello Trevor,First off, thank you for sharing your vast knowledge and great techniques. I’m a new baker, and I’ve learnt loads from reading your posts and watching your videos. It’s also been a thoroughly enjoyable process, so thanks again.With regards to this recipe, I’ve been looking for something that doesn’t take too long to bake so I can squeeze it into my schedule, and this is perfect without the folding needed in between. Can I ask if this lack of folding would work with other kinds of sourdough, especially since I’m actually more partial to a denser, even crumb? (I do lots of sandwiches and hence prefer that) Also, would this turn out ok without the steaming, and if something akin to a dutch oven were to be used instead? Thanks in advance!Best,
    GabrielReply
  32. Elizabeth saysMay 27, 2018 at 10:27 PMMy bread came out beautifully!! This was the second of your recipes i used, and both came out so well 🙂 the first was the recipe for open crumb with a stiff dough. Both had amazing oven springs. This one might be my go to loaf, since it’s so hands off and can be done in one day. Thank you again, I wish I could post a pic!Reply
  33. Tasha saysAugust 25, 2018 at 1:37 AMI’ve been wanting to make a sandwich bread, and this sourdough pan bread looks perfect.I do have a question though. I have been wanting to get a cast iron bread pan to help keep the heat more even, but everything I’ve read on those say to heat it up when you preheat your oven, then to stick the dough in to be cooked. Obviously this doesn’t work with this recipe, as you say to proof the bread in the pan.I wonder if I could still proof in the pan (not heated), then leave it in the pan to cool once it is out of the oven, to get the color on the bottom of the bread? Or would you recommend just not getting a cast iron bread pan? My love for the Dutch oven makes me think it would work wonders, but I honestly don’t know that much about them other than a few Amazon reviews I’ve heard.I would love your thoughts!Reply

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