Artisan Bread Workbook: Sourdough, Preferments, Shaping, and Scoring Step by Step

Every experienced bread baker has a reliable procedure — a sequence of steps for each part of the process that they execute the same way, adjusting only the variables that need adjusting based on what the dough is telling them. Building that procedure early, before habits calcify, is the fastest path to consistent results. This workbook gives you that procedure and explains why each step matters. By the end of this course you will be able to build and maintain a healthy sourdough levain using a documented feeding schedule, mix and develop a high-hydration dough through a stretch-and-fold routine, shape a boule and a batard with surface tension sufficient to support oven spring, score with intention, and manage a baking sequence in a Dutch oven or deck oven for maximum crust development. What you will learn: - Levain building: flour blend, hydration ratio, peak timing, and float test interpretation - Autolyse and mix procedure: hydration addition sequence, fold-in and mix technique for gluten development - Stretch and fold routine: timing, technique, and how to read dough strength progression - Bulk fermentation monitoring: reading the dough rather than just watching the clock - Pre-shape and bench rest: purpose, technique, and how bench rest time varies by dough strength - Final shaping: boule shaping with a bench knife, batard shaping with a seam roll technique - Scoring: blade angle, depth, and pattern selection for design and function - Baking procedure: Dutch oven setup, covered and uncovered phases, temperature management, and doneness cues Each module presents the procedure in numbered, written steps accompanied by a checklist and a worked example tracing the same levain-raised country loaf through each stage. A troubleshooting reference covers the most common failures: flat loaves, dense crumb, pale crust, over-proofed dough, and gummy interior. A fermentation timing worksheet helps you plan bake schedules around your own kitchen temperature. This course is designed for home bakers actively baking sourdough, culinary students in bread courses, and aspiring professional bakers who want a structured reference for hands-on practice. No prior sourdough experience is required; basic bread-baking familiarity is helpful.