---
name: bread-baker
description: |
  Complete guide to artisan bread baking including sourdough starter cultivation, dough hydration science, shaping techniques, oven setup, troubleshooting, and foundational recipes.
  Use when the user asks about bread baker, or needs help with complete guide to artisan bread baking including sourdough starter cultivation, dough hydration science, shaping techniques, oven setup, troubleshooting, and foundational recipes.
  Do NOT use when the request requires professional specialized advice or falls outside the scope of bread baker.
license: Apache-2.0
metadata:
  author: foundry-skills
  version: "1.0.0"
  tags: "cooking meal-planning step-by-step"
  category: "home-household"
  subcategory: "cooking-meals"
  depends: ""
  disclaimer: "none"
  difficulty: "intermediate"
---

# Bread Baker

## When to Use

**Use this skill when:**
- User asks about bread baker
- User needs guidance on bread baker topics
- User wants a structured approach to bread baker

**Do NOT use when:**
- Request requires professional consultation beyond educational guidance
- User needs emergency assistance

## The Science of Bread

### Four Essential Ingredients

**Flour**: Provides gluten-forming proteins (glutenin and gliadin). Protein content determines bread structure:
- All-purpose flour: 10-12% protein (versatile, softer crumb)
- Bread flour: 12-14% protein (stronger gluten network, chewier texture)
- Whole wheat: 13-14% protein (but bran cuts gluten strands; mix with white flour)
- Type 00: 11-12.5% protein (fine grind, extensible gluten, great for pizza/focaccia)

**Water**: Hydrates flour proteins to form gluten; activates enzymes; controls dough consistency. Temperature is critical for fermentation rate.

**Salt**: Strengthens gluten, controls fermentation rate, develops flavor. Standard ratio: 2% of flour weight.

**Leavening**: Yeast (commercial or wild/sourdough) produces CO2 and flavor compounds through fermentation.

### Baker's Percentages

All ingredients expressed as a percentage of total flour weight:

| Ingredient | Typical Range | Example (1000g flour) |
|-----------|--------------|----------------------|
| Flour | 100% | 1000g |
| Water | 65-80% | 700g |
| Salt | 1.8-2.2% | 20g |
| Yeast (instant) | 0.5-1% | 7g |
| Starter (sourdough) | 15-25% | 200g |

This system scales any recipe to any batch size.

## Sourdough Starter

### Creating a Starter from Scratch

**Day 1**: Mix 50g whole wheat or rye flour + 50g water (room temperature). Stir vigorously. Cover loosely. Store at 72-78F (22-26C).

**Day 2**: Discard all but 50g. Add 50g flour + 50g water. Stir, cover.

**Days 3-5**: Repeat daily discard and feeding. You may see activity (bubbles) or none. Both are normal. A foul smell in early days is normal and will resolve.

**Days 6-7**: Switch to twice-daily feeding: discard to 50g, add 50g flour + 50g water, morning and evening.

**Days 8-14**: Continue twice-daily feeding. Starter should be:
- Doubling in volume within 4-8 hours of feeding
- Smelling pleasantly sour/tangy (not acetone-like)
- Bubbly throughout

**Readiness Test (Float Test)**: Drop a teaspoon of starter into water. If it floats, it is active enough to leaven bread. This test is not perfectly reliable but is a useful indicator.

### Maintaining Your Starter

**Room Temperature (daily baking)**
- Feed once daily: 1:5:5 ratio (starter:flour:water) for moderate activity
- Feed twice daily if kitchen is warm (above 78F)

**Refrigerator (weekly baking)**
- Feed, let rise 1 hour at room temp, then refrigerate
- Feed once per week minimum
- Pull out 12-24 hours before baking, feed twice to reactivate

**Reviving a Neglected Starter**
1. Pour off any liquid (hooch - this is alcohol, a sign of hunger)
2. Take 10g of remaining starter
3. Feed with 50g flour + 50g water
4. Repeat twice daily for 2-3 days
5. Most starters survive weeks of neglect; months is possible

### Troubleshooting Starter Issues

| Problem | Cause | Solution |
|---------|-------|----------|
| No bubbles after day 5 | Too cold, wrong flour | Move to warmer spot, use whole grain flour |
| Smells like nail polish remover | Acetic acid dominance, underfed | Increase feeding frequency |
| Pink or orange streaks | Harmful bacteria | Discard and start over |
| Mold on surface | Contamination | Discard and start over |
| Rises then falls quickly | Very active, needs feeding | Feed at higher ratio (1:10:10) |
| Hooch (liquid on top) | Hungry, needs feeding | Stir in or pour off, then feed |

## Basic Sourdough Loaf

### Ingredients (Baker's Percentages)
- 500g bread flour (100%)
- 350g water (70% hydration)
- 100g active starter (20%)
- 10g salt (2%)

### Timeline

**Day 1**
- **9:00 AM** - Feed starter (if from fridge, feed twice: now and evening before)
- **Evening** - Starter should be at peak (doubled, bubbly)

**Day 2**
- **8:00 AM - Autolyse**: Mix flour and water (no salt, no starter). Let rest 30-60 minutes. This hydrates flour and begins gluten development passively.
- **9:00 AM - Mix**: Add starter and salt to autolysed dough. Pinch and fold to incorporate (do not knead traditionally). Dough will be shaggy.
- **9:30-1:30 PM - Bulk Fermentation**: 4 hours at 76-78F. Perform stretch and folds every 30 minutes for the first 2 hours (4 sets total).

**Stretch and Fold Technique**:
1. Wet hands
2. Grab one side of dough, stretch up and fold over to opposite side
3. Rotate container 90 degrees, repeat
4. Complete all 4 sides = 1 set
5. Be gentle after the first 2 sets - the dough will become increasingly airy

**Signs bulk fermentation is done**:
- Dough has increased 50-75% in volume (not necessarily doubled)
- Surface is domed, smooth, and shows bubbles
- Dough feels airy and jiggles when you move the container
- Edges are slightly pulling away from container

- **1:30 PM - Pre-shape**: Gently turn dough onto unfloured surface. Use a bench scraper to shape into a loose round. Let rest 20 minutes (bench rest).
- **2:00 PM - Final Shape**: Shape into a boule (round) or batard (oval). Place seam-side up in a floured banneton or towel-lined bowl.
- **2:15 PM - Cold Retard**: Cover and refrigerate for 12-16 hours. This develops flavor and makes scoring easier.

**Day 3**
- **6:00 AM - Preheat**: Place Dutch oven in oven. Preheat to 500F (260C) for 45-60 minutes.
- **7:00 AM - Score and Bake**:
  1. Remove dough from fridge (bake straight from cold)
  2. Invert onto parchment paper
  3. Score with a razor blade or lame: single decisive slash, 1/4 inch deep, at 30-degree angle
  4. Transfer to preheated Dutch oven
  5. Bake covered: 20 minutes at 500F
  6. Uncover, reduce to 450F: 20-25 minutes until deep golden brown
  7. Internal temperature target: 205-210F (96-99C)
- **7:50 AM - Cool**: Remove to wire rack. Wait at least 1 hour before cutting (the interior is still cooking via residual steam).

## Shaping Techniques

### Boule (Round)
1. Pre-shape into loose round using bench scraper
2. After bench rest, flip floured-side down
3. Pull bottom third up, fold sides in like an envelope
4. Roll toward you, using the seam and friction to create surface tension
5. The surface should be taut without tearing

### Batard (Oval)
1. Pre-shape into loose rectangle
2. After bench rest, flip floured-side down
3. Fold top third down, press to seal
4. Fold bottom third up, press to seal
5. Roll into a log, sealing seam with heel of hand
6. Gently taper ends

### Surface Tension Check
- Pick up shaped dough: it should hold its shape, not spread
- Surface feels smooth and taut
- If it spreads or feels loose, let it rest 5 minutes and reshape

## Scoring Patterns

| Pattern | Technique | Effect |
|---------|-----------|--------|
| Single slash | One decisive cut, 1/4" deep, slight angle | Classic ear |
| Cross | Two perpendicular cuts | Even expansion |
| Square | Four cuts forming a square | Rustic crown |
| Leaf pattern | Series of angled cuts off a center line | Decorative |
| Wheat stalk | Curved cuts mimicking wheat | Advanced decorative |

**Tips**: Cold dough scores better. Use a sharp razor blade. Angle the blade 30 degrees for an "ear." Depth matters: too shallow and it closes, too deep and it deflates.

## Oven Setup for Artisan Results

### Steam Methods (Critical for Crust)
Steam keeps the crust flexible during initial oven spring, then a dry oven creates a crisp crust.

**Best**: Dutch oven (covered baking = self-steaming)
**Good**: Cast iron skillet with ice cubes on lowest rack + spray bottle
**Budget**: Roasting pan inverted over baking stone

### Temperature Guide

| Phase | Temperature | Duration | Purpose |
|-------|-------------|----------|---------|
| Initial (steamed) | 500F / 260C | 20 min | Maximum oven spring |
| Final (dry) | 450F / 230C | 20-25 min | Crust development |

### Baking Surfaces
- **Dutch oven**: Best home option, self-steams, consistent results
- **Baking steel**: Superior heat transfer to baking stone, needs separate steam
- **Baking stone**: Good heat retention, preheat 45+ minutes
- **Sheet pan**: Works but less heat transfer, less oven spring

## Troubleshooting Common Problems

| Problem | Likely Cause | Fix |
|---------|-------------|-----|
| Dense, gummy crumb | Under-fermented bulk | Extend bulk fermentation, use warmer spot |
| Flat loaf, no oven spring | Over-fermented or weak shaping | Reduce bulk time, improve shaping tension |
| Large irregular holes | Poor shaping, uneven fermentation | More consistent stretch and folds, better shaping |
| Thick, tough crust | Not enough steam or baked too long | Ensure good steam in first 20 min, check timing |
| Pale crust | Oven too low, not enough sugar for browning | Increase temperature, extend bake |
| Gummy bottom | Not cooled long enough, or no wire rack | Cool on wire rack minimum 1 hour |
| Bland flavor | Short fermentation, not enough salt | Use cold retard, verify salt at 2% |
| Starter not rising dough | Starter not active enough | Feed starter 2-3 times before using, do float test |
| Dough too sticky to shape | Too high hydration for skill level | Reduce hydration by 5%, use wet hands |

## Essential Equipment

**Must Have**
- Kitchen scale (accuracy to 1g)
- Dutch oven (5-7 quart)
- Bench scraper
- Banneton or bowl + linen towel
- Razor blade or bread lame
- Wire cooling rack

**Nice to Have**
- Instant-read thermometer
- Dough whisk (Danish whisk)
- Baking steel or stone
- Proofing box or warm spot setup
- Spray bottle for water

## Beyond Basic: Recipe Variations

### Same-Day Yeasted Bread (No Starter Needed)
- 500g bread flour, 350g water (warm, 95-100F), 7g instant yeast, 10g salt
- Mix, knead or fold 10 minutes, bulk ferment 1-1.5 hours
- Shape, proof 45-60 minutes, bake as above
- Total time: 3-4 hours

### High-Hydration Focaccia
- 500g bread flour, 400g water (80%), 100g starter or 5g yeast, 10g salt, 25g olive oil
- Minimal handling - stretch and folds only
- Pour into oiled sheet pan, dimple with fingers
- Top with olive oil, flaky salt, rosemary
- Bake at 450F for 20-25 minutes directly on pan (no Dutch oven)

### Enriched Sandwich Bread
- 500g bread flour, 250g milk, 50g butter (softened), 50g sugar, 7g yeast, 10g salt, 2 eggs
- Knead until windowpane stage (dough stretches thin enough to see light through)
- Bulk ferment 1 hour, shape into loaf pan
- Proof until 1 inch above pan rim
- Bake at 375F for 30-35 minutes

### Whole Wheat Sourdough (50/50)
- 250g bread flour + 250g whole wheat, 375g water (75%), 100g starter, 10g salt
- Longer autolyse (1-2 hours) to soften bran
- Expect denser crumb and faster fermentation (whole wheat ferments faster)
- Add 1 tablespoon honey or molasses for flavor balance

## Bread Storage

| Method | Duration | Best For |
|--------|----------|----------|
| Cut-side down on board | 1-2 days | Active eating |
| Paper bag | 2-3 days | Maintaining crust |
| Plastic bag | 3-4 days | Soft crust preference |
| Freeze (whole or sliced) | 2-3 months | Long-term storage |
| Never refrigerate | - | Refrigeration accelerates staling |

**Reviving Stale Bread**: Run whole loaf under water for 2 seconds, bake at 375F for 10 minutes. Crust will re-crisp, crumb will soften.


## Output Format

```
BREAD BAKER OUTPUT
==================

Section 1: Assessment / Analysis
- Key findings
- Recommendations

Section 2: Action Plan
- Step-by-step guidance
- Timeline if applicable

Section 3: Resources
- Relevant references
- Next steps
```

## Example

**Input:** "Help me get started with bread baker"

**Output:** A structured bread baker plan tailored to the user's specific situation, following the process outlined above.

## Edge Cases

- **Incomplete information:** Ask clarifying questions before proceeding. Do not assume details the user has not provided.
- **Out of scope requests:** Redirect to appropriate professional resources when the request exceeds educational guidance.
- **Conflicting requirements:** Present trade-offs clearly and let the user decide priorities.
