The Sourdough Lady

12/11/2025

December Sourdough Classes still have a handful of spots left. January classes are listed as well. Book your spot or give the gift of a Sip & Sourdough Class! Multiple locations around Twin Cities, MN.
https://thesourdoughlady.net/sourdough-events-classes/

11/24/2025

Thanksgiving dinner rolls. Soft, fluffy, decadent and sourdough!

Sweet Stiff Starter:
40g sourdough starter
120g bread flour
50g water
20g sugar

Dough:
325g bread flour
30g sugar
180g milk
1 large egg
10g salt
All of the sweet stiff starter
75g butter, unsalted

Instructions:
(Day 1, 9pm) Combine starter, water, and sugar, stirring to dissolve, add flour, mix/knead into a dough ball. Cover and leave to rise overnight, at least triple to quadruple in size.

(Day 2, 9am-11am)
Cut the butter into half inch blocks. Set them on a plate to warm to room temperature.
To the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook attachment, add the flour, sugar, salt, warm milk, egg, and sweet stiff starter. Mix on speed 2 for 3-5 minutes until the dough starts to clump around the dough hook. Turn mixer off and let the dough rest for 30 minutes. Turn the mixer on speed 2 and start adding the room temperature butter, one pat at a time, waiting until that bit of butter is completely mixed into the dough before adding the next one. This process will take 7 to 10 minutes. After this time, mix on speed 3 for 1 to 2 minutes until the dough smooths and clings to the dough hook. Transfer the dough to a bulk fermentation container and cover. Let the dough rest for 30 min.
Give the dough 3 sets of coil folds at 30-minute intervals. Allow the dough to bulk rise by about 50%, just until it is puffed up a bit. Place the bowl of dough in the fridge.
Chill dough at least 4 hours or until evening (9:00 p.m.)
Shape (9:00 p.m.)
Line your pan with parchment, I used a square 9x9 pan. Divide the dough into sixteen 54g pieces and shape each into a tight ball. Cover and let rest 1 hour, tighten the shape of each dough ball into a tight circle and place the balls in the lined pan. Cover loosely with plastic wrap or shower cap and refrigerate overnight.

(Day Three, 7:00 a.m.- 9:00 a.m.)
Second rise
Take the pan out of the fridge and leave in room temp for the rolls to puff up to double in size. Depending on temperature, this can take anywhere from 4-8 hours.
Bake.
Preheat your oven to 400°F. Whisk together one egg and a splash of whole milk for the egg wash. Brush on the egg wash, sprinkle some flaky salt if you wish and bake for 10 minutes. Then reduce the temperature to 350°F. Bake for an additional 20 minutes.

11/05/2025

Twin Cities, MN November and December Sourdough classes posted and filling up super fast.
Link for class schedule in comments

11/05/2025

Did you catch my segment last night? Here it is…

Sourdough bread is rising in popularity and becoming a beloved staple in many homes. An Apple Valley mom, affectionately called "The Sourdough Lady," is here to demystify the baking process with her interactive classes.

10/11/2025

Question I get asked a lot...

I know, I know — the Dutch oven has been the sourdough gold standard for years. And don’t get me wrong, it’s fantastic for beginners or when you’re baking one loaf at a time. But… after years of baking multiple loaves each week, my back (and my schedule) said, “There has to be an easier way.” 😅

Enter the Cooking Steel.
It’s a heavy-duty cast iron steel that lives permanently in my oven — no lifting, no juggling hot pots. I just grab my pizza peel, slide my loaves in, and bake.

Here’s my open bake setup:
🔥 Preheat oven to 500°F for a full hour with the steel on the middle rack.
🔥 Place a heavy-duty cast iron or metal pan underneath on a lower rack.
🔥 Load your loaves onto the steel, then toss 2–3 cups of ice cubes into the empty pan below to create steam.
🔥 Close the door, lower to 450°F, and bake for about 35 minutes.

(If you’re baking 3 or more loaves, rotate them halfway through for even color.)
That’s it. No heavy lifting. No burnt arms. Just beautiful, evenly baked loaves — and I can bake 3 or 4 at a time!
This setup is amazing for sourdough, pizza, pita, and even English muffins.

If your oven heats up well (I use an electric convection oven, but not the convection baking mode when baking), open baking might just change your whole routine too.
Once you get used to it, there’s no going back.

10/10/2025

Before you ever mix your dough, your starter sets the stage for everything — rise, texture, and flavor.

If you’re looking for your starter to just double in size, you’re doing it wrong.

Here’s the part many sourdough bakers miss…
Your starter’s “peak” isn’t when it looks the tallest.
It’s when it’s the most active.

That means:
✨ It’s risen to its full height — usually tripled in size
✨ The dome has leveled off
✨ You’ll see tiny dimples forming on top and even a little descend
✨ Tons of bubbles everywhere — on top and on the sides
That’s true peak activity !

If you mix your dough too soon — right when your starter domes — you’re actually using a premature starter. It won’t have the strength or gas production to fully ferment your dough, leading to dense, under fermented bread.

So next time, watch the surface, not just the size.
Wait for that moment when your starter levels off and begins to just descend — that’s your cue. That window is at least an hour or two, so you’ll have plenty of time.

That’s how you build the foundation for the fluffiest loaf ever.

10/07/2025

Over fermented territory is where I like to hang out…

Because I’m all about them fluffy loaves!

Let’s talk bulk fermentation — because THIS is where your loaf’s texture is born.
When the weather cools down, fermentation slows… and so many bakers cut it short too soon, and the result is a dense loaf with a burned base. Here’s your reminder: don’t rush it.
This time, try pushing your bulk a little further than usual. Let that dough go just past double — even flirting with the overfermented territory. You’ll notice the dough feels extra airy, delicate, and alive.
Then, when it’s baking, do a 5-minute rescore (5 minutes into baking, score again right in the same area you scored your expansion score). That little trick helps open up your loaf beautifully.
This method is especially magic in cooler temps — the dough develops more flavor, more strength, and more openness.
So go ahead… trust the process, watch the dough, and let it rise a little longer than feels safe. You might just bake your new favorite loaf.

10/06/2025

October classes in Twin Cities, MN.

09/24/2025

Focaccia Therapy

This weekend I was craving focaccia. But instead of just one, I made 3.
1. Rosemary Sea Salt
2. Green Olive Pesto
3. Apple Cinnamon Brown sugar

What’s your favorite focaccia toppings?

09/18/2025

Bread Scoring 1️⃣0️⃣1️⃣

🍁 Fall leaves may be crisp… and so is this dough.�Even though it’s still hot outside, we’re in full pumpkin-and-falling-leaves mode over here. That means cozy sourdough bakes and fun scoring designs to match. 🧡🍂

Every time I post a scoring video, I get asked:�“How is your dough so firm and easy to score without sticking or spreading?”

Here are my top tips for prepping your loaf so it’s ready for a clean, crisp score (and those beautiful designs you're dreaming of)👇

✅ Build strong, well-developed dough.
This starts with mixing to proper gluten development—take a few minutes to knead that dough at mixing, aim for 4-6 sets of stretch & folds or coil folds. Dough that passes the windowpane test before shaping.

✅ Cold dough is key.
Refrigerating your shaped dough overnight helps it firm up, making it easier to score. For extra firmness, pop the banneton in the freezer for 30–40 minutes while your oven preheats.

✅ Get bulk fermentation right.
Overproofed or underproofed dough can be sticky, slack, or puffy—making scoring a challenge. Fine tune your bulk rise timing and rise percentage based on temperature . It should feel airy but still hold structure, with visible bubbles and slight jiggle.

✅ Prep the surface before scoring.
Lightly spritz the top of the loaf with water, then dust with superfine Thai rice flour—it creates contrast for your design and helps the blade glide smoothly.

✅ Use a razor-sharp lame/razor.
A clean blade makes all the difference for smooth, confident cuts. Dull blades will tug and drag.

✅ Score with intention�Have a design in mind before you begin.
I like to use a toothpick to lightly sketch the pattern first—like a rough draft—then go in with the blade. Score swiftly and commit!

✅ Use lower hydration dough recipe.
Try a recipe such as: 325g water (or even 300g), 100g active starter, 500g bread flour, 10g salt. This will be a stiffer dough and much easier to score.

✅ Bake without steam
To make sure the white flour dusting stays while baking, avoid adding ice cubes in your dutch oven or water for steam if open baking.

This fall leaf design is one of my seasonal favorites. Many more to come!
Have you tried scoring your loaves yet? What’s your favorite?�

09/17/2025

September Sourdough Classes are selling out FAST! Just a few spots left...

Link to Register in comments.