I heard a baker on a podcast say they never use a timer for bread

I was listening to a baking podcast yesterday and the guest, a baker from Portland, said she never uses a timer for her sourdough. She said, 'The bread tells you when it's ready, not a beep.' That really made me stop and think. I've always been a slave to the timer, especially for proofing. My last few loaves have been a bit dense, and I wonder if I'm cutting the bulk ferment short because the alarm goes off. Maybe I need to watch the dough more and the clock less. It feels risky to not have that safety net, but her bread looked amazing. Has anyone else tried baking more by feel and sight instead of strict times?

3 comments

3 Comments

diana5121mo ago

Tried it once and ended up with a brick. My kitchen is too cold and drafty for that romantic "by feel" stuff. I need the timer to keep me honest, otherwise I'll forget and overproof it. That baker probably has perfect, stable conditions.

the_jana1mo ago

My kitchen's drafty too, @diana512, I'm pretty sure my last loaf could have been used for home defense. That "by feel" method only works if your house isn't secretly a wind tunnel. I need a timer too, or I'll get distracted and end up with a sourdough cinder block.

eric6061mo ago

Read an article where a pro baker said their "by feel" method actually relies on a super controlled kitchen environment. They have special HVAC systems to keep the temp and humidity perfect all year. Makes sense now, it's not some magic touch, it's just having a room that isn't a literal cave. My place has drafts that could sail a ship, so a timer is absolutely non-negotiable. That sourdough cinder block description is painfully accurate for my first few tries.