How to Bake Bread with Nora Awad

Foodie, is there anything better than the smell of fresh bread wafting through the house? If you've been thinking of kickstarting your home bakery journey then you'll love these sourdough baking tips from the wonderful and talented Nora, who who you can find baking up a storm and creating delicious recipes at @herkitchengarden

To celebrate the launch of our new Bread Oven, we knew Nora would be the best person to ask about all things bread baking and were lucky enough to catch up with her and really unpack the art and work that goes into a gorgeous looking loaf. 

Hi Nora, thanks so much for having us again! Could you tell us a bit about your bread baking journey and how you got started? 

"It all started around 9 years ago when my husband and I binge-watched "The Great British Bake Off" which completely inspired me to the extent where I always had my little notebook at hand to jot down all the recipes and ideas that caught my eye while watching. Though I was particularly drawn to savoury dishes, bread baking always piqued my interest and quickly became a favourite of mine. There's just something so satisfying about the whole process."

"I've been using commercial yeast throughout my 9 years of bread baking and it was earlier this year where I took it to the next level and kickstarted my sourdough journey. At that point we were buying a loaf of sourdough each week so I thought - why don't I try making it myself?"

"There truly is an art to sourdough, when I first started it took me a week to develop my starter and plenty of failed attempts in the beginning - from gummy textures to flat loaves. But the best advice I received was from my cousin, who said, "Just keep baking - it's the only way to improve." and she was absolutely right. That mindset has kept me baking every weekend and I've learned to recognise when the starter is at its peak, which flours I love to use and essential shaping techniques. Most of all, I'm really prout of the loaves I produce even if they aren't perfect - they're still amazing!" 

What a cozy baking journey and such a good piece of advice! So Nora, we've got to know - what do you think of our Bread Oven so far?  

"I've honestly been loving it so far - an absolute game changer for me! I recently noticed that my oven struggles to maintain a consistent temperature, impacting the quality of my loaves. For the perfect loaf, you need steady heat and steam and with the Crumble Bread Oven, I was able to do just that with it's great heat retention and circular dome."

"From the first time I baked with the Crumble Bread Oven, the results were incredible. The loaf had an excellent, thick crust with an open crumb, and it sprung up beautifully - giving me a rise that I had never achieved before."

"For any home bakers out there with a standard oven, the Crumble Bread Oven is a must-have if you're serious about baking bread at home."

We're feeling the love! What words of wisdom do you have to share for foodies out there wanting to get started on their bread baking journey?

"I would say - try to think of it just as if you were growing your own food. Take tomatoes for example, you plant the seedlings, watch the flowers grow, fertilise it, encourage pollination, and protect the fruit from insects and birds. It can seem like a lot of work, but once you harvest that juicy ripe tomato, all the effort is worthwhile." 

"Same goes for baking bread, it certainly can be time-consuming, but the rewards are unmatched. When you bake your own bread, especially with the right tools like a dedicated bread oven, you're not just making food - you're really diving into the art of it, something you made with care, attention and love. Plus, the smell of freshly baked bread filling your home and feeling of cutting that first slice to unveil the gorgeous interior makes for a rewarding and enjoyable ritual."

They do say good things take time and we'd be happy to wait for a perfect loaf any day. Now Nora, what are some bread baking tips can you share that you wish you knew at the beginning? 

"When I first started I was a victim of under proofing and over proofing. But here are four key tips that has helped with the perfect loaf every time."

"First, temperature - my mistake when starting was adding the loaf into the oven before it was thoroughly heated. Getting the temperature right is crucial for sourdough and a preheated oven is essential. If you're using the Crumble Bread Oven, make sure it's thoroughly heated before placing your dough inside as that initial burst of heat is what gives your loaf that beautiful spring." 

" Second is proofing time - under proofed dough will result in dense bread, while over proofed dough collapses during baking. A rule of thumb is to let your dough rise until it's just doubled in size. I also like to use the 'poke test' where you gently press your finger into the dough and if it springs back slowly, it's good to go!"

"Third would be to not rush the process - if you're used to baking with commercial yeast, you might think things will be quick. However, sourdough is all about patience. From developing your started to the slow fermentation process, every step benefits from taking your time. The long fermentation not only enhances the flavour but also makes the bread easier to digest."

"Finally, practice makes perfect - don't be discouraged by early failures. Each loaf teaches you something new about your dough, your environment and your technique. Keep baking, and you'll continue to improve with every loaf (just like me! ❤️)

Those are wonderful tips Nora, thanks for sharing! To wrap up, is there a beginner friendly recipe that you'd like to share with our foodies? 

"Yes! I've tried multiple different sourdough recipes, but this one is my favourite to share with anyone who is keen to begin their sourdough journey. Hope you enjoy it!"

Nora's Foolproof Sourdough Loaf

Nora Awad @herkitchengarden

Rated 5.0 stars by 1 users

• Share on Twitter
• Share on Facebook
• Share on Pinterest
• Share on Whatsapp

Ingredients

• 500g bread flour (preferably high-protein - I use the Caputo Brand)
• 100g active sourdough starter (fed and bubbly)
• 350g water (room temperature)
• 10g salt

Directions

Mix the Dough:

1.  In a large mixing bowl, combine flour and water. Mix until all the flour is hydrated and a rough dough forms (it looks shaggy at this stage). Cover the bowl and let it rest for 30 minutes (this is called autolyse).

2. After 30 minutes, add 100g of your active sourdough starter to the dough. Mix it thoroughly until the starter is fully incorporated.
3. Add 10g of salt to the dough. Knead the dough gently in the bowl until the salt is evenly distributed.

Bulk Fermentation:

1. Cover the bowl with a damp cloth and let the dough rest at room temperature for 3-4 hours. During this time, perform 3-4 sets of stretch and fold every 30-45 minutes.(this is actually my favourite part - very therapeutic you simply stretch one side of the dough and fold it over to the opposite side - then rotate the bowl and repeat this until you’ve folded all sides)

Shaping:

1. After the bulk fermentation, turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Shape the dough into a round or oval loaf (this part requires some practice but have fun with it!)

2. Place the shaped dough into a floured proofing basket (seam side up) or a bowl lined with a clean, floured cloth. Cover it with a cloth and let it proof for 1-2 hours at room temperature or overnight in the refrigerator.

Preheat your Crumble Bread Oven

1. About 30 minutes before baking, preheat your bread oven to 230°C.  Make sure the oven is fully heated before baking the bread!!

Score & Bake

1. Using a sharp knife or bread lame, score the top of the dough.

2. Carefully transfer the dough (with the parchment paper) into your preheated bread oven. Cover with the lid and bake for 20 minutes.
3. After 20 minutes, remove the lid and continue baking for another 20-25 minutes, or until the crust is deeply golden brown and the loaf sounds hollow when tapped on the bottom.

Cool & Enjoy!

1. Once baked, remove the loaf from the bread oven and let it cool on a wire rack for at least 1 hour before slicing. This allows the crumb to set properly. (I made the mistake when I started to cool it on a chopping board and it lost its crust so make sure you use a wire rack)