Despite the sourdough revival showing no signs of slowing down, many home bakers continue to struggle with flat, dense, or overly sour loaves. Professional baker and cookbook author Thomas Kwan has identified the five most common mistakes that derail sourdough success, and most are surprisingly easy to fix.
The biggest culprit, according to Kwan, is using a starter that isn't at peak activity. A healthy starter should double in size within four to six hours of feeding and have a pleasantly tangy aroma. The second most common error is under-hydrating the dough, which prevents the open crumb structure that bakers covet.
Kwan also warns against skipping the autolyse step, over-handling the dough during shaping, and baking at too low a temperature. He recommends preheating a Dutch oven to 500 degrees Fahrenheit and dropping the temperature to 450 once the loaf goes in for the best oven spring and crust development.
