Baking with Dough-na-tella: The First Loaf Adventure
The moment I’ve been waiting for finally arrived—Dough-na-tella and I teamed up to bake our very first loaf of sourdough bread! After days of feeding, watching her grow, and whispering words of encouragement (okay, maybe just in my head), I was ready to see if my bubbly starter was up for the challenge.
The Preparation:
The process began the night before with a simple sourdough recipe. Mixing the dough was therapeutic—flour, water, salt, and of course, Dough-na-tella’s magic. The dough had this wonderfully sticky texture that hinted at all the potential hidden inside. After mixing, I let it rest and worked in a few rounds of stretch-and-folds, marvelling at how it began to come to life.
See the video for ALLLLLL my stretch and folds. It took me ll day to get the stretch and folds just right!
By the time I set it aside for its overnight rise, I was buzzing with anticipation. Would it double in size? Would it be airy and light? I could barely sleep thinking about how it might turn out.
Baking Day:
Morning arrived, and when I peeked at the dough, it had risen beautifully—puffy and full of life. After shaping the loaf, I gave it one last proof and preheated my oven (and trusty Dutch oven) to lava-like temperatures.
The moment I slid the dough into the oven was surreal. I scored it with a quick slash, held my breath, and waited. The house began to fill with that warm, heavenly scent of baking bread. When I removed the lid to check on it, there it was: my first loaf, golden brown and proud.
The Results:
The bread wasn’t perfect, but it was mine. The crust was crackly and had that satisfying crunch when tapped. The crumb was soft and slightly open, with just enough chew. And the flavour? Tangy, rich, and full of character, just like Dough-na-tella herself.
There’s something so rewarding about slicing into a loaf you’ve made from scratch. Sure, it wasn’t bakery-level, but that only makes me more excited to keep improving. This first bake with Dough-na-tella is just the beginning of what I hope will be a long and delicious friendship.
Lessons Learned:
- Patience really is key. Letting the dough rise fully was worth the wait.
- Don’t worry too much about being perfect, everything seems to work out if the fundamentals are followed.
- A razor-sharp lame (or scoring tool) makes all the difference for those gorgeous loaf designs.
- Celebrate the imperfections—they’re part of the journey.
I can’t wait to try another bake and experiment with new flours, hydration levels, and maybe even some fun add-ins like seeds or herbs. If you’re on a sourdough journey too, share your tips or favorite recipes—I’m all ears (and still a little flour-covered).
Here’s to many more loaves with Dough-na-tella! 🥖✨
Edited with the help of my personal Assistant “Chatty” (Chatgpt)
Wow nice work Shasta! I like your videos. It makes me feel like I am watching youtube kids with my daughter and all her baking videos! I can’t wait to see what you make next. It seems that this is really the sourdough era! What is the next plan for Dough-na-tella ?? Also, I have heard that you can make some fun things with your discard sourdough (ex. waffles, pancakes, crackers). One connection is that I used to have a sourdough friend myself (Bertha), but she is no longer with us so I am excited to follow your journey.
Actually funny you mention the discard! The very first recipe I ever made with Doughnatella was a batch of pancakes from my first ever discard! They were amazing, I should try them again and Blog about it! Thanks for the idea!