Loaf #47: what finally fixed my sourdough
For months my loaves came out flat and slightly gummy. I blamed the flour, the starter, the oven and, at one point, the weather. The actual fix turned out to be boring: lower hydration and a longer, colder proof.
I dropped from 78% to 70% water, moved the bulk ferment to a cooler corner of the kitchen and started judging the dough by feel rather than by the clock. Shaping got easier immediately.
Loaf #47 was the first one with a proper ear and an open, even crumb. I wrote the recipe on an index card and taped it inside the cupboard door, so future me cannot ignore it.