Sunday's We Bake Bread with Australian Dough by Joe
Can you introduce yourself
I am an Australian living in London in the UK. I do some Engineering in my spare time but these days most of my waking hours are spent baking and blogging on my Instagram @doughbyjoe! I am also a full time Dad to Murray, a 20 month miniature schnauser.
How did your love for baking start?
During the pandemic my girlfriend decided to try her hand at baking a sourdough. She didnt seem to follow any recipe, which I found incredibly frustrating! I thought I could do better by strictly following a recipe, but my first dough looked like someone had thrown a frisbee into the fireplace!!!.. I couldn't even eat it and frisbeed it straight into the trash can. I don’t remember using plastic in the dough! Anyway spurred on by my competitive drive, I ended up in a sourdough wormhole, started baking everyday and I haven't stopped since!
What emotions provoke you when you bake?
I know its clichet, but ... raw competitive energy and the desire to beat my girlfriend and achieve the perfect loaf.
What are your favorite things to bake?
My favourite is artisanal sourdough, it's the purest form of baking using the minimum amount of ingredients. No bake is ever the same, so it requires feeling and an understanding of the dough and environment. I love the fact that my bread is unique, as the subtle flavours produced by Ernest (my sourdough starter) are a result of his unique environment.
What’s been inspiring you lately?
I have recently moved to Biarritz in France to try and get that sourdough "je ne sais quoi" so I've been really inspired by the fresh croissants and baguettes at the local boulangaries.
What does bread symbolize for you?
For me, bread symbolizes sharing and community. After noticing I seemed to be adding a few dimensions to my mid-section I realized I couldn't just eat all the bread myself. That's when I started @doughbyjoe to share my sourdough with friends and followers.
What is the most challenging part of baking bread?
There are many intricacies to sourdough. But for me the hardest part is shaping. It's a key step to get the bread to really rise and to create ears after scoring.
What’s the most important thing when baking bread?
Adjusting your process to the environment. Sourdough starters are sensitive (like me!) So it's important to "feel" how the dough is behaving on a particular day and adjust the recipe and process accordingly.
What are some things you’ve learned about bread?
Never check a loaf into the cloak room at a bar! I did this recently and lost the ticket and the security guard would not give me the loaf back! Even though I had photo evidence of the bake and the dough was branded with my logo! Maybe he couldn't resist eating it himself... (This is the reason I always bake 2 loaves at a time).
How do you like to eat your bread?
Being Australian, I cant go past a slather of butter and fresh vegemite. Closely followed by smashed avocado and soft poached eggs.
