Smaller Sunday loaves with less waste
A Better Sunday Loaf Starts With a Smaller Plan
I have been making smaller loaves on Sundays, and it has improved my bread more than buying another piece of equipment would have.
For a two-person household, a 500-gram flour dough is usually enough for dinner and a few slices the next day. I mix it in the morning, give it one fold after about 30 minutes, then let it rise while I do errands. The smaller dough is easier to shape, less wasteful, and fits comfortably in my Dutch oven.
The practical adjustment was lowering the oven temperature slightly after the first 20 minutes. Our oven runs hot, so the crust was dark before the center was fully baked. Now I check the internal temperature and let the loaf cool completely before cutting it. Waiting is still the hardest part.