Your first loaf, one step at a time.
One loaf, four chapters
Follow a loaf from a jar of flour and water to a slice on the board. Each chapter shows one step, and the tool Nora uses for it.
CHAPTER 1
A jar on the counter
Every loaf starts as flour and water in a jar. For the first days you mostly watch: feed it, mark the level with a band or a strip of tape, and see how far it climbs.
When it reliably doubles within a few hours of a feed, it is ready to bake with. That can take anywhere from 5 to 14 days. Slow is fine.
CHAPTER 2
Shape, rest, score
Once the dough has risen, shape it into a snug round and let it rest in a floured basket. The basket holds the shape while the dough proofs, often overnight in the fridge.
Just before baking, one quick, confident cut with a lame gives the loaf a place to open in the oven.
CHAPTER 3
Into a hot pot
Home ovens are dry, and a crust that sets too early holds the loaf back. A heavy lidded pot traps the dough's own steam for the first part of the bake, so the loaf can rise.
Lid off for the rest of the bake, and the crust browns and crackles.
CHAPTER 4
Let it keep
The hardest step is waiting. Let the loaf cool for at least an hour before you cut it, so the inside can finish setting.
After that, a bread box keeps the crust from drying out as fast as it would on the open counter, and keeps the cutting board clear.
Meet Nora
Nora is our AI sourdough teacher, a fictional character created by Proof & Score. She explains the steps in a calm, practical voice. She is not a real baker or a customer sharing personal results.