Baker's walkthrough
How to plan a sourdough bake from the time you want bread.
This tutorial shows how to use Bulk Planner like a baker: set the bake time, pick the dough, confirm your kitchen, follow the alerts, and log what actually happened.
Before You Start
Bulk Planner is not a recipe app. It is a timing, formula, and dough decision app. You bring the flour, starter, and target bake time; the app helps turn those choices into a practical schedule.
- Know when you want to bake.
- Have a recently fed starter or know whether it is sluggish.
- Know your room temperature and refrigerator temperature.
- Decide roughly how long you want the cold proof to be.
1. Choose the bake time first
Open the Guide tab and set the date and time you want the loaf to bake. This is the anchor for the whole plan. If the bake time is tomorrow morning, the app will usually suggest mixing the day before. If the bake time is far away, the app can remind you when it is time to start instead of forcing you to begin early.
If you tap Start early, Bulk Planner treats that as a real baking decision. Starting early may move the bake time unless you extend cold proof, so the app warns you before changing the schedule.
2. Pick a loaf style or load a saved formula
Use a preset when you want a starting point. Mostly white is the easiest, spelt blend is softer and more extensible, and rye-forward is stickier and usually ferments faster. Saved formulas are best once you have a house loaf you want to repeat.
| Mostly white | Best first choice. Stable dough, open crumb potential, and forgiving handling. |
|---|---|
| Spelt blend | Softer dough with more extensibility. Watch the dough near the end of bulk. |
| Rye-forward | Stickier, faster, and less elastic. It often wants gentler handling and a younger shape. |
| Saved formula | Your current formula, hydration, grain mix, dough size, and starter percent can be reused for future bakes. |
3. Confirm the kitchen settings
Room temperature, dough temperature, refrigerator temperature, starter condition, and banneton type all change the schedule. A warm kitchen speeds bulk. A cold fridge slows fermentation after the dough fully chills. A frozen banneton pulls heat out of the dough faster, so the app can allow a little less refrigerator carryover.
- Room temperature: the air where the dough will bulk ferment.
- Fridge temperature: the refrigerator shelf where the shaped dough will proof.
- Starter condition: use sluggish if it is young, cold, slow, or past peak.
- Banneton: regular, frozen, or heavy frozen changes how quickly the dough cools.
4. Use the water temperature guide
The suggested water temperature helps hit the projected dough temperature after mixing. Current water temperature starts as the suggested value, but you can override it if your actual water is warmer or cooler. Changing water temperature updates the dough quality and timing estimate because dough temperature is one of the strongest fermentation drivers.
If you are unsure, use the suggested water temperature and then measure actual dough temperature after mixing. Over time, your notes will make the app better for your mixer, flour, and kitchen.
5. Start the schedule and follow the alerts
Once the plan looks right, start the schedule. Alerts can cover autolyse, fold sets, preshape, final shape, cold proof, and bake time. The active timer can also show progress on the Lock Screen and Dynamic Island on supported iPhones.
During bulk, the app gives timing guidance, but your dough still gets the final vote. If the dough is domed, airy, jiggly, and has reached the suggested rise target, shape it even if the timer is a little early. If it still looks dense and flat, give it more time.
6. Cold proof without overproofing
Cold proof is not a pause button. Dough keeps fermenting until the center chills. Long cold proofs usually need a younger dough going into the refrigerator. Warmer fridges, whole grain flour, high starter percentages, and very active starters all increase the risk of overproofing.
| Short cold proof | The dough can usually enter the fridge a little more mature. |
|---|---|
| Long cold proof | Shape younger so the dough has room to keep fermenting while it chills. |
| Whole grain or rye | Fermentation tends to move faster and handling may need to be gentler. |
| Sluggish starter | The app can allow more time, but actual dough feel matters most. |
7. Log the result after baking
After the bake, open Learn and record what happened: actual mix time, actual ready time, starter notes, dough feel, cold proof notes, and the final result. The goal is simple: your next estimate should match your actual kitchen a little better.
Good notes are short. Try phrases like "starter peaked in 5 hours," "dough ready 25 minutes early," "fridge runs warm," or "needed longer bench rest."
Quick Reference
| Autolyse | Usually 20 to 45 minutes before Fold 1, depending on flour and schedule. |
|---|---|
| Folds | Commonly 3 to 5 sets, often 20 to 45 minutes apart. |
| Preshape rest | Often 15 to 30 minutes, long enough for the dough to relax before final shape. |
| Bulk target | Many cold-proofed loaves shape around 25% to 50% rise, adjusted by grain, fridge, and cold proof length. |
| Bake alert | The app can notify you when it is time to take the loaf out of the refrigerator and bake. |