No matter how many loaves of bread I make, I feel like a beginner. With each loaf I realize I have so much more to learn. So I decided to take Apollonia Poilàne’s masterclass. I love watching her movements and listening to her descriptions. How nice it is to imagine I am turning down the petals of a daisy as I knead dough.

I decided that the first bread I would bake would be the first one she taught – the wheat loaf that is the mainstay of their bakery. Although I would use my sourdough starter instead of starting a new one, I would use the exact technique she used. The result was a wonderful, hearty, huge loaf.

The shape came from the dutch oven I use to bake in. For doughs this large, I may need a bigger dutch oven (or to make smaller loaves. This loaf was so huge, I put half in the freezer. We will enjoy it the next time I am in between breads.

First learning from this bread: When you knead the dough, it does not need to become totally smooth, you need to focus on fully incorporating the flour.

Second learning: Be mindful of depth when you score the dough. I did not score the bottom part of my K deep enough,

I am hoping that by baking the breads in this class I will continue to learn about my doughs by touch, sight, and smell. And although I cannot share her recipes, I am happy to share this journey with you.

Yum!