Bread

Ha ok.
I've just done a little more reading, going to try using my sourdough starter differently next time. I've been having to aid it with yeast to get it to raise.
I think I need someone to teach me how to knead bread properly.

Kneading isn't strictly necessary with the right kind of process. Common to many methods is to make a sponge or levain to get the starter nice and active, then later mix up your dough and leave it to autolyse over a few hours, maybe with some stretch and folding, to develop the gluten without much kneading, which would otherwise be difficult with quite wet dough.

the levain is the part I was missing. The problem is it's been so hot recently I've not been able to make any test loaves because they're going mouldy in a few days.

What's going mouldy?

I'd recommend a cast iron griddle plate or a big skillet as well.
The thermal properties of stone/ceramics are great for storing heat, but for giving it shocking the dough and getting a nice crust you'd be better off with iron.

(Ideally you'd have a copper or aluminium plate, but the first one would be very expensive and the second would have to be too big for your oven - sorry about the engineer-splaining)

Nice one – I'll get a skillet this weekend.
Wouldn't copper/aluminium cool down faster due to being better conductors?

Would it be worth just using a LeCreuset pan with lid as a dutch oven? Already got one of them...

Yes.

If you want to get fancy then sutff like this is supposed to be good

http://shop.lodgemfg.com/dutch-ovens/5-quart-cast-iron-double-dutch-oven.asp

You use it upside down, put the dough in the lid, then the other half back on top, and it keeps in the steam thereby giving a good 'oven spring'. (So the theory goes).

Or one of these.

https://www.bakerybits.co.uk/bakery-equipment/bakery-books-and-gifts/la-cloche-baking-dome.html

Use it all the time for sourdough and highly recommend. Have used a standard Le Creuset too, which works, but then fishing the load out at the end can get a bit burny.

I just bake in tins at the moment but am intending to try a dutch oven, cloche, etc., at some point.

Is it true that they tend to get a bit messed up over time by the act of baking bread i.e. residue tends to get burned on to the surface?

the loaves of bread. Should be alright now it's not 30 degrees anymore though.

Have been using a large enamelled dutch oven for a while now. Doesn't seem to have suffered any for it, but we use baking paper on the bottom so that might help

"Patina"

Mine's unglazed, and it hasn't been a problem. It's got some blackened bits around the edges, but they don't cause any issue. Sweep a few carbonised crumbs out before each bake. I've never washed it (in a couple of years). From memory I think you're not meant to.

I've struggled with getting really nice, thick crusts in the past. Using steam as well.
Is it just a case of leaving it in longer – like an hour?

Crust is always delicious straight out of the oven but quickly goes soft. Not bad, just soft.

I tried a dome once while working as a food photographer - it made one of the prettiest breads I've ever made. And less of a faff getting the loaves out than a cast iron pot.

They would, but it shouldn't be a problem in your oven.

How hot are you baking and for how long?

Depends on the bread but for a standard bloomer, about 40-45 mins at 250.

Just doing a bit of reading, sourdough banneton loaves (what I'm aiming for) get done at 220 for an hour and sometimes a bit more at a lower temp after that, leaving to cool in oven etc.

Few years ago, I followed Richard Bertinet's baguette recipe but they just ended up being long bread rolls.

Ordered a banneton and some scrapers. Will make a starter soon, unless someone in east has one...

Yeast starter?

I have some in Homerton I could split...

You should be able to get a decent crust with that baking time.

Are you sticking olive oil in the dough? That can make it softer.

Sourdough is generally baked at a higher temperature than standard loaves, though I've not ever baked one for over 55 mins myself........well apart from when I went out and forgot to turn the oven off 😬

What I use for pizza/bread baking is a piece of 5mm steel from here they'll cut it to fit in your oven, it'll need a thorough clean and seasoning first, but works a treat, doesn't explode if wet, and you can heat it up on the hob. Oh and it cost about £8 delivered.

How do you store it? We keep ours out, cut side down, and the crust is nice and chewy for day. The crispiness goes, but I wouldn't say it goes soft