Baked early this mornin’, now sittin’ on the breakfast table: today’s sourdough butter braid, made with Swiss organic wheat flour (Type 550) from our local mill.

Truth be told, it was supposed to come out as a neat braided ring — but that dough rose like it had yeast in it (which, by definition, isn't in sourdough). That pretty braid? Gone. Just puffed itself up like it had its own plans.

Unlike the store-bought version, mine’s got no spelt for “flavor,” no ascorbic acid or added gluten to prop things up, and no malt flour tryin’ to make the dough act fancy. Just the basics, doin’ their job.

More like that old children’s rhyme: eggs and butter, sugar and salt, milk and flour… and that’s about all you really need, no tricks involved.

The crumb comes out a soft, light yellow — tender and moist, with a fine to medium, slightly uneven structure. You can see those delicate strands and layers that tell you the dough was worked just right. And the crust? Golden, with a gentle shine — the kind that makes you cut a slice before it’s even cooled proper.