"1 Mastering Pan de Cristal: High Hydration Bread Techniques with Donna May"

In this episode of the Breaking Bread Podcast, host Rachel Parker dives into the world of high-hydration dough with a special focus on the challenging pan de cristal. She teams up with expert baker, Donna May, who offers insightful tips into handling this type of dough. She advises beginners to start with a 70% to 75% hydration level and gradually increase as they become more comfortable. Donna's tips to handle the sticky high-hydration dough involve keeping her hands wet during kneading and using a bench knife for manipulation. Flour is also a significant component in shaping and proofing stages. The episode emphasizes slow, incremental learning and encourages patience and practice in mastering pan de cristal and other high-hydration doughs.