By the end of this Workshop
- A starter that's reliably active by day 7
- Two finished sourdough loaves, one classic and one with a baker's percentage variation
- A weekly maintenance rhythm that doesn't take over your fridge
Before you start
- Plain bread flour (any Australian brand) and salt
- A jar with a loose-fitting lid for the starter
- A Dutch oven or any heavy lidded pot
- A kitchen scale, a bowl, and a tea towel
What’s in the Workshop
Why your last loaf was a brick
12mFree previewThe three things that go wrong in the first 24 hours, and how to spot them before they cost you a kilo of flour.
Building a starter that actually rises
24mDay-by-day walkthrough across the first week — what to feed it, when, and what 'ready' actually looks like.
Mixing, folding, and the autolyse window
28mHands-on mixing technique. The autolyse rest. How to read dough by feel rather than by clock.
Bulk ferment and shaping
22mReading the bulk window. Pre-shape, bench rest, final shape — three takes from three different doughs.
Cold proof, score, bake
26mOvernight cold proof in a fridge. Scoring patterns that direct the rise. Dutch oven bake at 250°C.
Reading your first loaf
18mCrumb structure, crust, ear. What went right, what went wrong, and what to change next time.
Who’s teaching this
Eliza @eliza
Eliza Cook ran a small bakery in Castlemaine for eight years before swapping the 4am starts for teaching online. She's taught sourdough in person to over 600 people and online to thousands. Her teaching style is plain-spoken and patient — no jargon, no purist gatekeeping. She'll tell you when your dough is fine and when it isn't.
Other Workshops by @eliza
Bake along with your friends
Schedule a Watch Party and bake Module 5 (the actual bake) together over video. Up to 6 friends, no extra cost, your purchase covers it.
You’re not just buying a video. You’re joining @eliza’s Community.
Joining Eliza's Community gets you ongoing dough check-ins, a weekly Q&A thread, and a heads-up when she releases her next Workshop. About 230 members, mostly Australian, mostly beginners-to-intermediate.
- Weekly Q&A thread — post a photo, get Eliza's eyes on it
- Early access to new Workshops at the Community price
- Member-only events: in-person bake-days in Melbourne, monthly online cook-alongs
What people ask before they buy
What if my starter doesn't rise by day 7?
Most starters need 7–10 days in Australian conditions. Module 2 covers the troubleshooting checklist — usually it's the flour, the water temperature, or the room temperature.
Do I need a stand mixer?
No. The entire Workshop is hand-mixed. A stand mixer is fine if you have one, but it changes the feel of the dough and Eliza teaches by feel.
Can I follow along with gluten-free flour?
This Workshop is wheat-based sourdough. Eliza has a separate gluten-free Workshop in development for late 2026.