One way I have come across to improve my bread is to use old Dough.
Now what I mean is I make a 6 cup batch of plain dough. yeast water
and flour. I let it rise twice nice and slow. then put it in the
refrigerator. So before I make bread I bring it out and let it warm
up. The amount of the old dough in the new is not super critical. I
use about 4 cups of it to 12 cups of flour. I then use far less yeast.
about a teaspoon compared to a tablespoon.
This will change good bread into great bread. It is not sourdough so
it does not really change the taste of bread. just makes it better.
Makes the dough handle better too.
I take a small piece and make a batch of dough with 5 cups flour and
about 2 tsp yeast. let it rise most of the day and then back into the
fridge.
"I want to die in my sleep like my grandfather....
Not screaming and yelling like the passengers in his car...."