![\"Each](\"https:\/\/static.timesnewsgroup.com.au\/prod\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/07\/2026-06-1812.37.59_38776_tn_w600-1.jpg\")
<\/p>\n
She tested different flours, hydration levels and temperatures, but the starter still was not right.<\/p>\n
Eventually, after extensive trial and error, she created a starter by fermenting potato skins \u2013 just like her Nanna.<\/p>\n
With the recipe unlocked, her loaves quickly became popular among her friends. Even Donnarumma’s doctor was placing orders.<\/p>\n
Quickly outgrowing her home kitchen, Donnarumma and her husband David moved Little Wings Artisan Bread to a Drysdale warehouse in 2018.<\/p>\n
The small space is packed tightly with equipment with David’s engineering background helping to carefully plan the layout to produce breads, biscuits and pastries.<\/p>\n
Dough preparation starts on Tuesday and Wednesday, with loaves ready for customers come Thursday morning.<\/p>\n
“Our bread, all our pastries are sourdough. It’s good for your tummy and slow-fermented,” Donnarumma said.<\/p>\n
“A lot of people say our loaves have a real shine to them when they come out of the oven and they really do.<\/p>\n
“The slow fermentation gives these bubbles in the bread. We’re a bit fussy on how we do things.”<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Donnarumma continues to experiment with new flavours, supported by a small team of bakers who help bring her ideas to life.<\/p>\n Keeping the team and her family in support of every new menu addition can bring its own amusing conversations.<\/p>\n “It’s like each loaf is a science experiment,” Donnarumma said.<\/p>\n “I’m always coming up with new loaves.<\/p>\n “They’ll say ‘So, we’re going to have four white loaves and a baguette now are we?’ And yes, but I haven’t explained the difference yet.”<\/p>\n Each new recipe is trialled for several weeks before it is ready to be sold. With every successful idea, the weekly bake rotation changes and customers are never 100 per cent sure what style of loaves will be available.<\/p>\n Donnarumma said they take the rotations well alongside the weekly staples, which are always top quality.<\/p>\n “They understand that is something different about our bakery,” Donnarumma said.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n “We call it the sourdough studio because it’s kind of like artworks.”<\/p>\n![\"Good](\"https:\/\/static.timesnewsgroup.com.au\/prod\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/07\/2026-06-1812.27.21_38771_tn_w600-1.jpg\")
![\"David](\"https:\/\/static.timesnewsgroup.com.au\/prod\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/07\/2026-06-1812.26.21_38866_tn_w600-1.jpg\")