Common Bread-Baking Mistakes

Nobody bakes perfect loaves right from the start. Most mistakes trace back to a handful of recurring causes – once you know what to look for.

Bread Is Too Dense and Compact

Possible causes:

• Starter wasn't active enough yet → do the float test beforehand
• Proof time too short → dough hasn't risen enough yet
• Too much flour, too little water → increase hydration
• Oven too cold → check the internal temperature

Solution: Only bake once the starter reliably doubles after feeding. Extend the proof time until the dough has visibly risen.

Bread Tastes Too Sour

Possible causes:

• Bulk fermentation too long → the dough builds up too much acid overall (warm favours the mild lactic acid, cool and stiff the sharper acetic acid)
• Starter was overripe (had already passed its peak)
• Too much starter relative to the flour

Solution: Use the starter at its peak (shortly after maximum volume increase). Shorten proof times or lower the temperature.

No Oven Spring – Bread Doesn't Rise in the Oven

Possible causes:

• Dough over-proofed → fermented too long, yeasts exhausted
• Oven not preheated hot enough
• No steam in the first phase

Solution: Preheat the oven for at least 30 minutes. Create steam in the first 10–15 minutes (water vapor keeps the crust elastic so the bread can rise).

Raw Center, Even Though the Crust Looks Done

Possible causes:

• Internal temperature not reached → use an internal thermometer
• Oven too hot, crust set too early

Solution: Aim for an internal temperature of 96–98 °C. If the crust gets too dark, cover with aluminum foil and finish baking.

Cracks in the Wrong Place

Possible causes:

• Bread wasn't scored → steam finds its own way out
• Dough had too little tension when shaped

Solution: Always score the bread – just before baking, with a sharp blade or lame, about 1 cm deep.

Gummy Crumb

Possible causes:

• Bread cut too early → the baking process is still finishing
• Too much water relative to flour

Solution: Let rye breads cool for at least 2 hours, preferably overnight. Let wheat breads cool for at least 1 hour.