Bread Troubleshooting Tips

from King Arthur Flour

The dough does not rise

• Old yeast
  
• Water was too cool to activate the yeast or so hot that it killed the yeast
  
• The dough is too stiff
  
• Rising place is too cool
  
  

  The bread falls in the oven

• Dough rose too much and got too light
  
  

  The bread does not brown on the sides

• Pans are too bright and reflect heat away from the sides
  
• Poor pan placement in the oven and therefore overcrowding
  
  

  The bread has an excessive break on the side

• Oven is too hot
  
• Insufficient rising period
  
• Improper shaping
  
  

  The tops of the bread loaves are cracked

• Bread cooled too rapidly, probably in a draft
  
• The dough is too stiff
  
• The dough is not mixed well
  
  

  Baked loaf crumbles easily

• Dough is not mixed well
  
• Too much flour added
  
• Rising place is too warm
  
• Rising period too long
  
• Oven temperature is too low
  
  

  The bread is doughy on the bottom

• Loaves were not removed from pans and allowed to cool on racks after baking
  
  

  The crust is too thick

• Too much flour
  
• Insufficient rising period
  
• Oven temperature is too low
  
  

  The bread is heavy and dense

• Too much flour added
  
• Insufficient rising period
  
• Certain flours (whole wheat, rye, and others) create a heavier loaf than all-purpose unbleached flour
  
  

  The bread is wet inside and has a coarse grain

• Insufficient rising period
  
  

  The bread is dry and has a coarse grain

• Too much flour added
  
• Dough not kneaded long enough
  
• Rising period too long
  
• Oven temperature too low
  
  

  The bread contains dark streaks

• Uneven mixing or kneading
  
• Bowl was greased too heavily
  
• Dough was not covered during rising period
  
  

  The bread has holes in it

• Air not completely pressed out of dough when loaves were shaped
  
• Dough rose too long before baking loaves
  
  

  The bread smells and tastes of yeast

• Rising periods too long
  
• Rising place is too warm
  
  

  The bread has a sour taste

• Rising place is too warm and therefore the dough rose too quickly
  
• Dough rose too long before being baked