How to Bake

Common mistakes and their causes when baking bread

The bread has not risen properly:


  • the dough was too cold (a skin has formed)
  • the yeast was old (it smells unpleasant)
  • the liquid was too cold or too warm (above 35° C) or less
  • the dough was not kneaded long enough (at least 6 minutes with the kneader)

 

The bread is torn apart:


  • the dough was not kneaded long and thoroughly enough
  • the dough did not rise properly

 

The bread collapsed in the oven:


  • the dough has risen too long
  • the dough rested in a too warm spot

 

The bread breaks or becomes flat:

  • the dough was too soft
  • the dough has risen too long

 

The bread crumbles strongly:

  • the dough was too solid
  • the water was too hot

There are cracks in the crumb:

  • too mellow
  • not enough scald was used

 

The pore structure is too tight:


  • the dough was too solid
  • too little liquid

 

The surface/crust breaks:

too little yeast (slightly pierce the dough surface to prevent water accumulation)

 

The pore structure is too coarse and irregular:

  • too much liquid
  • the dough rested too long