Troubleshooting Free-Form Sourdough Loaves - Cultures For Health (2024)

CAUSES

SOLUTIONS

1. The loaves did not rise long enough.

1. Let the loaves nearly double in size before baking.

2. Gases did not have an escape route.

2. Make a few slashes on the top of the loaves, so gases created during baking have a controlled escape.

1. The dough proofed too long, especially if the texture of the bread is coarse.

1. If dough over-proofs, reshape and proof again. The subsequent proofing period will be much shorter.

1. Dough was too warm when placed in the oven.

1. Avoid proofing free-form loaves in a very warm location. You’ll actually get better “oven-spring” if the internal temperature of the dough is 50-55°F when placing in a hot oven.

2. Dough was too wet.

2. If doughhydrationis too high, the dough will be too slack to hold its shape. Try adding a little more flour or a little less liquid to the dough.

3. Bread was baked at too low a temperature.

3. Bake free-form breads at 400°F, for best results.

4. Dough was handled too roughly in transferring to the oven.

4. Shape bread on a piece of parchment, proof, then slide loaf, parchment and all, onto baking stone when ready to bake.

1. Hydration level is too low.

1. Use less flour and/or a little more water in preparing dough.

2. Bread baked too long.

2. Use aninstant-read thermometerto make sure bread is 190-205°F before removing from oven. Bread will lose too much liquid through evaporation if baked too long.

1. Bread was not baked long enough.

1. Bake the bread a little longer. Use aninstant-read thermometerto make sure bread is 190-205°F before removing from oven.

1. Dough too soft to hold its shape.

1. Proof in a basket or use spring-form pan ring to hold dough's shape during rising. Place the dough on parchment paper first, then easily transfer loaf plus parchment directly onto a hot baking stone.

2. Knead dough well to sufficiently develop the gluten, to help dough hold its shape.

1. Add steam to oven during baking. Spray walls of oven with a fine mist of water immediately before placing the loaf in; spray again after 5-10 minutes of baking.

1. Bake 30-45 minutes at 400ºF.Insert aninstant-read thermometerinto the center of the loaf to check for doneness.

2. If doughhydrationis too high, the dough will be too slack to hold its shape. Add a little more flour or a little less liquid to the dough.