Bread: Defects, Causes and Remedies

Flour, water, yeast, salt. Simple and humble ingredients, when chosen carefully and combined in the right proportions, give rise to a small leavened miracle.Making bread at home is possible and relatively simple, but it is equally easy to make some mistakes that can compromise the result. Here is a list of the most common defects, along with explanations of their causes and tips for achieving perfect bread every time.

    Incorrect measurement of ingredients or their poor quality

Soft and sticky dough Bread with little volume and a light crust

If the dough is soft and sticky, it will be difficult to work with and will result in bread with little volume. If it is bland, has a flat and spread-out shape, a light crust, and a crumb that is not very soft, the cause may be a lack of salt.

Solution

Adjust the amount of salt, perform the folding to increase strength. Opt for a drier and less warm fermentation area.

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Poorly porous and rough crumb Bread with little volume and an excessively dark crust

If you notice these defects, the cause may be an excessive amount of salt, which, in addition to being unpleasant, inhibits fermentation.

Solution

Reduce the amount of salt in the dough.

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Sticky dough Bread with little volume and a flattened shape Moist crumb, coarse alveolation

The cause of these defects may be an excessive amount of water in the dough, which remains too moist even after fermentation.

Solution

Correct the excessive water content by adding flour in the early stages of mixing. Choose a less humid and cooler fermentation area.

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Underdeveloped finished product Compact crumb and crust with intense colouring Tears on the surface

The cause may be insufficient water in the dough. If the hydration is not appropriate, fermentation is longer and more difficult.

Solution

Adjust the amount of water in the dough and opt for a warmer and more humid fermentation area.

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Short fermentation Irregular crumb alveolation The bread becomes hard quickly

These defects are caused by a low amount of yeast. It is likely that the bread also has large bubbles between the crumb and the crust and in the centre. It may also have a low shape. Bread with these defects is also poorly digestible.

Solution

Adjust the amount of yeast, and opt for a warmer and more humid area to promote fermentation.

Dried Yeast for Bread and Pizza 200g Baking Aid 15g

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Gummy dough that tends to tear Compact crumb that tends to crumble

If during the mixing the water absorption was high but it remains not very extensible, appears gummy and struggles to develop, the possible cause is the excessive toughness (resistance) of the flour.

Solution

Mix with a weaker and more extensible flour (also from different cereals like kamut and spelt). Extend the resting times and opt for a warmer and more humid fermentation area.

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Soft and sticky dough, with little volume increase Finished product poorly developed

If during the mixing the absorbed water is low and it remains soft and sticky, difficult to shape, the cause may be the flour being too weak. During fermentation, the volume increases little and it “sinks”, creating a central depression, resulting in a poorly developed finished product.

Solution

Combine with a stronger flour like Manitoba, use less water or opt for enhancers like lemon juice or vitamin C.

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The bread rises with difficulty The finished product has a dry, poorly developed crumb and a very light crust

In this case, it is likely that the amylase activity of the flour is insufficient. Amylase activity refers to the transformation of starch into simple sugars, which provide nourishment for the bacteria responsible for fermentation. If this activity struggles to start or is slow, fermentation will be affected.

Solution

Add malt, simple sugars (sucrose, honey...) and opt for a warmer and more humid fermentation area.

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Insufficient volume Too compact crumb Light crust The presence of all three of these characteristics unmistakably indicates insufficient fermentation, due to inactive yeast. Solution

Correct the amount of yeast in the dough, opt for a warmer and more humid fermentation area, add malt and/or simple sugars, which act as activators and supporters of fermentation.

Type 2 Soft Wheat Flour 1Kg Organic Type 0 Manitoba Wheat Flour 5Kg Organic Defects attributable to processing methods

Reduced volume of the finished product, poorly developed crumb, compact and moist; shapes collapse during fermentation

Increase the mixing time, the water temperature and perform folding to strengthen the dough.

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The gluten network weakened by the process does not retain water and the dough becomes soft. The finished product and the crumb are poorly developed, the latter is compact and has an irregular alveolation

Mixing phase too long.

Solution

Reduce the mixing time, extend the resting phase, and perform folding halfway through fermentation.

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Slow fermentation, the finished product has irregular porosity and spots on the surface

Water too hot.

Solution

Correct the water temperature, choose a dry fermentation area, do not use malt and simple sugars.

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The crumb of the finished product has white streaks

Reduce the amount of flour during kneading or folding.

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Difficulty in shaping the product, high number of bubbles, shapes appear torn

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Underdeveloped alveolation, reduced volume bread, tears on the crust, bland product and dark colouring

Shapes collapse, the finished product appears flat and low, the crust is light, the crumb is moist and compact. Sour and pungent taste.