Diagnosing dense, heavy bread
Dense bread usually results from insufficient rise, weak gluten structure, or too-tight shaping. Several factors can cause these issues; diagnosing the cause helps you correct the problem in future bakes.
Common causes and solutions:
- Underproofing: Dough hasn’t risen enough. Solution: Allow more bulk fermentation and final proof; look for a dough that’s puffy and springs back slowly on a finger poke.
- Too little gluten development: Inadequate kneading or not using enough high-protein flour. Solution: Knead longer, use bread flour or add a bit of vital wheat gluten for extra strength.
- Too much flour: Adding extra flour during shaping yields a stiff dough. Solution: Keep dough slightly tacky and use a bench scraper rather than extra flour; measure flour by weight.
- Old or inactive yeast: Yeast not producing gas. Solution: Proof yeast beforehand or replace with fresh yeast.
- Heavy mix-ins or excessive whole grain: Large quantities of seeds, nuts, or whole grains can weigh dough down. Solution: Reduce inclusions or increase hydration and gluten strength.
Other contributors:
- Overproofing that then collapses: Dough that overproofs can deflate and bake dense. Watch timing and proof in cooler spots if needed.
- Incorrect oven temperature: If oven is too cool, bread won’t get proper oven spring. Use an oven thermometer to check accuracy.
Practical checklist:
- Check yeast viability via a proof test.
- Ensure proper dough consistency with the recipe’s hydration.
- Observe dough during proofing rather than relying solely on clock times.
- Use a consistent method for measuring ingredients (scale recommended).
Resolving density often involves a small adjustment—longer fermentation, better gluten development, or accurate measuring—and will noticeably improve crumb over subsequent loaves.