Sourdough Troubleshooter
Something off with your bake? Pick the recipe you made, then the problem — and get a fix calibrated to that exact bake. The same symptom means different things for a white loaf, a rye, or a focaccia.
For this bake
Hearty Rustic Sourdough Loaf
White / wheat loaf
What went wrong?
Likely causes
Bulk fermentation was cut short, so not enough gas built up.
The fix: Extend bulk until the dough is jiggly and risen by roughly half, with bubbles at the edges.
A weak or unripe starter couldn’t leaven the dough.
The fix: Build with starter at its peak — bubbly and domed — and feed it more often in the days before baking.
Likely causes
The loaf was sliced while still warm, before the crumb set.
The fix: Cool completely on a rack for at least an hour (longer for big loaves) before cutting.
The bread was underbaked, so the centre never finished.
The fix: Bake longer and darker; the internal temperature should reach about 96–99 °C.
Likely causes
Hydration is higher than your flour can carry.
The fix: Hold some water back and add it gradually (bassinage), or switch to a stronger, higher-protein flour.
The gluten isn’t developed enough to hold the water.
The fix: Give it a rest (autolyse) and a few sets of stretch-and-folds during bulk.
Likely causes
The dough overproofed and the gluten can no longer hold gas.
The fix: Shorten the proof and use the poke test — the dent should spring back slowly and only partly.
Shaping left too little surface tension to hold the loaf up.
The fix: Pre-shape, rest, then shape tightly to build a taut skin; proof seam-side up in a banneton.
Likely causes
The loaf was underproofed and forced its own way out in the oven.
The fix: Give it more proof so the crumb can expand evenly instead of blowing out.
Scoring was too shallow or missing, so there was no escape route.
The fix: Make one decisive cut about 1 cm deep at a shallow angle to control where it opens.
Likely causes
Not enough steam in the first half of the bake.
The fix: Bake the first 20 minutes covered (Dutch oven) or add steam, then uncover to brown.
The oven was too cool or the bake too short for browning.
The fix: Bake hotter and longer; deep colour is flavour from the Maillard reaction.
Likely causes
The dough overproofed and had no gas left to expand.
The fix: Bake at a younger proof; the poke test should spring back slowly, not collapse.
The oven (or Dutch oven / stone) wasn’t fully preheated, or there was no steam.
The fix: Preheat hard for 45–60 minutes and trap steam so the crust stays soft long enough to spring.
A weak starter never built enough strength.
The fix: Revive the starter with frequent feeds until it doubles reliably, then bake.
Likely causes
A long, warm fermentation built up a lot of acid.
The fix: Shorten bulk, ferment cooler, and feed your starter more often so it’s sweet and active.
A neglected, hungry starter turns sharply sour.
The fix: Refresh it with one or two daily feeds (discard down to a small amount first).
Likely causes
The dough fermented fast and warm, or the starter is young.
The fix: Add a long cold retard in the fridge (12–24 h) to build the sharper acetic tang.
Likely causes
The gluten is under-developed or the dough is too dry.
The fix: Add a couple more sets of folds, or a touch more water, and let it rest before shaping.
Likely causes
Loose shaping trapped a large pocket of air.
The fix: Degas gently and shape more tightly so bubbles are even, not one big void.
Likely causes
The dough was over-worked or had too much flour added.
The fix: Use a gentler hand and resist dusting in extra flour during shaping.
Likely causes
It’s too cold, too young, or simply hungry.
The fix: Keep it warm (24–26 °C) and feed 1:1:1 daily for a week; a little rye or whole wheat jump-starts it.