My sourdough starter doubles reliably after feeding and smells pleasantly tangy. The loaves still come out squat and dense, with a few enormous holes surrounded by tight crumb. I'm using bread flour and folding during bulk fermentation, but judging when fermentation is complete is guesswork in my cool kitchen. Would you focus first on bulk rise, shaping tension or final proof? The starter looks lively, so I suspect my timing more than the culture.
Sourdough starter that is active but produces dense loaves
- baking
- sourdough
- starter
- active
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4 replies
I’d look at bulk first. If the dough is proofing well but the loaf still comes out tight, the dough may be underfermented when it goes into...
I’d look at bulk first. If the dough is proofing well but the loaf still comes out tight, the dough may be underfermented when it goes into the oven, especially in a cool kitchen.
Yep. Starter activity is only one piece. If you’re getting huge holes and a dense rest, that sounds like shaping or proofing timing to me.
Could also be that the dough isn’t holding gas well before bake. I’d watch the dough itself more than the clock: looks puffier, jiggly, smoo...