Gummy loaves (2024)

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What makes a gummy loaf? I get asked this a lot so I thought I’d share some answers and possibilities here, there can be a few reasons:

Slicing into a loaf before it’s cooled enough will give you a lovely warm slice of fresh bread, but it won’t be at its best, it will end up gummy from the steam; I leave my loaves for hours and hours before slicing into them. That way they’re light and dry and the texture I want them to be. If you can’t wait, go for it, but just do keep this in mind.

Over proving can produce a moist crumb, if your loaf is wide and flat and pale on the outside with small holes and a slightly damp interior, it may well be over.

Under baking can produce a gummy interior. Try baking for longer.

Is your pan big enough for your loaf? If the pan is too small and your loaf doesn’t have the space it needs to grow as it bakes it will hinder the bake and prevent it from being fully baked inside.

Too much water can also produce a damp loaf. Try less water with your flour.

Uneven heat in your oven can be the culprit – if you loaf is nicely golden on the outside but gummy or moist in the inside, it’s baking too quickly on the outside. Trying reducing the temperature you’re baking at and bake for a bit longer. Experiment until you find the sweet spot, and take notes along the way.

Consider if you’ve added any inclusions? Have they added liquid to the dough you didn’t account for?

If you live somewhere humid and you’ve baked your lovely loaf and left it out for several hours to cool, the humidity can soften the crust and damped the loaf, try to catch it whilst it’s still crisp on the outside and store it in something that will repel moisture.

A gummy loaf could be as a result of one, or more, of these. As always, the best way to find your solution is to go through an elimination process and change one thing at a time and make notes, always make notes.

If all else fails, make toast. Dry your slices of bread out in the toaster and enjoy!

I hope this helps!

For more tips and help check out my FAQ page and my Tips Index.

Gummy loaves (2024)

FAQs

How to fix gummy sourdough? ›

tips for avoiding a gummy sourdough loaf - 1) try making a loaf with lower hydration 2) make sure to develop the gluten sufficiently, whether through autolysing, laminating, kneading, or folding 3) make sure to proof long enough 4) make sure to bake long enough and let the loaf cool before cutring #sourdoughtok # ...

Can you fix gummy bread? ›

During this experimentation window, you can try to save gummy loaves of bread by popping them back in the oven for a few minutes to cook some more. If the dough is too far gone and this does not work, however, it is best to simply toss out the bread to prevent illness or other issues that come with undercooked food.

Is overproofed dough gummy? ›

Over proving can produce a moist crumb, if your loaf is wide and flat and pale on the outside with small holes and a slightly damp interior, it may well be over. Under baking can produce a gummy interior.

Is it safe to eat gummy sourdough bread? ›

Now, it's important to know. there's nothing wrong with this bread. The bread tastes amazing. It's still edible, it's perfectly safe to eat, it's fully cooked.

Why is my sourdough loaf dense and gummy? ›

Most likely when this happens, it's not you - it's your starter. If your loaf is dense, has uneven holes and a gummy texture, most likely there wasn't enough active wild yeast in your starter to make the bread develop and rise during baking. This can be the case even if your starter seems really happy and bubbly.

How do you make dough less gummy? ›

If your dough is too sticky and it's impossible to work with you can add some extra flour, just a little at a time. Make sure you weigh the extra flour you add and then you'll be able to adjust the recipe correctly the next time you bake.

What does overproofed sourdough look like? ›

Note: As loaves begin to overproof they lose their height and shape. The crumb becomes more dense. The holes become more ragged and irregular in shape. The crust begins to thin and separate from the crumb.

How to make sourdough bread less chewy? ›

Avoid Using Too Much Flour On Your Dough Surface

Try to minimise the amount of rice flour you use and brush off the excess before baking. If you are rubbing your dough with flour before baking to accentuate your scored designs, this too can dehydrate your crust, causing it to be tougher and more chewy.

What happens if you let sourdough rise too long? ›

If you over-ferment the dough you run the risk of the gluten structure degrading and the loaf turning into a puddle of goo before your eyes, never to be retrieved and destined for the bin.

What does over fermented sourdough look like? ›

Dough that is over-fermented will start to spread once scored and look bubbly/weak. You'll notice it falling in a bit or a lot. Notice how the whole loaf is collapsing. If you notice your dough is over-fermented be sure to score very shallow and use a minimum of scoring slashes.

Why do athletes eat sourdough? ›

A smaller spike in blood sugar can result in more sustained energy levels and less diabetes risk. Bacterial fermentation also decreases the amount of gluten present, making sourdough bread easier to digest for some. For a larger dose of essential nutrients, look for whole-grain sourdough breads at artisan bakeries.

When should you not eat sourdough bread? ›

As a general rule, you should throw out a loaf of sourdough bread when it shows visible signs of mold, when it has an unpleasant odor, or when it doesn't taste right. At this point, mold may be contaminating the bread below the surface, even if you can't see it.

Why is my gf sourdough bread gummy? ›

Many ask why their gluten free bread is gummy. This can have several different causes, including: The most common reason your bread is gummy, sticky, or doughy in the middle is that your bread didn't bake long enough. Gluten free dough needs to be baked much longer than regular bread dough.

How do you make sourdough soft again? ›

REVIVING A LOAF FOR FRESH EATING

Splash some water over the top of your bread, just enough to become slightly damp. Place the loaf in a 250°F oven for 5 to 10 minutes. Watch it closely and remove it when warm. Too long in the oven and you'll get dried-out toast.

How to fix over fermented sourdough? ›

4 Ways to Save Overproofed Dough
  1. Adjust your scoring technique. “Scoring the dough helps it give one last little human intervention before it gets baked,” Apollonia says. ...
  2. Bake the dough as a pizza or flatbread crust. ...
  3. Reshape the dough and let it proof again. ...
  4. Use overproofed dough in sourdough discard recipes.
Sep 27, 2022

How do you fix overworked sourdough? ›

While underworked dough can simply be fixed by a little more kneading, severely overworked dough cannot be fixed. Instead, the overworked dough will result in a hard loaf that will likely not be eaten. It's important not to overwork your dough and continually check for overworking throughout the kneading process.

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