Why Is My Sourdough Bread Dense? Common Causes and Fixes

Understanding Fermentation and Its Effects on Crumb

A beautifully airy crumb can be the ultimate goal for many bakers, but achieving it requires mastering fermentation, gluten development, and proper handling. Dense bread often results from missteps in these areas. Whether it's overmixing, underfermenting or improper shaping, understanding these key factors will help you refine your technique and produce consistently great bread.

UnderFermentation

Underfermentation occurs when the dough does not ferment long enough to develop a proper balance of gas, acidity, and gluten strength. During fermentation, yeast consumes sugars and produces carbon dioxide, which aerates the dough, while lactic acid bacteria contribute to flavor and structure. If this process is cut short, the dough remains dense due to insufficient gas production, weak gluten structure, and inadequate enzymatic activity. The result can be dough with poor rise, a gummy or tight crumb, and a muted flavor profile.

Underfermentation prevents the dough from developing enough gas, leading to a compact and dense crumb. Proper fermentation allows yeast and bacteria to produce carbon dioxide, which aerates the dough and creates a light structure. When fermentation is cut short, the dough does not develop sufficient volume, resulting in a tight and chewy texture.

Common Causes of UnderFermentation

A weak or inactive starter: Lacks the necessary population of yeast and bacteria to produce enough gas for proper fermentation. High acidity in the starter can also slow yeast activity, making it harder for fermentation to progress efficiently.
Cold Fermentation Temperature: Overly cold ambient or dough temperatures (typically 72°f and under) slow down yeast activity, which can delay fermentation and prevent the dough from producing enough gas. Even with proper gluten development, underfermented dough can lack the necessary gas to create a light, airy crumb, resulting in a dense texture.
Insufficient fermentation time: Underestimating the time needed for the dough to rise can result in inadequate gas production and weak structure.

There are many other variables that can contribute to underfermentation and these are just a few common examples. Understanding how different factors interact will help in diagnosing and correcting fermentation issues.

Signs of Underfermentation

Minimal dough volume increase during bulk fermentation or proofing: Instead of becoming puffy and airy, the dough may remain flat, dense, or spread out. When gently poked, it may feel firm and unyielding, lacking the soft, jiggly texture of properly fermented dough.
Weak oven spring: This can limit its ability to expand properly in the oven. Weak oven spring can, cause the loaf to remain flatter and denser than expected. The crust may set too early, restricting bloom at scoring points, while the interior crumb can feel heavy or gummy due to inadequate aeration.
Irregular crumb structure: A dense interior with small, uneven holes can idicate insufficient gas development. Additionally, tunneling (long, irregular air pockets) can occur when gas distribution is uneven due to weak fermentation or improper shaping. This results in a crumb with large, misplaced holes rather than an even, open structure.

Overfermentation

Overfermentation occurs when the dough ferments for too long, leading to excessive gas production and weakened gluten structure. This can result in dough that collapses, lacks strength, and has an undesirable gummy texture.

Common Causes of Overfermentation

Excessive fermentation time: Allowing dough to ferment too long leads to overproduction of gas, stretching and weakening the gluten.
High ambient or dough temperature: Warmer temperatures (typically above 75°F) speed up fermentation, increasing the risk of overfermentation if proofing times are not adjusted accordingly. The faster activity can cause the dough to pass its optimal fermentation stage more quickly, leading to excessive gas production, weakened gluten, and potential collapse. Keeping track of fermentation progress and adjusting time or temperature can help prevent this.
High inoculation percentage: Using too much starter relative to the total flour weight can cause fermentation to progress too quickly, leading to weakened gluten and excessive gas buildup. This effect is heavily influenced by environmental factors such as climate, ambient temperature, and humidity levels, which vary by location.

Signs of Overfermentation

Irregular, deflated shape: Overfermented dough typically bakes into a flat, spread out, or deflated shape. It often lacks the structure to rise upward, so it tends to collapse inward or spread outward during baking.
Dough that deflates when handled: Overproofed dough is fragile and often collapses when touched or transferred. It may also spread excessively, losing its intended shape and structure before or during baking.
Collapsed honeycomb structure : A dough that has overfermented for too long often shows an exaggerated, airy crumb that eventually collapses. Excessive enzyme activity breaks down the gluten, creating irregular, honeycomb-like pockets that lack strength. The result is a sticky, unstructured crumb that feels wet and unbalanced.

Mixing and Gluten Development Problems

Proper gluten development helps ensure the dough can fully expand during fermentation and baking. Without it, gas retention may be compromised, potentially leading to a dense crumb rather than the desired light, airy texture.

Common causes of mixing:

Insufficient mixing: can lead to weak gluten formation, preventing gas retention.
Overmixing: can result in the dough becoming too tight and elastic, restricting expansion. In extreme cases, overmixing can break down gluten structure, weakening the dough and making it unable to hold gas effectively.

How to Develop Gluten Effectively:

If mixing by hand: Start with a more vigorous mix and consider methods such as the Rubaud method or slap and fold technique. Processes like these are excellent for building strength early in the mixing process. Upfront development helps align gluten strands and build flexibility
Adjust hydration for your flour: Not all flours absorb water the same way. Some flours can only handle a limited amount of water before losing structure and becoming too loose or fragile. Adjust water levels to match your flour’s absorption capacity, ensuring the dough maintains the right balance between strength and extensibility for proper gluten development.
If using a mixer: Pay attention to mixing time and speed. Undermixing can result in weak gluten development, while overmixing can eventually break down the gluten network entirely. If this happens, the dough can lose its ability to trap and retain gas, leading to a weak structure that collapses during fermentation and baking. This may result in a compact, dense crumb rather than the desired light, open texture.

How Shaping Influences Crumb Structure

Shaping is important for achieving a desirable crumb structure. Proper shaping creates surface tension in the dough, allowing it to hold its structure and expand properly during baking. Without sufficient shaping, the dough could possibly spread irregularly, leading to a dense, compact crumb with limited rise.

Common Shaping Issues That Contribute to Dense Bread:

Aggressive shaping: Overhandling the dough or applying excessive tension during shaping can create a dense, compact structure that restricts expansion in the oven. This tight shaping can prevent the dough from properly expanding, leading to a loaf with a tight, chewy crumb rather than an airy interior.
Adding inclusions at shaping: Incorporating them too late in bulk fermentation or at shaping can lead to uneven distribution and excessive degassing. This disrupts fermentation pockets, reducing rise and potentially causing a dense or irregular crumb. Instead, mixing them in earlier during mixing or folding allows for even distribution while preserving dough structure.
Lack of relaxation between handling: If the dough is handled too frequently or shaped too soon after preshaping, the gluten can remain tight and resist expansion. Allowing the dough to rest between steps helps prevent excessive tension, enabling a more even rise.

Achieving the perfect loaf is a journey of refinement. While fermentation, gluten development, and shaping are important factors, many other variables can also influence the final outcome. By continuously refining your techniques and understanding how different elements interact, you can consistently create bread with superior texture, structure, and flavor.