Your baking problems solved

THE DOUGH STICKS TO MY HANDS WHILE KNEADING

The stickiness of a dough is down to the amount of water that’s been added. It’s completely normal for an unkneaded dough to be sticky to start with. Some will be wetter than others, too – for example, focaccia dough is wet and loose, which is what makes it more elastic and creates those big air bubbles. As it’s baked in a tin, the looseness of the dough doesn’t matter. With the amount of water in a standard loaf, typically speaking, the more you knead, the less sticky it will become (usually after 5-6 mins, it will become less sticky). You will get to a point where the dough is no longer sticky and the kneading motion will clear your hands of dough. If you feel it’s taking too long, try dusting with a little more flour.

MY DOUGH ISN’T PROVING

The most likely cause of this is the yeast, so check the best before date. Instant yeast is usually more reliable than fresh, and dried yeast is different to fast-action as it needs to be activated. Make sure the water is lukewarm, not hot – if the water is too hot, it can kill the yeast.

IS MY DOUGH OVERPROVED?

The usual cause of overproving is that the yeast has sat for too long and the bubbles have become too big or the structure has been lost. Once the dough has grown by two-thirds, keep an eye on it until it has doubled in size. When the loaf is baked, it will rise slightly more due to the initial heat. See page 74 for tips on checking your dough is ready to bake. If it’s overproved, punch the air out of it, reshape and let it prove again.

I WANT MY DOUGH TO RISE MORE

Make sure you’re leaving it in a warm place and that you’re using lukewarm water (around 35C-37C). If you can set your oven to a really low temperature, you can prove your dough in it for around 30-40 mins. You can also add 1 tsp sugar to the dough to feed the yeast.

MY LOAF IS HEAVY AND SOGGY

Most loaves are soggy at the bottom because they’ve not had enough heat. Put a baking stone or sturdy baking tray in the oven to heat up first, then place your loaf on top to bake.

I DON’T KNOW HOW TO SHAPE MY BREAD

Forming your loaf into a tight ball will help it form a tight skin, which will also prevent uneven rising. Flour your hands, then tuck the dough under itself while spinning it round. Do this for a couple of minutes to form a wellrounded ball. This tension creates a lovely surface once baked.

MY LOAF IS CRUMBLY AND FALLS APART

Too much flour and not enough water can cause crumbly bread – if you’ve struggled with a wet dough and added a lot more flour rather than kneading it for longer, this can happen. Other causes can be overproving or not kneading enough – both of which are required to help create a good structure.

MY CRUST IS FLIMSY AND THIN

Don’t be disheartened! Crusts on shop-bought loaves are well-formed because the ovens are airtight, hotter than home ovens and can inject steam. Try baking your loaf in a casserole with the lid on, or generously mist the bread with water, as well as the oven, just before you close the door.

MY LOAF IS CRACKED

Bread expands during the initial stage of baking. Slash the loaf diagonally or horizontally through the surface first to determine where it will open in advance.