Mastering the art of artisan bread baking can be incredibly rewarding. Although, of course, many bakers can encounter problems, such as the spread of sourdough. Fear not, as we've compiled a series of troubleshooting tips to help you tackle the problem in no time. You'll be creating beautifully shaped sourdough bread in no time, so get ready to brush up on your baking skills and enjoy the well-defined sourdough creations you've been dreaming of!
Table of Contents
Why is my sourdough spreading?
Your dough can spread due to several factors:
Using the wrong type of flour
When it comes to sourdough recipes, some types of flour – such as whole wheat flour and fresh ground flour – contain bran particles that can compromise gluten development. This results in a weaker dough structure and increased spreading during the baking of the dough.
Instead, choose hard white bread flour with a higher protein content to improve the gluten strands and support the shape of your dough. Avoid using regular bread flour as it may not contain enough protein for the overall gluten structure in your bread dough.
Poorly developed gluten
Gluten is the network of proteins responsible for providing structure and elasticity to your bread dough. Insufficient boiling or insufficient fermentation time can compromise gluten formation resulting in a weak dough structure that struggles to hold its shape during baking.
Dough spreads when there is less gluten strength to enable gas production, leading to a flat or stretched float.
Not using a banneton
or banneton OR correction basket (and theirs ALTERNATIVES) supports the dough during the final proofing phase. They also help the dough retain its shape and texture. Without an insulating basket, the dough can spread and lose definition during the fermentation and baking stages. The ridged surface of a banneton creates beautiful patterns on the surface of the dough, thus enhancing its appearance.
To avoid spreading the dough, use a well-floured bannette for proofing. This will allow the dough to rise instead of spreading outwards.
Proving it for a long time
Long fermentation can cause wild yeast and bacteria in sourdough to produce gas, creating lots of air pockets in the dough. Over-fermentation weakens the gluten structure, which also causes the dough to lose strength and collapse. To prevent this from happening, it is essential to monitor the dough closely
and consider things like the initial strength of the sourdough as well as the temperature. Balancing the temperature along with proper fermentation will ensure a well-structured, risen sourdough bread.
Bad shaping technique
Proper shaping is important for creating tension on the surface of the dough, which enables it to maintain its structure during fermentation and baking. If the dough is not tightly shaped, it can lose its shape and spread outwards instead of rising up during proofing to create a good loaf.
Furthermore, poor surface tension can lead to surface cracks which can compromise the dough's ability to hold its shape. To avoid spreading, practice several shaping methods, such as pre-shaping and final shaping to ensure a smooth, well-tensioned surface for your sourdough breads.
Adding too much water
High levels of hydration can weaken gluten development, making your dough stickier and more challenging to handle. A weakened gluten structure struggles to hold its shape during fermentation and baking, leading to a flat bread. To avoid this, maintain an appropriate level of hydration according to the sourdough recipe and adjust it based on the type of flour and environmental conditions.
How to help the dough keep its shape
There are many ways you can keep sourdough in shape. Check out the tips below:
Use a Banneton
Using a banneton allows the dough to hold tension and form a well-defined crust. The banneton also provides support for the dough, preventing it from spreading, instead encouraging the dough to rise during proofing to create a longer loaf.
It also prevents the dough from becoming too sticky by keeping excess moisture away, enabling it to maintain its structural integrity.
Building surface tension
When baking bread, it is essential to focus on proper baking techniques to ensure a well-baked loaf. Specifically, the outer layer of dough must be stretched and tightened to hold its shape as it expands during proofing to prevent over-spreading.
As the dough bakes, surface tension promotes a controlled rise. This results in a nicely defined crust and well-structured bread. By achieving a good surface tension, bakers can ensure that their sourdough bread holds a beautiful shape, with an airy crumb and wonderful texture.
Witness
During fermentation, the yeast and bacteria in the sourdough produce gas, which causes the dough to rise. Proper proofing time allows the gluten structure to harden, allowing it to hold gas within the dough, resulting in a well-risen loaf with a good oven spring.
Sufficient protection also allows the dough to relax and spread properly, without uneven spreading during baking.
Try in the fridge and bake immediately
Refrigerating sourdough or cold proofing followed by immediate baking can help your dough retain its shape. Cold correction it slows down the fermentation process and allows the dough to develop flavor and strengthen its gluten structure.
Cold dough is also easier to handle and shape, thus reducing the risk of over-spreading during the final proofing and baking stages.
Develop gluten
When the dough is cooked, the gluten proteins line up and form a strong elastic network. This structure traps gases produced during fermentation, which creates air pockets that help the dough expand while retaining its shape.
Well-developed gluten ensures that the dough holds its own weight, which prevents spreading during proofing and baking. It also contributes to a good crumb structure, allowing the bread to rise and develop into a nice, well-defined crust.
Consider hydration level
Hydration refers to the amount of water that binds to the flour in the dough. Dough with high hydration can be more challenging to handle and mold due to greater stickiness, which can lead to over-spreading.
Meanwhile, lower hydration levels can provide better dough handling and texture. By adjusting the hydration level in your flour mixture until you reach the right consistency, you may be able to achieve sufficient gluten development, thereby creating a springy dough that holds its shape during fermentation and baking.
Use whole wheat or rye flour
both whole wheat AND rye flour contain high levels of bran and fiber which can naturally strengthen the structure of the dough. Coarse particles create a tight network within the gluten structure and increase its ability to trap gas during fermentation.
This allows the dough to gain more strength and elasticity during proofing and baking. Using these types of flour will produce sourdough bread with an improved texture, a well-defined shape and a delicious sourdough crumb.
Stop spreading the sourdough
To prevent your dough from spreading, you should pay attention to several factors:
- proper gluten development
- optimal level of hydration
- enough time for exam
- shaping techniques to help the dough retain its shape.
Once you've mastered these elements, you'll be able to achieve a beautiful, well-baked noodle that's perfect for enjoying!
Frequently asked questions
How do you get sourdough to hold its shape?
When making sourdough bread, in order for the bread dough to hold its shape, you need to apply the right baking techniques, allow the right fermentation time, maintain the right level of hydration, and gently shape the dough.
How do you keep bread dough from spreading?
Focus on proper gluten development through boiling, avoid excess water, and form the dough tightly before baking. Maintaining a controlled temperature will also play a key role in maintaining the structure of the dough, preventing it from spreading during baking.
Why doesn't my dough hold its shape after bulk fermentation?
Your sourdough bread may not hold its shape due to insufficient gluten development, over-fermentation, or improper shaping. In addition, inadequate stirring, a weak sourdough starter, or with high hydration dough can also contribute to this. You need to ensure the right fermentation time, handle the dough gently and adjust the hydration as well as the initial strength to maintain the best shape.
