Fermentation is an essential step in sourdough baking. So what should you do when your dough is under-fermented? If you are wondering what happened and how to fix it, then stay for the guide.
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How can I tell if my dough is under fermenting?
The main telltale signs of under-fermented sourdough are visible in baked bread. You may notice the following features:
- Cracked note and big ears.
- An uneven crumb, or narrow crumb with larger holes.
- Rubbery or moist texture
- It will not brown in the oven or in the toaster.
- The bread is small but feels heavy.
Honestly, it's very hard to tell if your bread was under-fermented, just by how it looks when you take it out of the oven. In fact, the yeast from your sourdough starter will have done wonders for your dough, which is why you'll still get that great oven spring.
You probably won't notice the difference until you finally cut into the sourdough bread and take a look at the crumb texture. In general, you can still eat and enjoy any sourdough bread that is under-fermented, unless it is completely raw when sliced.
Broken note
Making your dough before putting it in the oven helps produce a wonderful crust and sourdough crust. However, if your dough is tearing or cracking where you marked, then this is a clear indication that your dough may need more time to ferment.
Generally, picking your bread would have resulted in a clean, folded ear, but don't worry too much about the appearance of the ear. As long as your bread is nice and fresh, with the perfect texture, it shouldn't cause much of a problem, apart from the obvious visual ruin.
Uneven calling
Sourdough bread is not sourdough bread without its light and even crumb. And that's what most of us are looking for. The last thing you want to find is a series of uneven holes, some larger than others, as this not only ruins the aesthetics, but it doesn't look uniform in any way.
An uneven crumb is a very clear indicator of under-fermented sourdough, and this can be interpreted by the strange structure of the crumb. This can be extremely frustrating, as larger holes can make your slices of bread look torn and crumbly, and not at all appealing. Not to mention that jam and butter will flow through those big holes too!
Rubberized quality
A batch of sourdough that has not been sufficiently fermented will have one rubber texture when cut open. It can have such a soft texture that you'll find residue sticking to your bread knife.
You have to wait until the bread has cooled completely before slicing it, so if you think you've cut the bread too early, it might be. Honestly, if you let your freshly baked bread cool on a cooling rack for 8 hours, it will still feel moist and soft inside.
This is simply because under-fermented dough is unable to fully bake, no matter how long you keep it in the oven.
This can cause confusion for those who use a thermometer to judge the doneness of their sourdough. The thermometer will only indicate the internal temperature of your dough, which in no way indicates how cooked your dough is. No matter how high the temperature, if the dough is under-fermented, it will remain soft.
There is no brown color
One of the main things most bakers are excited about is the wonderful sourdough crust. A perfectly fermented sourdough will produce a crisp, golden brown crust that sounds absolutely delicious when sliced.
Unfortunately, under sourdough will not only have difficulty browning in the oven, but will not be able to brown in a toaster, due to the excess moisture in the dough.
Small but heavy bread
The best way to tell if your dough was under-fermented or not is when you take it out of the oven. If it looks smaller than it should, ie. little or no oven spring, but it feels heavy in your hands, then it hasn't spent enough time in bulk fermentation.
Perfectly fermented sourdough will feel light and airy when it rises, with a wonderful oven spring. It will also feel lighter before you put it in the oven to bake. So if it feels extremely heavy before baking, then this may indicate that it has not been fermented for a long time.
How to fix sourdough bread under fermentation
Once you've established that your dough may be under-fermented, then fixing it is very easy. First of all, time and patience are the perfect antidote to less leavened bread.
You will need to extend the bulk fermentation to allow your sourdough starter to continue to do what it is supposed to.
Another thing to consider is the maturity of your sourdough starter. If it's not baked enough, then chances are your dough will end up under-fermented. Baking a sourdough starter is a process in itself. It takes time, patience and a lot of food. Eventually, when it has produced enough carbon dioxide to grow and help ferment your dough, you'll be able to tell by the look of the starter.
For a better understanding, see what is a baked sourdough starter.
What is the difference between sourdough under fermentation and sourdough under proof
Often these terms can be used synonymously, though under fermentation it really refers to being dough it is removed from fermentation faster than it should. AND under correction refers to removing the dough from the second resting periodwhich is often carried out in the refrigerator.
Both processes are extremely important and are the ticket to producing perfectly tasting bread with a wonderful airy texture and open crumb.
How to use sourdough bread under fermentation
Under the sourdough, the bread is not pleasant at all. But once you've taken it out of the oven and discovered the unfortunate result, you may want to toss the entire loaf altogether.
While this reaction is completely understandable, I encourage you to take a step back and consider some of these great ideas for your sourdough bread.
You can easily transform a disappointing loaf of bread into something delicious, and here are just a few ways you can do it:
- Sourdough croutons: While your dough may not look great, there's no point in stressing over looks. Instead, you can use the wonderful taste and transform soft bread into some croutons! Simply cut your bread into cubes, toss in olive oil and bake in the oven for 10 minutes. Toss this on your salad for a great crunchy addition.
- Bread Pudding with Dough: Bread pudding is probably one of the best ways to use up an unleavened bread. Simply because you can enjoy this for dessert and add whatever ingredients you like to create a sweet and crunchy treat. I like to add dried fruit like raisins, dried walnuts and a sweet glaze for the perfect finish.
- Sourdough breadcrumbs: Breadcrumbs are incredibly versatile because they can be used for anything. From fried chicken to potato chips, there's no telling what you can do with it. So, throw your underleavened bread into a food processor and pulse until you're left with coarse crumbs. Add these to soups, salads or use in your own fun recipes for a nice treat.
Under the sourdough
Sour bread under the sourdough is not good, but it is very easy to fix once you know it in time.
Frequently asked questions
How do you know when the sourdough has risen enough?
The best way to know when the dough has risen enough is to use a combination of these indicators, including volume, texture and finger test.
