Bread and yeast doughs
Flat, spread loaf with little height
4 likely causes, sorted by where the problem lives. Work down the list and change one variable at a time.
Likely causes
- techniqueOver-proofed, so the gluten is exhausted and cannot hold the shape.
- formulaSlack or over-hydrated dough.
- formulaFlour too weak for the style.
- techniqueShaped without enough surface tension.
What to change
- Shorten the proof.
- Lower the hydration, or move to a bread flour with more protein.
- Shape with real tension so the loaf has a skin to push against.
- Bake in a form or banneton if the dough is too slack to hold itself.
Read it with the four domains in mind
FormulaThe recipe itself: ratios, quantities, and ingredient choice.
TechniqueWhat you did: mixing, shaping, timing, handling.
EnvironmentThe room: temperature, humidity, altitude, storage.
EquipmentThe gear: oven calibration, pans, mixer, tools.
Adapted from the master symptom matrices in Environmental Variables & Troubleshooting. General sourcing across these tables: Figoni (2011); Gisslen (2016); Corriher (2008); McGee (2004); Modernist Bread (2017); King Arthur Baking technical guides; BAKERpedia.
Other bread symptoms
Dense, heavy crumb
Gummy, undercooked interior
Collapses when scored or loaded into the oven
Dense and tight, bursting at the side
No oven spring
Pale crust
Crust too dark
Big irregular holes, wildly open crumb
Tight, close crumb when you wanted open
Sudden collapse in the oven
Bread Atlas & Sourdough · Dough Temperature Calculator · The full troubleshooting method · All 50 symptoms