The Fresh Loaf

A Community of Amateur Bakers and Artisan Bread Enthusiasts.

dense bread

lithmick's picture
lithmick

dense bread

The bread was a bit dense not very sour either

 

M

Comments

cranbo's picture
cranbo

A little hard to tell, but I think there was probably just not enough water in your recipe, that's why it turned out as dense as it did. When using wholemeal flours with a recipe originally designed for all-purpose flour or bread flour, you need to increase the water to adjust for their higher water absorption. 

See my comments on the other thread for details. 

Looks like you got good crust color and decent spring though, nice job! 

 

clazar123's picture
clazar123

Can you list the recipe and how you handled the dough? A picture just isn't enough.

From just looking at the picture, it looks like you got nice color and form on the crust and loaf. The crumb doesn't look too bad,either. Nice distribution of bubbles and good oven spring from the looks of the slash that spread. Is this a whole wheat? There are some hydration issues that could be at play but actually, it looks like you sliced it open when it was hot. That can make it quite gummy lookingas the moisture needs to distribute and diminish throughout the crumb. It could also be a bit under-proofed.

It could be lots of things but always start with the basics-the ingredients and the technique that produced the loaf.

cranbo's picture
cranbo
lithmick's picture
lithmick

Hi Yeah Cranbo i m using the recipe you posted on your blog

I did eat the whole loaf! was nt too bad

Mick

lithmick's picture
lithmick

Hi Clazer i cut it after probably 10 mins out of the oven  i should have waited but i did tap the bottom  and it sounded hollow but felt heavy/dense when i got it ou tof the dutch oven, its weird i was saying in previous posts that it is ww starter but the total amount of ww in the recipe was maybe 10 -15% at most and it still turned out quite brown

Mick

clazar123's picture
clazar123

When you cut warm bread (and who hasn't!), it tends to have a heavier,almost gummier texture because the water vapor is still evaporating and also distributing throughout the crumb.  If you must cut it while warm then cover the exposed crumb (I just stand it on that side on the cutting board) and let it cool. That next piece might be a little more moist but the rest of the crumb will equalize.

I would guess the dough is a little underproofed but it actually does not look that bad. The sourness level comes from how the starter is maintained and how the dough is fermented and can be manipulated. Tons of info on that available on this site.

Have delicious fun-you are on your way!