You don’t want to make all the effort of mixing, kneading and rising your dough, only to cut into your freshly baked loaf and find it sticking to the knife. I know, because I’ve been there! So how can you avoid baking bread that’s soggy in the middle? Watch this video to find out my two key tips.
Let your dough rise enough before baking it
It’s essential to give your dough enough time to rise, or prove. During this process, gas produced by the yeast fills out the dough. Once you’ve shaped your dough, this rising process prior to baking produces the even, structured crumb you find inside any loaf. If the dough doesn’t fill out with gas, perhaps because it hasn’t had time to rise properly, the inside of the loaf will remain soggy and dense as the dough won’t bake properly.
You should therefore leave plenty of time for your dough to rise. As is discussed in the video, a 1lb (450g) loaf in a tin should take at least 45 minutes to an hour in a warm (around 20C) environment to rise enough – giving a domed shape risen above the top of the tin. Larger loaves will take longer, whilst smaller rolls may take 30 – 45 minutes.
Get a great bake on your loaf
Make sure you’re baking your loaf at the correct temperature and for long enough. For most basic breads (those that don’t contain lots of fats and sugars), you should bake at 220C or a little higher. A loaf as shown in the video will take 20 – 25 minutes to bake at this temperature. So leave time to bake your loaf well.
I can recommend getting a baking stone for your oven. This are now widely available and start from around £10 – £15. Put the stone in to pre-heat when you turn the oven on. During baking, the stone helps improve the efficiency of your oven in terms of baking your loaf. The direct heat in contact with your loaf helps the dough rise more and improves bake and crust development. If you free-form your loaves, place them on a tray lined with baking paper to rise, then slide the paper with the loaf on it carefully onto the pre-heated stone in the oven.
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Hi, thanks for your comment. You may need to adjust baking times to your oven, plus check that your oven is reaching the correct temperature (home ovens usually have hot/cold spots). If still not baking through, try baking in two smaller loaves or very slightly reduce the liquid content. Hope that helps, Rhiannon.
For best results, measure all ingredients by weight, not volume. You can purchase a basic food scale at most kitchen supply stores or on Amazon. If you undermeasure the flour, your dough will be too wet and result in a soggy, undercooked loaf.
To see if your bread is done, insert an instant-read thermometer into the center of the loaf. (If you go at an angle and through the side or bottom, you can minimize the visual evidence!) Most breads are finished baking at about 190°.
Fortunately, one of the most glaring baking problems has an easy solution: ensuring your bread stays moist. The key is twofold: use quality ingredients and let the dough stand overnight. If you're using storebought flour, opt for “bread flour,” which will hold better in heat and help create a more tender crumb.
If your dough is too sticky and it's impossible to work with you can add some extra flour, just a little at a time. Make sure you weigh the extra flour you add and then you'll be able to adjust the recipe correctly the next time you bake.
Some ovens run hotter than its settings, some cooler. If the oven is too hot the loaf will be brown and crispy on the outside but doughy in the middle and may collapse as it cools. When bread is baked at too low a temperature it will not rise enough in the oven resulting in a dense and sunken loaf.
This tip applies to loaves specifically. For recipes like banana bread, lemon loaf, or pound cake, your best bet is to bake in a metal loaf pan. Metal is a quick and efficient conductor of heat. This helps to ensure your recipe will cook through the center and not collapse.
A soggy bottom can also be a sign of underproofing. But I suggest you try a preheated baking tray first and make sure the oven is at the maximum temperature when the dough goes in.
As a general best practice, the middle oven rack is best for baking most types of bread due to the all-around temperatures. However, if you are baking scones or muffins that need a crispy or browned top layer, moving your dish to the upper-third of the oven, just above the center rack, would serve this purpose.
Large crusty loaves can be stored unwrapped (to preserve their crispy crust) at room temperature for a day or so, cut side down on the counter. For optimum long-term storage (longer than a couple of days), wrap bread in single-day portions and freeze.
Once it's completely cool, wrap the bread in a paper or cloth bag and then place it in a plastic bag. The paper or cloth layer is to absorb any condensation if there are temperature changes in transit, and the plastic bag is to protect the bread from any exposure to water in transit or if delivered in the rain.
First, homemade yeast breads and quick breads should be completely cooled on a wire rack as soon as they're done baking. This prevents the bottom from getting soggy. Keep them in a paper bag (rather than plastic) or consider getting a reusable bread bag ($8.99, Etsy), which will wick away moisture.
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