A question I am often asked is why does my loaf deflate when I put it in the oven?
Your loaf looks fabulous, you put it into the oven and when you fetch it out it has deflated and is half the size it was when it went in. This is a really disappointing thing to happen.
Don’t worry, this is an issue that is easy to solve.
It is at point 5 that the problem of a deflating loaf lies. When you are learning to make bread it can be really hard to judge when the loaf is ready for the oven.
During fermentation (stages 3 & 5 above) enzymes break the damaged starch molecules in the flour down into complex sugars and then into simple sugars (these are the enzymes that would do the same job if the grain was allowed to grow in the ground). The yeast then feasts on the simple sugars and expels carbon dioxide and ethanol. The carbon dioxide disperses through the dough and where it finds an air bubble it expands as a gas pushing against the gluten network that was developed and strengthened during the stretch and folds or the kneading of the dough. This creates pockets in the dough and rises the bread.
As bakers we learn to watch for the signs of fermentation. In the first round of fermentation when the dough is sat in a bowl this fermentation can go quite wild. The dough can double or even triple in size and as long as we haven’t added an excess of yeast or left the dough in a warm kitchen for far too long all is well. The dough still has some sugars left for the yeasts to continue to feast on.
Shaping the dough
We then shape the dough and leave it to ferment a second time. This is when we need to be more watchful.
If we have shaped the dough well, (take a look at this video for help with this), giving the loaf good structure and surface tension, then as the yeasts get to work the loaf starts to expand again, upwards rather than outwards.
When is a dough fully proofed?
The ideal point at which to bake a loaf is when it has risen (about 50% bigger than when shaped)but the dough still feels like it has some surface tension and that there is still potential for the loaf to grow some more. You can test the loaf by placing your hand gently on top and pressing slightly. It should feel uniformly airy all over. If it feels a little bit more dense in the centre of the loaf is needs a little bit longer to prove.
If we leave the loaf too long in a warm kitchen at this point then the yeast can begin to exhaust the sugars in the dough and the carbon dioxide can begin to push the gluten beyond its structural limits. At this point the dough may look well risen in the pan and look as if ready to bake when in reality it should have been baked perhaps 10, 20 or 30 minutes earlier.
If we put the loaf in the oven when it looks the size we are expecting when it is baked then it is highly likely that it is over proofed. The loaf has already reached its limits and when we put it in the oven the loaf will just deflate. The slightest knock and the carbon dioxide pockets in the loaf will push against the pushed to the limit gluten structure and the whole thing will collapse. If the dough is over proofed oven spring can’t happen and the dough’s structure collapses rather than springs.
What happens in the oven?
When you put a loaf in the oven chemical reactions continue to take place and the most important of these is ‘oven spring‘.
The yeast has a last frenzied chance to eat some of the sugars as the dough reaches the yeast’s optimum temperature of 38 C and before it dies at 55C. This additional yeast activity is limited but it does have a slight contribution to the oven spring.
The most important contribution to oven spring is that the trapped carbon dioxide expands further in the heat pushing against the gluten network and rising the loaf further. A full explanation of oven spring is available here.
This is why it is important that the loaf hasn’t already achieved its optimum rising before you put it in the oven. If it looks like a perfectly risen loaf (the size that you were hoping it would get to), then the chances are you left it too long before you baked it.
You want the dough to still have a bit of energy left so that it can have that last rise in the oven.
How to solve the problem of the deflated loaf
Next time you bake a loaf try putting it in the oven 10 minutes before you normally would. In other words, put the loaf in before you think it is ready to go in. Keep experimenting until you are confident that you know what to look for in a properly proofed loaf.
If your loaf is over proofed it can be rescued by re-shaping it and leaving it to prove again for 10-15 minutes and then baking. Alternatively, make it into a focaccia. Oil a baking tray generously with olive oil and tip your dough into it. Sprinkle olive oil over the top and push your fingers into the dough to make holes all over the top. Sprinkle sea salt crystals and rosemary over the top and bake straight away for about 20-25 minutes.
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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.
It relieves stress on the gluten (the component that develops elasticity as you knead the dough), which keeps the film around each air bubble from overstretching. It divides air pockets in the dough and so increases the number of gas pockets, which ultimately contributes to the fine texture of your bread.
Some breads will take longer than others to rise and this can be due to many factors such as temperature, ingredients and even the water temperature used. Check the liquid added to the dough is not over 37°C or it may kill off some of the yeast, similarly check the yeast is not too old or stale and inactive.
How to solve the problem of the deflated loaf. Next time you bake a loaf try putting it in the oven 10 minutes before you normally would. In other words, put the loaf in before you think it is ready to go in. Keep experimenting until you are confident that you know what to look for in a properly proofed loaf.
Bread that rises, then collapses in the middle as it bakes -- the infamous “crater bread” -- contains too much liquid. Adjust your formula. Adding a couple of teaspoons of flour along with the raisins/nuts helps the dough in the machine to “open up” and accept whatever you're adding more easily.
It's been too warm for the length of the rise, or too left too long. It's easy to see – the dough deflates like a balloon and the structure looks like thin spaghetti. Overall the dough is slack and sloppy. Sadly, your dough may not recover, however, you may as well try!
Sourdough bread has two rises. The second shorter than the first. Dough that's not left long enough for either of the two required rises, will result in sourdough bread that's flat. The length of time for the first rise will usually vary from 4-12 hours.
99% of the time this happens, the problem lies with the yeast used. The quality might be compromised, or you might have applied it incorrectly, or under poor cooking conditions. Read on for why your yeast is not working as it should and what you can do to avoid it.
The gas bubbles created during the first rise create the types of loaves known for their craterous holes. Breads like this focaccia, for example, are usually only given one rise; English muffins, too, derive their nooks and crannies from a single rise.
Punching down the dough, then turning it out onto a work surface and kneading it briefly will remove large bubbles. When shaping the dough, pull the dough firmly into shape, or roll out air bubbles with a rolling pin. Pop any air bubbles that show on top of the loaf with a wooden pick.
Too much: If you accidentally overmeasure your baking soda or powder it can also cause your cake or loaf to sink in the middle. High altitude: If you're baking at a higher altitude you'll need less leavening to achieve the same result as sea level. Without proper altitude adjustments, your products may sink.
Hot water and steam create the perfect conditions for the dough to rise inside the oven. They help achieve consistent results with better flavor development and texture. What is this? The moist, warm environment makes dough rise faster than simply letting it sit on the counter.
But almost as good as a proofing box is taking a Mason jar filled halfway up with water, microwaving it for two minutes, then putting your bowl of dough into the microwave with the jar to rise. The other thing you can do is place your lidded container or bowl of dough into a second, larger bowl of warm water.
Deflated DOUGH (second rise) If your dough has doubled after making it but… when you move the bowl or start the pull & stretch to shape it, the air bubbles collapse significantly – the dough is exhausted. It's been too warm for the length of the rise, or too left too long.
underproof dough will spring back completely correctly, proof will spring back slowly and only halfway, and overproof dough won't spring back at all. after baking, the underproof dough will be dense and deformed. while the dough that was ready will be fluffy and light. and the overproof dough will be flat and deflated.
Punching down the dough, then turning it out onto a work surface and kneading it briefly will remove large bubbles. When shaping the dough, pull the dough firmly into shape, or roll out air bubbles with a rolling pin. Pop any air bubbles that show on top of the loaf with a wooden pick.
Simply put, you have to control the temperature of the bread. Allowing ample time for your bread dough to rise and the yeast to form will create the holes in the bread that give it a lighter texture. Letting your dough get puffy and grow before it goes into the oven is critical.
Introduction: My name is Frankie Dare, I am a funny, beautiful, proud, fair, pleasant, cheerful, enthusiastic person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
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