Baking Bread: Trouble shooting

Large holes in bread :

1. Dough was over kneaded
2. Dough was proofed too long*

*For Breads such as French or certain free form loafs , this can be an advantage.

Doughy or Small, hard lumps:

1. Original dough was not mixed enough*

* hold back flour so dough can thoroughly mixed, work in additional dough as you knead

Bread "Mushroomed" & there is a deep indentation around the bottom:

1. The entire loaf has broken away from the bottom crust
2. You tried packing too much dough into too small of a pan

++If a free form loaf:

1. Oven was too hot causing the bottom to cook too quickly
2. As the loaf rose it broke away and mushroomed [uneven & Denser]

Free form loaf "spread" too much as it proofed

1. Dough was too soft**

* free form loaves must be firm when shaped. Add extra flour as you knead.

When sliced - top crust "separates" from the rest

1. Loaf was not properly formed
2. Heat caused instant aeration when loaf was put in oven.*

* not serious, alter your methods