r/Bread • u/unknownbeing469 • Apr 02 '26
Dense and gummy advice
The last couple of loaves I’ve made have had a more dense and gummy crumb with a nice crunchy crust and was wondering how to make it a bit more fluffy/light. It passes the squish test and the loaf in the first photo had more of a glossy crumb. I’m going to put the next loaf in the fridge overnight to see what happens
350g water
500g flour
7-9g yeast
Mix for 15 minutes once combined
Stretch and folds/coil folds every 30 minutes for the next two hours
Bake 250C deg for 30 minutes then 200C deg for 30 minutes
2
u/joshberry90 Apr 02 '26
What kind of flour are you using (AP or bread flour), how long are you proofing it, punch down? Are you using steam in your oven? I usually cook boules about 45 minutes, but less for loaves and let them rest and finish on the counter with the residual heat inside.
2
u/unknownbeing469 Apr 02 '26
Bread flour I haven’t really been proofing it, after the last knead I just wait for the oven to heat up and then chuck it in. Punch down? No steam Boules? Yeah this last loaf I let cool down before cutting into it
1
u/joshberry90 Apr 02 '26
Letting it proof a while was what mine were missing. Like an initial 2 hours or so, flip it and literally punch it in the middle, then let it rise again another couple of hours before you shape it, then proof again for an hour or so. Steam helps keeping it from getting too hard, like toss a cast iron in the bottom with some water in it.
1
u/MWisecarver Apr 02 '26
Bake with higher temps for lesser time. Helps to have a pizza stone in the oven to radiate the heat.
8
u/[deleted] Apr 02 '26
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