How to avoid baking bread that's soggy in the middle - The Epsom Bakehouse (2024)

FAQs

Why is my bread soggy in the middle? ›

It's Not Cool Enough

Most loaves of bread should cool for at least 2 hours before cutting. When cut too soon, bread can appear soggy with a heavy, dense texture. This is because the stream trapped inside hasn't had a chance to dissipate.

To cool your loaves properly you need to transfer your loaves from the oven to a wire cooling rack, and let them rest until they have cooled to about body temperature. The air that circulates around the bread will keep the crust from becoming soggy and is a crucial step to having that perfect crust.

Bread is typically done when it has an internal temperature of 190°F. Testing your bread with a food thermometer a few minutes before the recipe suggests it will be done can help ensure that it is baked to your desired doneness and ready to be made into a delicious Pulled Pork Sandwich or dipped in a warm cup of soup.

You will know the bread is done when the top is golden brown. And, the bread sounds hollow when you tap on it. Another reason your bread might be doughy, is if you cut into it when it was still warm. Make sure to allow it to cool completely before slicing, for the best results.

Some alternative ingredients can help give your bread added moisture. One such ingredient is milk, which has a high-fat content and can add a delightfully creamy flavor when baking. Additionally, adding mashed potatoes or cooked grains can help keep the crumb soft and tender for days after baking.

Many of these breads, especially packaged ones, are made with a ton of chemical additives such as calcium propionate, amylase, and chlorine dioxide which help keep them soft, light, and fluffy for days.

Sandwich loaves and other breads that are meant to have a soft crust get wrapped or covered once they have cooled down completely. Don't wrap these breads before they cool down because condensation will form on the covering and the bread will get soggy.

Sometimes things do just need longer to bake for … whatever reason. As with any other kind of bake, the best first step to take is to weigh your ingredients. Too much or too little flour, for example, can throw off the balance.

It is pretty simple to salvage an undercooked bread and create a decent loaf. Heat the oven to 350 F, return the bread to the oven, and bake for another 10 to 20 minutes. This will work even if the loaf has cooled, which is similar to par-baking bread.

Baking temperature

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.

What causes homemade bread to be doughy in the middle? ›

Air circulating around the loaf allows the steam built up inside the bread to evaporate. If the bread is kept in its baking pan, it will become soggy and look and taste doughy. If the bread has not finished baking by the maximum time indicated in the recipe, the oven thermostat may be off.

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.

Too much water can also produce a damp loaf. Try less water with your flour. Uneven heat in your oven can be the culprit – if you loaf is nicely golden on the outside but gummy or moist in the inside, it's baking too quickly on the outside. Trying reducing the temperature you're baking at and bake for a bit longer.

If that moisture reaches the surface and hits cool air – e.g., typical room temperature – it condenses on the outer crust, making it soggy. If it hits warm air (your still-warm oven), it evaporates – leaving the crust crisp.

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.

To avoid this sad fate, toasting your bread bowl is an easy preventative measure. Above all, a bread bowl's main job is to hold its soupy contents. If the bread bowl is not sturdy enough, the soup can soak through and create a soggy mishmash of soup and bread, so toasting the bowl beforehand is a worthy extra step.