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Deflated sourdough mix | Sourdough dough that didn’t rise (1st Rise) | Deflated sourdough dough (2nd rise)
The structure of your sourdough starter is SUPER important. What sourdough starter looks like when you use it, is what your sourdough bread will be like when you bake it.
Sourdough is a living breathing thing that requires our care at certain points in it’s journey.
If your sourdough starter is puffy and airy… and your dough is proofed correctly, your bread will be puffy and airy also.
But things can go wrong.
Your sourdough starter can double and then deflate, and look like it never grew. Your bread dough doesn’t grow… or it becomes runny and loose.
Read below to find out what causes some of these issues and how to fix it.
Deflated sourdough starter
If your sourdough starter is left too long it gets hungry and exhausted. You will know because it will have doubled and then the air pockets start to collapse and the mix deflates.
This can happen at any temperature, but it will be slower to occur in cool environments and much faster in warmer.
If your sourdough starter deflated but you aren’t baking immediately it will recover with a Feed. Be mindful to watch for the sourdough starter to double and be ready to make your dough when it does.
If your sourdough starter deflated prior to baking
To rescue your starter and make sourdough bread:
1. Discard 1/3 of the sourdough starter (use it to make sourdough pancakes!)
2. Weigh the remaining sourdough starter and add the same amount of water and bread flour. Mix.
3. Let it double again. When it doubles, continue.
DOUGH that didn’t rise (1st Rise)
So you made your dough but nothing is happening. The dough is the same size as when you first made it and that was a while ago.
It’s likely that your sourdough culture is weak, the room is too cold or your are just being a little impatient! 😊 (I get it!) But don’t throw out your dough!! If it truly doesn’t double within 12-14 hours, with a little TLC there is a fix that will give you a lovely loaf of sourdough bread.
You’ll need:
3/4 Tablespoon of yeast
1/2 Cup of warm water
1 Tablespoon of sugar or honey
1/2 Cup of Bread Flour
Instructions:
1. Mix together the warm water, yeast and sugar/honey in a bowl and let it foam for 10 minutes to get nice and active.
2. Mix your foamy liquid together with the bread flour until it’s incorporated, then knead this mix into your dough. Don’t over knead it. You just want the two well combined.
3. Let your dough double. It might happen quickly so be around to watch it. Meanwhile, get your oven ready and bake according to your preferred method:
Dutch oven or casserole dish
Pizza stone
Faking it – Baking without a Dutch oven or pizza stone
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. 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! Gently shape your loaf and let it proof in the fridge for 8-10 hours. Don’t leave it the optional 24 hours. If your loaf has regained some structure, bake as normal, but I recommend not slashing it to keep as much air in as possible.
If it’s slack you can bake it in a loaf or cake tin to hold the shape. Place it in very gently. It would be great if it can fit inside your baking method vessels! Don’t slash it in an attempt to keep the remaining air in.
Sourdough is a living, breathing thing and can be a steep learning curve for some of us. It was for me. Working out what went wrong and how to fix is was trial, error, research and a lot of dud loaves!
Something that will help you incredibly, is understanding the impact of time and temperature. I’ve put together a downloadable journal (on Etsy), that hones in on just that. Aimed at making you a proofing pro, with something for beginners to experts, detailed to go with the flow – I am sure you will have at least one ‘ah ha’ moment when it comes to making better sourdough.
This journal is under our new brand specially for foodies: Enfoodiest
