Problembeginnerdraft

Bread is too dense

Also searched as: compact, no holes, heavy bread, brick, gummy bread, dense crumb

In short: The network could not hold the gas, or there was too little gas.

Picture it

Like a balloon with a hole, or one that was never properly blown up.

What happened in your kitchen?

Question 1

Had the dough grown clearly in volume before baking?

Proved too briefly
The yeast did not have enough time to make gas.
Next time: Prove for longer · Finger test: the dent fills back slowly
Network too weak
Kneaded or folded too little, so the gas escapes.
Next time: Knead for longer, or stretch and fold · Do the windowpane test
Too little water
A stiff dough does not let the bubbles grow.
Next time: Use a little more water · More water with wholemeal or dark flour
Oven too cold or no steam
Without the bread stays small and dense.
Next time: Preheat the oven well · Bake with steam for the first 20 minutes

Sources · 2