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New to Baking - Can’t Tell What’s Wrong
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New to Baking – Can’t Tell What’s Wrong

I swear I do something wrong every time. I’ve made probably 10 things so far and I still can’t tell if I’m over proofing or under proofing. I also didn’t know you could knead for too long?? IM NOT MAKING SOURDOUGH BTW. Everything is always sourdough this, sourdough that, and I’m into it but I don’t want EVERYTHING to be sourdough, damn! Ok, anyway, I’m obsessive so I’ve watched so many tips and tricks and I still keep doing things wrong. So I guess what I’m saying is.. what are your proofing tips and tricks? Also I live in Western WA and it’s cold. My house is like 68F on average now that fall is coming so I know that plays a part. The poke test does not work for me. I cannot tell because how hard are people poking? That’s what I can figure out. Anyway thanks bye!!

by Des3rt_R0se

18 Comments

  1. eurodollars

    Practice. Just practice. Take notes, dough temp, water temp, what did it feel like at xyz step. It’s a journey

  2. KaliperEnDub

    Does it taste good? Because it looks great.

  4. Illegal_Tender

    I’m not seeing anything wrong here 

    These are beautiful and look properly cooked

  5. All_Is_Snackrifice

    You should post a recipe, it’s hard to give advice when we can’t guess how it should come out (looks good btw).

    As far as your poke test goes, how hard doesn’t really matter. You just need to poke it enough to make a dent (at least 1/4 inch deep is generally what I do). What matters is how the dough responds after you’re done poking. If it slowly comes back, but still leaves a tiny bit of a dent, it’s probably done. If it springs back all the way where you can’t see where you poked, it’s underproofed and still needs time. If you poke it and it stays down…you’ve overproofed, might as well toss it in at that point or make a foccacia or something lol.

    I don’t typically use commercial yeast, so I can’t comment on proofing “tips”. I use wild harvested yeast (i.e. sourdoughs and fruit yeast waters), so my fermentation times are SIGNIFICANTLY slower. All I know from commercial yeasts is they rise really fast and people generally degas enriched doughs before shaping and moving to final proofing.

  6. Wonderful-Matter-627

    Damn! It all fantastic to me!
    I’m in MA too. When it gets cold in my house, I just turn the oven light on

  7. Klurpm

    What is it you feel like is not right with the bread? It looks pretty good overall in my opinion!

  8. Vegetable_Roll_1083

    It looks great
    See nothing wrong with them
    Is it the taste or texture when you eat them? The rise looks good

  9. nana_3

    That is perfectly proofed. What do you want different?

  13. Late_Again68

    Are you weighing your ingredients or using measuring cups? This could be the answer.

  14. this__user

    Uhmm the only thing wrong here is location. This bread should be in my mouth

  16. gusour

    You didn’t post a recipe but maybe add a little butter or oil to your recipe to soften it up. Like 30g. Maybe look into some techniques like poolish, tangzhong, or yudane.