**We require all sourdough photos to be accompanied by the ingredients used & process/steps followed to make your bake. The details can be included in a picture, typed text or weblink.** **For text only posts, please add good details so posters can help.** **Posts may be removed at any time, and you will be notified.**
***
#**Please be respectful, kind, patient & helpful** **to posters of all skill & knowledge levels. Please report offending comments/posters, or [drop us a modmail](https://www.reddit.com/message/compose?to=/r/Sourdough).**
*I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/Sourdough) if you have any questions or concerns.*
sides are thinner (temp goes up faster), closer to oven wall (more radiant heat) and has less material surround it compare to centre (dries faster). It browned and hardened faster than the middle so expansion goes to the easier path (middle top)
Biggerfaster40
That triangle shape and lack of rounded shoulders usually means Under proofing, not an oven problem
RunForFun277
I think you just need super even steam and heating and your set up might not be perfect for that to happen.
Personally I don’t think it’s a proofing problem because the dough should be proofed the same throughout. Unless your shaping cause the gasses to release too much just on the sides
jackanakanory_30
I’ve had more spring in the middle recently. My theory is that my scoring still needs work. My long score across the loaf comes down over the sides, but when it cooks, the exposed dough on the sides cooks too quickly, so the seam can’t expand and can’t spring upwards.
I don’t have this problem in the middle, so I assume the bread is growing quickly enough there that the seam grows quicker than it has time to harden through.
BreadBakingAtHome
Agreeing with the uneven heat comments, but adding: Scoring is about allowing the dough to expand where toy want it to. Did you score deeper at one end than the other?
Just a thought.
Artistic-Traffic-112
Hi. Two possibilities.
Inadequate scoring to allow even expansion
Too little steam circulation around the loaf.
Or, a combination of both.
Happy baking.
EngineeringAfraid269
Path of least resistance maybe…? If there are more ways for air to escape, then maybe it will balloon instead of just go through the middle. I like the diamond score which I recently tried. Three parallel lines then three more at a 30° angle
I had similar problem when I had gas oven with heat distribution problem. At the bottom was one heatting spot so my breads were like tent. Also door seal was broke… I solved problem using cast iron pot.
But also underproofed dough could be the answer in your case. First of all try longer proofing time and then be suspicious about the oven.
13 Comments
**Hello Careless_Present_721,**
#**[Rule 5](https://www.reddit.com/r/Sourdough/wiki/sourdoughrules/) has been restored!**
***
**We require all sourdough photos to be accompanied by the ingredients used & process/steps followed to make your bake. The details can be included in a picture, typed text or weblink.** **For text only posts, please add good details so posters can help.** **Posts may be removed at any time, and you will be notified.**
***
#**Please be respectful, kind, patient & helpful**
**to posters of all skill & knowledge levels. Please report offending comments/posters, or [drop us a modmail](https://www.reddit.com/message/compose?to=/r/Sourdough).**
***
**Thank you** 🙂
#**[Overproofed or underproofed?](https://www.reddit.com/r/Sourdough/wiki/reading_crumb/)**
***
#**[NEW Beginner starter FAQ guide](https://www.reddit.com/r/Sourdough/s/gnqFg7osBO)**
*I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/Sourdough) if you have any questions or concerns.*
https://preview.redd.it/dxqe94h84y6e1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=36b5b244c9df7d89fd945654c809cb2a1401ca4c
Home ovens are pretty idiosyncratic.
my theory:
sides are thinner (temp goes up faster), closer to oven wall (more radiant heat) and has less material surround it compare to centre (dries faster). It browned and hardened faster than the middle so expansion goes to the easier path (middle top)
That triangle shape and lack of rounded shoulders usually means Under proofing, not an oven problem
I think you just need super even steam and heating and your set up might not be perfect for that to happen.
Personally I don’t think it’s a proofing problem because the dough should be proofed the same throughout. Unless your shaping cause the gasses to release too much just on the sides
I’ve had more spring in the middle recently. My theory is that my scoring still needs work. My long score across the loaf comes down over the sides, but when it cooks, the exposed dough on the sides cooks too quickly, so the seam can’t expand and can’t spring upwards.
I don’t have this problem in the middle, so I assume the bread is growing quickly enough there that the seam grows quicker than it has time to harden through.
Agreeing with the uneven heat comments, but adding: Scoring is about allowing the dough to expand where toy want it to. Did you score deeper at one end than the other?
Just a thought.
Hi. Two possibilities.
Inadequate scoring to allow even expansion
Too little steam circulation around the loaf.
Or, a combination of both.
Happy baking.
Path of least resistance maybe…? If there are more ways for air to escape, then maybe it will balloon instead of just go through the middle. I like the diamond score which I recently tried. Three parallel lines then three more at a 30° angle
https://preview.redd.it/1m1fvcxgpz6e1.jpeg?width=3000&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=f560210f6ebbd230babdb0e0266fc6034f88a819
I had similar problem when I had gas oven with heat distribution problem. At the bottom was one heatting spot so my breads were like tent. Also door seal was broke… I solved problem using cast iron pot.
But also underproofed dough could be the answer in your case. First of all try longer proofing time and then be suspicious about the oven.
Because the edges cook quicker