underproofed
Not fermented enough
Underproofed describes bread dough that hasn't risen long enough before baking.
The yeast needs time to produce gas bubbles that give bread its light texture; cutting this short yields dense, heavy loaves that may crack or burst in the oven: The bread came out gummy—it was underproofed.
The opposite is overproofed, where dough rises too long and collapses.
Closely packed together
- gummySticky and soft
- tightFirmly stretched or fitting
- underdevelopedInsufficiently grown or advanced
- yeastFermenting fungus
fermentation · rise · gluten · leavening · bulk · elasticity · windowpane · spring
Done with excessive speed
- impatientUnwilling to wait
- prematureOccurring before expected
- insufficientBelow required quantity
- inadequateNot sufficient for purpose
underdeveloped · lacking · flawed · suboptimal · beginner · mistake · timing · patience
Slowing or delay
- breadmakingProducing loaves from dough
- sourdoughWild-yeast bread starter
- artisanSkilled manual tradesperson
- loafBaked bread shape
crumb · punch-down · autolyse · scoring · shaping
dense
Closely packed together
- gummySticky and soft
- tightFirmly stretched or fitting
- underdevelopedInsufficiently grown or advanced
yeast · fermentation · rise · gluten · leavening · bulk · elasticity · windowpane · spring · flatbread
rushed
Done with excessive speed
- impatientUnwilling to wait
- prematureOccurring before expected
- insufficientBelow required quantity
inadequate · underdeveloped · lacking · flawed · suboptimal · beginner · mistake · timing · patience · troubleshooting
retardation
Slowing or delay
- breadmakingProducing loaves from dough
- sourdoughWild-yeast bread starter
- artisanSkilled manual tradesperson
dense
Closely packed together
chewy · compact · rubbery · stiff · thick · hard · firm · flat