Worried about your bread dough, or sourdough starter? If your homemade dough is not rising, there are a few possible reasons why. See our advice...
There's nothing like the taste and smell of fresh homemade bread, and our handy dough hook makes light work of mixing and kneading bread dough. But what if it doesn't rise? Here's a few reasons why that might be happening.
8 reasons why your bread dough is not rising:
Yeast is not freshYeast has an expiration date, and, after that date, will not be as effective. Yeast should be stored in a cool, dry place.
Yeast is too hotYeast may have been dissolved in water that was too hot, or the liquid ingredients in the recipe may be too hot, causing the yeast to die. Yeast needs to be warm - not too hot, not too cold.
Yeast is too coldIf the other ingredients are too cold, it could cause some of the yeast to die.
Was the dough kneaded properly?
Dough may not have been kneaded enough. Kneading 'exercises' the gluten in the bread and gives it the elasticity to hold in the air bubbles produced by the yeast. It is these air bubbles that cause the dough to expand and rise. All of our mixers come with a dough hook, which is perfect for mixing and kneading yeast dough.
Was the dough given enough time to rise?
Insufficient time may have been allowed for the dough to rise correctly. Try leaving it a little longer.
Where was the dough placed to rise?
The room temperature can affect the yeast too. The ideal temperature for the rising dough is between 21ºC and 32ºC (70º-90ºF). At a higher temperature, or if the temperature is too low, the yeast will begin to die.
What type of flour was used?
If speciality grains are being used in dough, the dough will not rise as much because these grains have a lower percentage of gluten to hold in the air bubbles that cause the bread to expand.
Making sourdough?If a sourdough starter is being used, it may not be active. A sourdough starter must be fed at proper intervals and kept at the correct temperature (22-24°C, 70-75°F) to keep the yeast cultures alive and active.
FAQs
But almost as good as a proofing box is taking a Mason jar filled halfway up with water, microwaving it for two minutes, then putting your bowl of dough into the microwave with the jar to rise. The other thing you can do is place your lidded container or bowl of dough into a second, larger bowl of warm water.
How can I tell if I killed my yeast? ›
If you're not sure whether your yeast is still viable or not, the quickest way to check is to place it in some sugar and water and see if it activates. This process is called proofing the yeast and is essentially "feeding" the yeast to wake it up.
How do you force bread to rise? ›
You can also put hot water in a heat-safe dish and place it on the floor of a cold oven (or on a lower shelf). The steam and heat from the water will help the temperature rise just enough that the yeast is active.
Why is my bread dough dense not rising? ›
Some breads will take longer than others to rise and this can be due to many factors such as temperature, ingredients and even the water temperature used. Check the liquid added to the dough is not over 37°C or it may kill off some of the yeast, similarly check the yeast is not too old or stale and inactive.
How long is too long to let dough rise? ›
The dough should generally be proofed for around 1 to 4 hours at a warm temperature or overnight (or more) at a cold refrigerator temperature. As the proofing temperature increases, the total fermentation time will decrease.
Can I microwave dough to make it rise? ›
First Rise Before Shaping
- Mix and knead the dough according to the recipe's instructions. Place the dough in a large, greased microwave-safe bowl. ...
- Place glass pie pan or another shallow microwave-safe plate in a microwave oven. ...
- Cook covered on low (10% power) 10 to 14 minutes or until the dough has doubled.
To proof bread in the oven, place a glass baking dish on the bottom rack of the oven and fill it with boiling water. Stash your dough on the middle or top rack and shut the door. The steam and heat from the boiling water will create a warm and steamy environment for the dough—exactly what you want for a good rise.
Do you cover dough when rising? ›
These dry patches won't stretch during rising to develop an elastic dough, resulting in a dense, squat loaf – not something you want! For best results, use a non-porous, tight fitting cover such as a saucepan lid, bowl cover or even a sheet pan laid on top of the bowl, weighted down with something.
Does letting bread rise longer make it fluffier? ›
Does Rising Bread Affect Its Texture? For a fluffy bread texture, the key is to let the bread rise long enough.
Why is my bread dough sticky and not rising? ›
Your dough can become sticky when you add too much water or the flour isn't suitable for the type of dough you are making.
Feel: Bread dough that has successfully risen/proofed will spring back slowly when poked and leave an indent. If it snaps back too quickly, it needs more time.
What to do if bread doesn't rise in bread machine? ›
Your bread machine is probably killing your yeast with too much heat. You could mix flour and water and a little bit of yeast and put that in the refrigerator and your dough would rise eventually. If your “bread” is a brick, your yeast is dead.
Can you bake dough without letting it rise? ›
Allowing dough to rise before baking is an essential step in achieving soft, fluffy bread that's as good as you would get from the bakery.
Why is my yeast not activating? ›
If the yeast doesn't get foamy or bubbly, either the water is too hot and killed the yeast or the yeast is no longer active. Toss old yeast that doesn't activate and use new yeast for your recipe. The shelf life for unopened dry active yeast is usually about twelve months.
What is the second proof of bread? ›
Once shaped, the dough is left to proof a second time — this is the step that “proofing” technically refers to. Much of the air was knocked out of the dough while shaping, so this is a chance for the dough to expand again before baking. This step is sometimes called second rise or second proof.
