Troubleshooting
Whether you are practised at baking or new to it there may be times when you feel in need of a little extra help or advice. We have listed below the most common baking questions people ask along with our answers. If your question has not been covered here you can always contact us and we will reply to your specific query.
If your question is more general then please check our FAQ page for help.
The bread is full of large holes and falls apart when slicing. The bread has been over-proved. Check recipe and shorten the proving time. |
The bread didn’t rise on proving, even after leaving it for an hour. The yeast may not have been added, or the bread was not in a warm enough place when proving. |
The crust is flat and not firmly attached to the sides of the loaf. This is known as 'flying top' and indicates that your oven temperature was too high. Re-check the recipe and adjust the temperature down for next time. |
The bread is yellow coloured with an unpleasant aroma. A double quantity of baking powder has been added by mistake. Check the recipe and ensure the correct amount is added next time. |
The bread is small and very dense. The most likely cause is too little water. We suggest weighing the water for accurate water measurement: 1ml = 1g. |
The cake has collapsed during baking. Ensure that the oven door remains firmly closed while baking. (Resist the temptation to peek!). |
The cake is still runny in the middle, but the rest of it has baked fine. The oven temperature is too high, reduce for next time. |
The cake has burst through the crust causing it to look unsightly. The oven temperature is too high, reduce for next time. |
The cake takes longer to bake than the recipe says. The oven temperature may be set too low, try increasing for next time. |