Not only is it possible to save money by baking your own bread at home, but it also gives you total control over the components of the loaf, not to mention the fact that it tastes so much better. But if you cut into your bread and discover that it is still doughy in the centre, don’t freak out. Putting it back into the oven for a brief period of time may quickly cure the problem.
Hey, bakers! My name is Shea, and one of my favorite things to do is homemade bread. It is impossible to describe the aroma, taste, and consistency. Even though I have been making bread for a considerable amount of time, I still sometimes produce bread that is not fully baked. The good news is that virtually all of the time, there is a simple solution.
This post is for those of you bread makers out there who just can’t manage to prevent their bread from turning out undercooked. In the following paragraphs, you will learn why your bread always turns out to be undercooked and the steps you may take to quickly fix the problem.
Let’s make some bread!
Contents
- How to Fix Undercooked Bread
- Why Was My Bread Undercooked?
- FAQs
- Why is my bread gummy inside?
- How can you tell if bread is undercooked?
- Can you put bread back in the oven if it’s undercooked?
- What happens if you eat undercooked bread?
- What can I do with an undercooked loaf?
- Why is my bread not cooked in the middle?
- Can you put banana bread back in the oven if it’s undercooked?
- Can you eat baked bread that didn’t rise?
- Final Thoughts
How to Fix Undercooked Bread
You have just removed your freshly baked loaf of bread from its packaging. It is pleasing to the eye, but upon closer examination, you discover that the core is not cooked nor baked but rather doughy and uncooked. What’s the deal? Let’s find out how to solve it now, before it’s too late, rather than talking about the many reasons why this may have occurred later in this essay.
Having stated that, what are some solutions for bread that was baked too soon? In all honesty, it couldn’t be easier. Place the loaf of bread back into the oven and allow it to bake for an additional ten to twenty minutes. If the loaf of bread was removed from the oven before it was fully cooked, you may place it back in the oven once it has cooled down (par-baking).
Are you concerned that your loaf of bread may get too browned or perhaps catch fire? It goes without saying that this is a huge cause for worry, particularly if the bread seems to be completely baked. Wrapping the bread in aluminum foil in a loose manner will stop any further browning that could occur on the crust.
Always keep a close check on your bread while it is in the oven. After the first ten minutes, check it again. If it has not been completed after the first 20 minutes, continue cooking it.
Why Was My Bread Undercooked?
Now that we have this newfound knowledge, we can see that the undercooked bread can be easily remedied. All that is required of you is to give it a little more time to cook. However, what caused you to wind up with bread that was undercooked in the first place? How can you prevent issues in the future caused by a doughy center? Let’s take a more in-depth look, shall we?
The Dough Was Too Wet
If your dough is too moist, it will not cook in the appropriate manner. Because there will be an excessive amount of moisture, the bread won’t be able to form and expand as it should because it won’t have enough dry ingredients.
The solution is to double check that you are using the appropriate measurement for each component. Always make sure you have the appropriate quantity of dry components, particularly flour. If the mixture seems like it has too much moisture in it, you may need to add a few more tablespoons of flour.
Also, ensure that you are utilizing trustworthy recipes for the bread. The very last thing you want to happen is to wind up with a bad recipe that doesn’t call for the appropriate quantity of flour from the very beginning of the process.
The Oven Was Not Preheated
When I initially began baking (and cooking in general), I would almost always skip the step when the oven is preheated. To tell you the truth, I was completely unaware of how vital it really was. If the instructions for your recipe state that you should preheat the oven, then you should. There is a logic behind anything, and this is also true when it comes to the process of making bread.
Placing your bread in an oven that is not yet heated can prevent it from rising as it should. As a consequence of this, there is a possibility that the loaf of bread you make may have an undercooked core. This is particularly important to keep in mind when using a baking stone, since stones of this kind need to be preheated to a certain temperature before they can be put to use.
The solution is to always ensure that your oven has been properly preheated before putting your loaf of bread inside.
The Oven Temperature Was Too High
When baking bread, preheating isn’t the only thing that has to be taken into consideration; you also need to make sure that you’re utilizing the appropriate temperature.
Yet what do you do if your oven displays a temperature of 375 degrees Fahrenheit, but you’re still experiencing issues? Even while the temperature inside of your oven may be shown as a certain number, this does not always guarantee that it is at that temperature. Yes, ovens are dishonest and their temperature readings may be wrong by as much as 75 degrees.
The solution is as simple as going out and purchasing an oven thermometer; this will ensure that your oven is set to the correct temperature and put an end to your doughy bread woes for good.
You Didn’t Let the Bread Cool Entirely
The majority of people are more worried with the actual baking process than they are about the cooling phase when it comes to bread making. However, heating and baking aren’t the only things that are vital. If it is not cooled properly, bread might have a doughy and wet appearance.
The solution is to wait two hours after the bread has been removed from the oven before cutting it. The moisture that may cause the bread to get soggy will be eliminated when the steam that is now contained inside the bread dissipates.
The Bread Did Not Proof All the Way
The art of making bread requires a lot of patience, for sure. However, the proofreading process is as important to the final product as the other steps. If you attempt to bake a loaf of bread with insufficiently proofed dough, you will end up with a loaf that does not rise and that does not bake correctly.
The cure is to avoid cutting corners at any cost and let the bread rise to its full potential. Simply probing the bread will tell you how well it has proofed. When it comes to the texture, you want to choose one that is not completely hard but does provide some resistance when you touch it.
FAQs
Put the bread back into the oven for 10 to 20 minutes, and if you want to, cover it in foil before putting it back in there. This is the solution to practically every problem that may arise. Take a look at the following frequently asked questions if you still have any queries about how to mend bread that is overcooked.
Why is my bread gummy inside?
Bread that is chewy may be the result of a number of different issues, the most common of which is that the loaf wasn’t cooked for long enough. However, there are occasions when the dough contains an excessive amount of moisture or gluten, which results in a sticky consistency. A problem might also be caused by an oven that is preheated to an excessive temperature.
How can you tell if bread is undercooked?
Simply taking a glance at it is usually sufficient to determine the answer. Even though the sides may be completely cooked, the centre will still retain the look of doughy softness. If the bread is still uncooked when you touch it, you should be able to tell that it is still uncooked. A thermometer is another useful tool for determining whether or not something is done.
Can you put bread back in the oven if it’s undercooked?
If the bread is removed from the oven too soon, you may certainly return it to finish cooking. It makes no difference whether it has been chilled or not, either. To finish the baking process, just toss it back into the oven for another ten to twenty minutes.
What happens if you eat undercooked bread?
In most cases, nothing. Consuming undercooked bread won’t make you ill as long as there is no raw yeast or eggs included in the recipe. Having said that, it’s possible that the whole thing won’t be a very nice experience. Completely cooking your bread will result in a wonderful loaf that has the ideal shape and size.
What can I do with an undercooked loaf?
In the vast majority of cases, a loaf of bread that was removed from the oven too soon may be salvaged by placing it back inside for a little period of time. This is true for loaves in which the outside of the bread may seem as if it has completely set, but the inside of the bread may still be sticky. Return the bread to the oven and bake it at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for another 10–20 minutes.
Why is my bread not cooked in the middle?
The following are some of the reasons why the inside of your bread could be raw or undercooked: Because the temperature in your oven was set too high, the bread’s crust baked more quickly than the inside. You removed the bread from the oven too soon before it was fully baked. Before you baked the dough, you did not allow it to come to room temperature first.
Can you put banana bread back in the oven if it’s undercooked?
Is it possible to salvage unbaked fast bread? If you cut into a loaf of fast bread and find that the middle is still raw, there is no use in putting it back into the oven. Before the center is fully cooked, the borders and crust on it will become dry. It would be better to slice up the mushy inside and fry the pieces on a griddle.
Can you eat baked bread that didn’t rise?
But don’t be concerned! The making of bread that does not rise need not be a waste of time and effort! I constructed a nice flatbread using my two stale loaves, and it tasted just as good as a crusty and moist loaf might have tasted if it had been prepared properly.
Final Thoughts
Nobody likes a loaf of bread that is undercooked since it won’t make very excellent toast or sandwiches (and nobody wants that!). The good news is that there is an easy solution. Cooking it for a further ten to twenty minutes should be enough to restore the bread to its original state. If you are concerned about the food browning or burning, wrap it loosely with aluminum foil.
Have you ever found yourself with a loaf of bread that was not fully cooked? What did you do? Please comment below!