Troubleshooting
Everything you need to know about this topic — from the basics to the deep end.
Why Is My Sourdough Flat, Dense or Gummy? The Universal Troubleshooter
A flat, dense or gummy sourdough almost always traces back to one of three things: an under-developed dough, a wrong fermentation window, or an underdone bake. This troubleshooter walks through every common failure mode by symptom...
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Why Isn't My Sourdough Starter Bubbling? 10 Reasons + How to Fix Each
A sourdough starter that's not bubbling almost always traces back to one of three things: temperature, feed schedule, or flour. The good news — you almost certainly haven't killed it. Starters are tougher than the panic...
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Why Is My Sourdough So Sticky? 4 Causes & Quick Fixes
Why your sourdough dough is too sticky to handle — the four common causes and exactly how to fix each, plus the trick that lets you handle wet dough without losing your mind.
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Grey Liquid on My Starter: What Is It and What Should I Do?
What the grey or brown liquid on top of your sourdough starter actually is, why it appears, whether it's safe — and exactly what to do when you find it. (Spoiler: don't bin the starter.)
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Why Is My Bread So Dense? Six Likely Causes, Ranked
Why your sourdough is coming out dense — the seven causes ranked by frequency, and exactly how to diagnose and fix each one. The most common is not what most people guess.
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Sourdough Starter Not Rising? 7 Fixes That Actually Work (UK Guide)
If your sourdough starter has stopped rising — or never started — it's almost certainly one of seven things, ranked here by likelihood. UK kitchen temperatures, British flour swaps, hard-water rescue, hooch handling, complete 48-hour rescue...
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Why Is My Sourdough So Dense? 6 Causes (and Fixes)
Six likely causes of dense sourdough — under-proofing, weak starter, low hydration, poor shaping, oven temp, scoring — with crumb-photo diagnostics, UK fan-oven temperatures, British flour-specific hydration tables, and a 24-hour rescue plan if you've already...
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