Troubleshooting · symptom → cause → fix
The dough isn’t rising at all
The hours go by, but the dough hasn't grown at all.
Most likely cause
The yeast is dead
How you know: Nothing happens even after several hours at room temperature. The yeast was old, stored somewhere warm or hit with water that was too hot.
Do this: Test the yeast: a little yeast, lukewarm water and a pinch of sugar should foam within 10–15 minutes. Replace the yeast if nothing happens.
Other possible causes
-
Water too hot
- How to tell
- The water felt hot against your wrist.
- Fix
- Use water that feels cool to lukewarm. Yeast starts to suffer long before boiling point – stay below roughly 40 °C.
-
Too cold
- How to tell
- The dough is in the fridge or a cold room. It's alive but working very slowly.
- Fix
- Give it more time or move it somewhere warmer. A cold-fermented dough isn't supposed to grow much on the first day.
-
The salt went straight onto the yeast
- How to tell
- Salt and yeast were mixed in concentrated form, for example in a small splash of water.
- Fix
- Dissolve the salt in the water, mix in some of the flour and only then add the yeast – that's how the house method does it.
Quick answer: either the yeast is dead – too old or damaged by heat – or it’s simply too cold. Check the temperature first, then the yeast.
The nerdy explanation
Yeast is alive and happiest at room temperature and a few degrees above. Cold slows it down dramatically but doesn’t kill it – that’s the whole idea behind cold fermentation. Heat, on the other hand, does kill it. Salt slows fermentation at normal amounts, but in high concentration directly against the yeast it draws water out of the cells.
Read more in yeast, salt and dough temperature. More problems are in the troubleshooting section.
FAQ
How long should I wait before giving up?
At room temperature a normal dough should visibly grow within a few hours. If you see nothing at all after 4–5 hours at 20–24 °C, the yeast is probably dead.
Can I knead in new yeast?
Yes. Dissolve fresh yeast in a little water, knead it in thoroughly and start the fermentation again. The dough will be slightly firmer but it works.