Troubleshooting · symptom → cause → fix
Overproofed dough – what it looks like and what you can save
The dough balls have spread out, the surface is shiny or covered in large blisters, and the dough smells sour and yeasty.
Most likely cause
Too much yeast for the time
How you know: The dough looked ready long before the plan said it should – often on the first evening.
Do this: Work out the yeast from total time and temperature instead of using a fixed amount. The calculator does it for you.
Other possible causes
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Too warm during fermentation
- How to tell
- The kitchen was warm, the dough was warm after kneading, or the fridge runs above 4–5 °C.
- Fix
- Check your fridge with a thermometer, aim for a finished dough around 23–24 °C and cut the room-temperature time when it's warm.
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Too much time overall
- How to tell
- The dough followed the plan but got a few extra hours – for example it sat out too long before baking.
- Fix
- Bake as soon as the balls are ready. If you can't: back into the fridge to slow things down.
Quick answer: the dough has had too much yeast, too much warmth or too much time. It can usually still be baked – with care and lower expectations for the rim. Next time, adjust the yeast to your time and temperature.
The nerdy explanation
Yeast eats sugar and produces gas, and the pace is set mainly by temperature. The same amount of yeast that gives a perfect dough in 48 hours at 4 °C can be done in a day in a fridge running at 7–8 °C. Once the sugar and the strength of the gluten run out, the dough can no longer hold the gas and the ball sinks.
Read about fermentation and yeast, and let the dough calculator work out the yeast for your time and temperature. More problems are in the troubleshooting section.
FAQ
Can I still use overproofed dough?
Usually yes, as long as it hasn't collapsed completely. Handle it gently, stretch it with your fingertips and expect a lower rim. Badly overproofed dough can be re-balled and given a short rest, but it will never be as airy.
What does a properly proofed ball look like?
It has clearly grown, is round but relaxed, has small bubbles under the surface and springs back slowly when you press it lightly with a finger.