Bread Faults And Their Causes
A good bread should be judged by its volume, bloom,
shape, colour, texture, sheen, moistness and flavour. In
general, one should examine the external area and the
internal (crumb) area of the bread.
Bread faults can occur as a result of a series of small faults
interacting together. Some faults may be inter-related yet
others are independent. Flour varies in grade, in gluten
content and quality. Colour also varies and so does the
maltose content.

Various causes and correction

Too much volume

Too DARK CRUST colour

xternal Bread Appearance
Symptom
Causes
Crust too dark
- Oven temperature too high or wrong bread machine setting.
- Excessive milk or sugar.
- Excessive baking time.
- Over proofing.
Crust too light
- Oven temperature too low or wrong bread machine setting.
- Insufficient milk or sugar.
- Insufficient baking time.
- Insufficient proofing.
- Insufficient mixing.
Crust broken
- Insufficient proofing or wrong bread machine setting.
- Insufficient liquid.
Crust too hard
- Oven temperature too high or wrong bread machine setting.
- Insufficient proofing.
- Insufficient sugar or shortening.
- Excessive steam.
- Insufficient liquid.
- Baking time too long.
Crust too soft
- Oven temperature too low or wrong bread machine setting.
- Excessive sugar/egg yolks/shortening.
- Excessive oil/margarine as a wash.
- Insufficient steam during baking.
- Baking time too short or wrong bread machine setting.

Internal Bread Appearance
Symptom
Causes
Coarse and irregular grain
- Improper mixing procedures.
- Stiff batter.
- Careless or poor depositing in the pans.
- Oven too cool, (baked too slowly).
Dense grain
- Excessive liquid in the batter.
- Improper mixing procedure.
Off-color breads
- Improper mixing procedure.
- Oven too cool, (baked too slowly).
- Unclean equipment.
If raisins, nuts or dried fruit sunk to the bottom
- Pieces of fruit were too large and too heavy.
- Sugary syrup on the outside of the fruit was not washed off-
causing the pieces of fruit to slide through the mixture as it heated.
- Washed and dried fruit was not dusted with flour before being
added to the mixture.
- Bread mixture was over beaten or was too wet so it could not hold
the fruit in place.
- Oven temperature was too low, causing the mixture to melt before
it set to hold the fruit in place.