How To Save Your Undercooked Loaf Of Bread

It's pretty easy to tell when bread is burnt. But knowing if it's undercooked is a little trickier. Sure, in theory it'll probably be fine if you can follow your recipe to a tee. In practice, a nearly endless number of factors could leave you with a limp loaf. You might've used the wrong amount of flour (volumetric measurements strike again!); you might be working with an oven that treats the temperature setting like a loose suggestion; or you might've been foiled by a humid day. 

To learn how to save an undercooked loaf of bread, The Takeout turned to pro bread baker Sheena Otto. Otto worked as Head Boulangère at Michelin-starred restaurant Atera after learning to bake at New York City's Amy's Bread. Now, she sells her bread at Brooklyn's Park Slope Farmers Market and gives bread-baking advice through her Substack, Sheena's Cocina.

According to Otto, it's totally possible to save an undercooked loaf — with a few caveats. "You can definitely bake the loaf a second time, but you have to take care not to burn the crust before the interior finishes baking," explains Otto. That's easier said than done, but the pro baker has some tricks up her sleeve. "Spritz the outside with water, wrap the loaf in foil, and bake about 25 [degrees Fahrenheit] lower than the original baking temperature to finish baking the loaf," she says. Just don't eat it raw: Even if the loaf doesn't contain eggs, raw flour can still give you food poisoning.

"A fully baked loaf feels lighter in your hands than you'd expect for its size," Sheena Otto says. "An underbaked loaf will feel heavier because it hasn't released all of its moisture during baking." Not sure how much the loaf should weigh? Be proactive. Otto recommends paying attention to the loaf's weight as you put it in the oven. "Does it feel like roughly the same weight? It's definitely underbaked," she says. 

Color is another of the most obvious signs. While a golden brown loaf may look lovely, Otto recommends waiting till the bread gets a little darker. The loaf "will begin to brown deeply when it is fully baked," Otto explains. Color isn't a one-size-fits-all solution, though: Some breads are darker than others. If you wait for sandwich bread to turn the same deep, dark color of a well-baked brioche, it'll end up overbaked.

If you have a probe thermometer (which is different from a candy thermometer) on hand, you can use it to check the internal temperature. "Insert the probe into the deepest part of the loaf," Otto says. "A probe thermometer should reach 200–210 [degrees Fahrenheit] when the loaf is fully baked." Don't worry, you won't have to disturb that perfect crust. "If you're worried about aesthetics, try to insert the probe from the side," Otto says. Can't access the side? Look for score lines or areas where the bread has risen from the pan.

Sheena Otto rejects a few pieces of common bread-baking advice. While some bakers take the bread out of the pan to give the bottom a thump, she prefers to let the loaf stay in place. "If the loaf is underbaked, you'll need to be quick to replace it ... before it begins to collapse onto itself," she says. "Trust me it's a heartbreaking hassle." She doesn't wait for the bread to cool before putting it back, either. "I actually recommend making this decision before the loaf cools," she says. "That way you can continue to bake the loaf ... without worrying about regaining lost heat." 

That said, you should still wait until the bread has cooled before cutting it — otherwise, it'll look undercooked. As bread cools, the internal structure sets and the loaf releases excess moisture. Typically, it'll take around two hours to cool, but dense breads can take a full day. 

If your loaves keep coming out undercooked, it's time to troubleshoot. An oven that runs hot will leave you with an overcooked crust and an undercooked center. Remember to preheat your oven, too. And, if you're certain that you've got the temperature down pat, it might be time to invest in a kitchen scale and switch to a recipe that uses grams, not cups. Volumetric measurements can throw recipes off by a lot. Most importantly, don't get discouraged: Baking failures are just lessons in disguise.