Prove It!

Whether you’re brand-new to baking or have been nurturing a starter for years, proving time can feel like the most mysterious—sometimes maddening—part of the process. One loaf turns out beautifully, the next one collapses. Was it under-proved? Over-proved? Did the starter misbehave? Did the temperature change?

The truth is: most failed sourdough loaves are the result of over-proving.

And the good news? It’s a surprisingly easy fix.

In this post, we’ll walk you through how proving works, how to read your dough instead of the clock, and the simple adjustments that usually solve 90% of rising issues for home bakers.

Why proving time varies from kitchen to kitchen

Your sourdough starter is a living culture—more like a pet than an ingredient. It reacts to the world around it. That means:

• Every home has a different temperature

• Every kitchen has a different humidity

• Every fridge varies in power

• Every starter needs time to adjust to its new environment

This is why one baker might get a perfect rise in 10 hours, while another needs 14. It’s also why rigid online instructions (especially those written for liquid starters) often cause more confusion than clarity.

At Love Crumb, our kits use a dough-style starter, not a liquid one. They behave differently, rise differently, and require different timing. So if you’re comparing yours with YouTube videos of bubbly, pourable liquid starters—ignore them. You’re working with a sturdier, easier-to-care-for culture.

The most common sourdough mistake: over-proving

This surprises many people, because we tend to assume the opposite. A loaf that doesn’t rise feels like it needed more time—not less.

But in almost every email we receive, the culprit is the same: The dough has proved too long and has exhausted itself.

When dough over-proves, it becomes slack. It collapses or spreads. It sticks to the basket. It won’t spring back in the oven. It looks “puffy” in the wrong way—big, but weak.

The fix? Knock a few hours off your proving time.

• Don’t change anything else.

• Don’t tweak the recipe.

• Don’t add more starter.

• Just shorten the prove.

For most bakers, 12 hours is a great starting point. Depending on your home’s temperature, that might change—but 12 hours is where the magic usually reappears.

How to know when your dough has proved just right

Instead of staring at the clock, check the dough:

✔️ It should rise to the rim of the basket (or slightly below/above depending on temperature). Not overflowing, not saucer-flat.

✔️ It should feel firm and spring back when gently poked.

• A soft, bouncy resilience = ready.

• A poke that leaves an indent = over-proved.

• A dough that feels dense and tight = under-proved.

✔️ It should still hold its shape when turned out of the basket. If it slumps sideways, it’s tired.

These visual cues are far more reliable than the recipe’s suggested timing.

Temperature: the secret ingredient no one talks about

Here’s a simple rule:

• Warm home → dough proves faster

• Cool home → dough proves slower

Help! My sourdough didn’t rise. What should I do next time?

Here’s our go-to troubleshooting advice (the same guidance we email to customers):

1. Your starter is almost certainly fine. People worry their starter is “dead” or “weak”. But dough-style starters are robust and stable. It’s rarely the starter.

2. Cut your proving time by a few hours. This solves deflated loaves nine times out of ten.

3. Don’t change anything else. Keep the recipe and method the same. Make only one adjustment at a time.

4. Make sure your oven is properly hot. Most ovens lie about their temperature. We suggest a full 45-minute preheat before baking. This gives you better oven spring and a stronger crust.

5. Repeat, observe, and trust the process. Your starter is getting used to its new home. Every bake teaches you something.

Why this trial-and-error is actually part of the joy

Sourdough is wonderfully predictable once you learn how your dough behaves in your environment. There’s no single “perfect” proving time because no two homes are identical. That’s why we always say:

“Don’t chase the timing—learn the dough.”

When you start reading your dough instead of the recipe, suddenly everything clicks. Your loaves rise taller. Your crumb opens up. Your confidence grows.

And before long, you won’t need this blog post at all.