Babka sinking

[Malenalovesbread]

Hi y’all!

So I’m a very experienced baker but I’ve always had trouble with making babka!

Every single time I make it, it ends up sinking in the middle after about 15 minutes out of the oven. I don’t have trouble with any other bread and this is driving me crazy. Any ideas? I only proof until it’s doubled in size and I’ve even changed my recipe twice.. I have no idea what’s causing it

 

[Malenalovesbread]

 

[Norcalbaker59]

1) Are you monitoring the finished temperature of the mixed dough? Yeast dough should not exceed 74°F (23°C) – 77°F (25°C) after it is mixed. It is what we refer to as Desired Dough Temperature (DDT). All baker use DDT to control the yeast development whether the yeast is added or a sourdough. If the finished dough temperature is above this range, or really above 75°F, more likely than not the yeast will develop too quickly in the first rise. Then in the second phase it is out of control. If you’re using instant yeast, then in the second proof, with all that sugar available in the chocolate filling and warm temperature there is no way to control the yeast. Even with active dry yeast, if you had excessive yeast development in the first rise, you would have problem with the second rise with all sugar available to the yeast.

2) Are you using a bowl to proof and judge “double in size”? If you are, then you are most likely incorrectly and over-estimating amount as a bowl expands. Use a rectangular food container to proof dough.

3) If you knead by hand, adding flour is the most common mistake bakers make when kneading dough. and it’s not the fault of bakers because every recipe and cookbook instructs bakers to add flour to the work surface and hands. But that is incorrect. Adding flour changes the Hydration levels in the dough. It takes a little bit of practice, and it is uncomfortable at first for home bakers to get used to kneading dough without flour. But is the correct why to knead dough. Also, adding a ton of flour when shaping is another common mistake that adds more flour to the dough, throwing the ratios off.

 

[retired baker]

View attachment 3856

Hi y’all!

So I’m a very experienced baker but I’ve always had trouble with making babka!

Every single time I make it, it ends up sinking in the middle after about 15 minutes out of the oven. I don’t have trouble with any other bread and this is driving me crazy. Any ideas? I only proof until it’s doubled in size and I’ve even changed my recipe twice.. I have no idea what’s causing it

Classic underbaked, your oven is too cold, they definitely aren't baked in the photo.
375F for half an hour, they should be DARK brown, not yellow or golden like danish.
Crank it up....a lot.