The Library / When it goes wrong

A crust that stays pale

Pale crust is not enough heat, not enough time uncovered, or a dough that had no sugar left to brown with.

Why

Browning needs a hot, dry surface. If the lid stays on too long, or the oven runs cooler than its dial, the crust never gets there. An oven thermometer settles that in one bake. Taking the lid off a few minutes earlier gives the crust longer to colour.

Further down

The third cause is fermentation. Sugars brown, and the microbes eat sugars: a heavily over-fermented dough can have too little left to colour, however hot the oven. That loaf is pale and a little dull-looking, where an underbaked one is pale and soft.

Updated 7 October 2026