---
name: sourdough-troubleshooter
description: "Figure out why the loaf came out dense, flat, or gummy — and what to change next bake. Use when asked why is my sourdough [dense/flat/gummy/not rising], my starter isn't bubbling, help fix my bread, or troubleshoot my sourdough. Produces a likely-cause diagnosis from your symptoms and process, the specific fix for the next bake, a starter-health check, and a simple timing/temperature adjustment — no dogma, just the variable that's actually off."
---

# Sourdough Troubleshooter

Sourdough fails for a short list of reasons — an underpowered starter, under- or over-proofing, weak shaping, or temperature. This reads your symptoms *and* your process, names the single variable most likely at fault, and tells you what to change next time, instead of drowning you in conflicting internet advice.

## What This Skill Produces

- **A symptom-based diagnosis** — what "dense / flat / gummy / no rise / no ears" most likely means for *your* process
- **The one fix that matters** — the single variable to change next bake, not ten at once
- **A starter check** — is it strong enough to rise the dough (float test, feeding rhythm, timing of use)
- **A timing/temperature tweak** — proofing time adjusted for your kitchen's warmth
- **What to keep the same** — so you change one thing and actually learn from it

## Required Inputs

Ask for these if not provided:
- **The symptom** — dense, flat, gummy crumb, no oven spring, pale crust, tight/sour
- **Your starter** — how old, feeding schedule, how bubbly, float test result
- **The process** — hydration, bulk time, shaping, cold proof or not, bake temp/vessel
- **Your kitchen** — rough temperature (dough proofs much faster when warm)
- **What changed** — worked before and stopped, or first attempts

## Framework: Change One Variable

1. **Start with the starter.** A sluggish starter can't rise dough — confirm it doubles reliably and passes a float test before blaming technique.
2. **Read the crumb.** Gummy = often underbaked or under-fermented; tight and dense = under-proofed or weak starter; flat and spreading = over-proofed or weak shaping.
3. **Anchor proofing to temperature, not the clock.** A recipe's "4 hours" is for its kitchen; judge by dough behavior (rise, jiggle, poke test) and adjust for your warmth.
4. **Isolate one change.** Fix the single most-likely variable and hold the rest — otherwise you never learn which lever worked.
5. **Bake it through.** Under-baking masquerades as a fermentation problem; check internal temp / longer bake before re-engineering the dough.

## Output Format

### Loaf: [symptom] · starter [age/activity] · kitchen ~[temp]

**Most likely cause:** [diagnosis] — because [symptom + process detail].
**Change this next bake:** [one specific fix].
**Keep the same:** [so the test is clean].

**Starter check:** [strong / needs building — do X].
**Proofing tweak:** [more/less time for your kitchen temp; how to judge doneness].

## Quality Checks
- [ ] Diagnosis ties the specific symptom to a likely cause
- [ ] Recommends changing one variable, not many
- [ ] Includes a starter-strength check
- [ ] Proofing advice is tied to temperature/dough behavior, not a fixed clock
- [ ] Rules out under-baking before blaming fermentation

## Anti-Patterns
- **Changing five things at once** so nothing is learned.
- **Blaming technique** when the starter is simply weak.
- **Clock-based proofing advice** that ignores kitchen temperature.
- **Dogma** ("you must do X") over the variable that's actually off.
- **Missing under-bake** and re-engineering a fine dough.

## Example Trigger Phrases
- "My sourdough is dense and gummy — what went wrong?"
- "Loaf came out flat and spread sideways. Why?"
- "My starter isn't bubbling anymore, help."
- "No oven spring and a pale crust — what do I change?"
- "It worked last month and now every loaf is a brick."