The Fresh Loaf

A Community of Amateur Bakers and Artisan Bread Enthusiasts.

Final proof in fridge overnight?

brec's picture
brec

Final proof in fridge overnight?

I'll have to face this question in a couple of hours after writing this.

I'm making Cranberry Walnut Sourdough.

@sadkitchenkid says of the final proof, "Place in a floured banneton, let proof until ready (two hours was good for me). I usually prefer to proof shaped dough in the fridge overnight, but there was no fridge space this time"

I do have fridge space. If I do the overnight final proof, in the morning would I just take it out of the fridge and bake, or would I let the dough warm up some first? Warm up while the oven is preheating? Longer?

[I had resolved to stick to 100% whole grains, but the picture of this bread shattered that resolve.]

jwilbershide's picture
jwilbershide

I overnight proof my bread most every time I bake. I use willow basket and then bake in a pre-heated cast iron  skillet/dutch oven combo. I go straight from the icebox to the oven. The cold dough makes it easy to score the loaf. And I like the smell of bread baking in the morning. Gets the day off to a good start.

brec's picture
brec

OK; thanks. But, assuming the cold stops fermentation, does the dough get any final proof time before it goes into the icebox? Or does fermenting continue in the cold, except muuuuch slooooooower?

As it turns out, that question is for future reference. In this case, it seemed the dough wasn't ready for the basket. I guess the bulk fermentation wasn't complete -- or something -- I couldn't shape it at all. So I just stuck it in the fridge in a plastic bucket. Now, in the A.M., I can shape it somewhat. But if I give it a poke test, the dough sticks to my finger and a strand pulls away with my finger. Now it's resting for a while on the bench; I'll see what happens and try to improvise.

(Did I mention that I'm a beginner?)

jwilbershide's picture
jwilbershide

First a warning.  I am only a person who likes making bread. Lots of better bakers here than me.  I mix the dough using the technique found in a book called Flour Water Salt Yeast.  I mix everything except the salt and let it rest for about an hour or so. Then I add the salt and mix the dough until it become smoother. I let it rest for 30 minutes then give it a stretch and fold. I repete that process 2 more times. 

After 15 more minutes I give the dough a loose shaping and let it rest covered for 15 minutes. Then I do a final shaping,put the dough in basket, cover the top of the basket with plastic, then in to the fridge, I let rest there at least 8 hours and have gone as long as 16 hours with out a problem.

So if I count the first hour long resting as part of the proofing time, the dough proofs at 77-79 degrees about 3-3.5 hours.

Hope this helps.

 

jim

brec's picture
brec

jim -- I was asking about "final proofing" in accord with what I think is the usual terminology, as distinguished from bulk (pre-splitting, if applicable, and pre-shaping) fermentation in the usual terminology. In that terminology all of your proofing is bulk fermentation.

The glossary here has this: "Proof: (1) the final rise of the shaped loaves before baking (2) the hydration of dry active yeast in water before it is added to the dough." I believe that this definition may be somewhat narrow; otherwise there would be no need for the adjective "final" to refer to the proofing after shaping, and many experienced bakers do use that adjective.

Most procedures look for a rise from fermentation gas during "final proofing" -- maybe not a significant rise, like a 50% increase, but some. I'm thinking that the cold-final-proof technique is not looking for any significant fermentation in the fridge, and wondering why.

[We interrupt this thread for breaking news: I just removed the Dutch over cover during baking, and observed some good oven spring. There's hope yet for this loaf!]

jwilbershide's picture
jwilbershide

First and most important,congrats on the oven spring. 

One of the thingsI read said the proofing at lower temps will reduce the amount of sour in the final product.I prefer my bread to taste more ‘wheaty’ and less ‘yeasty’. I think that places me in the minority amoung sourdough bakers. 

Another thing i’ve Come to realize is that their are lots of diffrent terms used to discribe the stages of bread production. I kind of wish that there was only 1 set of terms for talking about making bread.  

If you search ‘proof temp’ on this site you well get a lot of good information.

And again, congrats on the bread. Every time I bake it seems kind of like magic to me that it works out in the end.

brec's picture
brec

Cranberry Walnut Sourdough -- cooling

I forgot to score it -- again. Oh, and I'm calling it "Cranberry Walnut Sourdough" in honor of the creator of the formula, but here it's dried blueberries rather than cranberries. I like blueberries.

jwilbershide's picture
jwilbershide

Kinda makes me hungry just looking at it.