The Fresh Loaf

A Community of Amateur Bakers and Artisan Bread Enthusiasts.

Bringing to room temperature?

Eclarner's picture
Eclarner

Bringing to room temperature?

I usually let my doughs rise in the refrigerator overnight when baking yeast breads.  A question that came to me is: Is it really important to let the dough come to room temperature before moving to the next step?  I sometimes see this on recipe instructions, but I also hear some say they work straight after removing from the fridge.  Any intake?

Danni3ll3's picture
Danni3ll3

the first rise (fermentation) or the second rise (proofing)? I haven't fermented yeast breads in the fridge that I recall, but I have proofed them in the fridge. I bake them directly from the fridge but I check first that they have risen to the level I want which is usually at least 80 to 90 percent (as best as I can figure out). 

On the other hand, I have fermented sourdough breads in the fridge and shaped them after an hour or less at room temperature. The cold dough made shaping really easy. I imagine it would be similar for yeast breads. 

MichaelLily's picture
MichaelLily

It can affect the way the bread rises in the oven (oven spring).  Cold doughs are typically more volatile and will burst whereas warm, well-fermented dough will not.  It is also true that cold, well-fermented dough has a pretty predictable oven spring as well.