Although I have been lurking here for a year, this is my first post. Let me start out by saying how terrific this site is and how much I have learned.  Thanks so much (and I bought Floyd's book - terrific!).

I have been baking sourdough breads, with my own starter, for about a year.  My usual process, from Emmanuel Hadjiandreou "How to Bake Bread" (wonderful, btw) is to stretch and fold every 10 minutes for about an hour, ferment for an hour, shape, proof for 4 hours, then bake.

I want to be able to bake first thing in the morning with minimal delay.  Can I proof for 4 hours, retard overnight and then bake?  the other day,  I proofed for an hour and then put it in the fridge.  In the morning, there looked like there was no rise.  So, I let it proof for 4 hours and then baked.  Came out great but it took longer than I wanted.

So, I think I can:

 - proof for 4 hours, retard overnight, then bake or

- not proof at room temperature, but retard for 24 hours and then bake? or

- ?

Thanks very much in advance.

- Mitch