Proofing a must?
Hey, yes, another question by me, you'll be seeing plenty. Sorry, but that is what you get from being so friendly and helpful...
I was wondering about proofing. To me it seems the idea comes from professional baking, where you had to make a bunch of dough, bulk ferment it, then shape it, and then wait for more fermentation for it to be ready for baking.
Yet, I really don't come across recipes where the proofing is excluded from. Is it a must to proof? What are the benefits? Does it relax the proteins and allow for better rise or something?
The reason why I am asking is because I want to mix a dough in the evening, let it rise during the night, get up 1 hour before I have to leave the house, preheat oven, bake, let cool for lunch.
And just want to know if I am losing some quality of the loaf by not punching it down and letting it rise again.
Thanks.