The Fresh Loaf

A Community of Amateur Bakers and Artisan Bread Enthusiasts.

Squat Sandwich Loaf: Final Rise in the Fridge

D.W.'s picture
D.W.

Squat Sandwich Loaf: Final Rise in the Fridge

Hi everyone,

 

I began baking bread about 1.5mo ago and I started with a sandwich loaf. I have had a lot of success and have landed on a formula that my family likes. I normally bake a straight dough and do it all in one day, but I have read in the community and other literature that time = flavor, so I began doing the bulk fermentation overnight, letting the dough come to room temp, doing the final rise on the counter, and then baking. Bakes up perfectly.

 

This last time I thought I’d try doing the final rise in the fridge and take it straight from the fridge to the oven for baking. I did the bulk fermentation on the counter, degassed, and placed in the loaf tins for the final rise. I let it rise for 1hr on the counter and then put in the fridge overnight.

 

When I woke the next morning (a work day) the height that had been achieved the night before during the 1hr on the counter was gone and it didn’t look like it had risen at all. The dough was well below the rim of the tin. I went ahead and baked it because I was afraid to leave it in the fridge all day as I had not decreased the amount of yeast in the formula.

 

As you can imagine the loaves came were squat and dense. Does anyone have tips on how to do the final rise in the fridge, go straight to the oven and still have a good final rise and great oven spring? I really want to maximize the flavor and also learn to work in bread making to fit my schedule. Unfortunately, I don’t know the ambient temp of my kitchen nor did I know the temp of my dough (my Thermapen is coming today!).

 

If it’s helpful my bread recipe is as follows.

 

2 sandwich loaves

500g strong white flour

500g whole wheat flour

14g instant yeast

700g water

18g salt

40g olive oil

85g honey

pmccool's picture
pmccool

in your second paragraph: “...placed in the loaf tins for the final rise.  I let it rise for 1hr on the counter...”

The dough was fully proofed, or very nearly fully proofed, before you put in the refrigerator.  By the time it cooled down enough to slow (not stop) the yeast's growth, the dough was overproofed.  Hence it’s collapse.  
Next time, either limit bench time to about 15 minutes before refrigerating or put the tins in the refrigerator immediately after shaping the loaves.  
Paul

Danni3ll3's picture
Danni3ll3

I would cut back on some of the yeast since you are using commercial yeast. 

D.W.'s picture
D.W.

Is there a general formula guideline around decreasing yeast? Could I use half the amount (7g) for 1000g of flour when 50% of it is whole wheat?

 

Thank you for the suggestion. 

Danni3ll3's picture
Danni3ll3

decrease and see. Sorry no formula that I know of. 

D.W.'s picture
D.W.

Thank you, Paul! That makes a lot of sense. On this next go I will go straight to the fridge for the final proof.