The Fresh Loaf

A Community of Amateur Bakers and Artisan Bread Enthusiasts.

Overnight in the fridge? Bulk Fermentation or Final Proofing

BreadClub20's picture
BreadClub20

Overnight in the fridge? Bulk Fermentation or Final Proofing

Which would people prefer? To engineer a schedule so that the bulk fermentation took place overnight or so that the final proofing was completed overnight? It has to be one or the other? Which is perferred and why? 

phaz's picture
phaz

It doesn't. What has to be is something that fits the schedule, and that's just working the fundamentals to whatever advantage you want. Enjoy! 

semolina_man's picture
semolina_man

I have gone away from long bulk fermentations and final proofs.  This has been accomplished using warm water during the mixing stage, a warm bulk ferment location and a warm final proof location. 

 

I do not use sourdough, I don't think this matters.  Levain is levain, however flavor is different among the various types.  

 

I use an overnight poolish.  Very easy to assemble the night before.  It sits on the counter, covered in plastic, during it's maturation. 

 

This is the cadence/schedule I like to use.  

loaflove's picture
loaflove

Hi S. M.  If you do BF in fridge, how do you know when it's done? and how much longer is it gonna take? days??

cc

Benito's picture
Benito

I like doing an overnight levain build and a saltolyse (autolyse with salt).  The bulk fermentation during the day with the folds to build structure and then overnight cold retard.  This works for my schedule.  

Benny 

loaflove's picture
loaflove

Hi Benny! So you mean you do your final proof (after shaping) then overnight cold retard then straight into hot oven?

cc

Benito's picture
Benito

Sorry if I wasn’t clear and detailed enough, after I shape and place in a banneton, I do a final proof on the countertop or even back in the proofing box.  Recently I’ve been waiting for the aliquot jar to show 80-90% rise and then finally start cold retard overnight.  Then after up to 26 hours in the fridge I’ll bake right out of the fridge.

Benny

loaflove's picture
loaflove

only unclear to inexperienced bakers like me I'm sure.  

loaflove's picture
loaflove

Benny, if i wanted to do add ins to my basic sourdough recipe, like dried fruit or nuts.  at which stage do you recommend i put it in?  I put dried rosemary at my third set of s and f and found it didn't get distributed evenly enough.  

Benito's picture
Benito

I’m not sure if you do a lamination or not but that is when I like to add my inclusions.  My typical procedure is add levain and Rubaud, then slap and folds.  Rest then bench letterfold.  Rest then lamination then coil folds etc.  I find that adding inclusions during a lamination can get you very even distribution of inclusions. 

Here’s how I do it.

loaflove's picture
loaflove

Sorry but was that the last set of lamination in the video?

Benito's picture
Benito

I only do that one lamination, after the bench letterfold and before the coil folds.

loaflove's picture
loaflove

btw, i don't do laminations,  just stretch and folds  . i'm too lazy  

Benito's picture
Benito

People will often add inclusions during the second set of stretch and folds, adding in quarters with each stretch and fold.

 

loaflove's picture
loaflove

Dave Cee's picture
Dave Cee

I recently "settled" into this method:

30 minute fermentolyse then add salt

3 to 4 stretches and folds

3 coil folds

Preshape and rest

Final shape and proof until 20% rise

All the above at 80°F to 82°F over a 5 to 6 hour period

12 hours in the fridge at 38°F then bake straight from the cooler.

Works for me. "Don't let perfection become the enemy of the good".

loaflove's picture
loaflove

Nice crumb shot.  Cute bunny with ears in the wind :)