I have cold retarded a dough with 20% pre-fermented flour for up to 36 hours. My refrigerator temperature is 40dF. The bread does have a slightly more complex and sour flavor. I've not had any problems with over-proofing.
Some part of the fridge will be cooler. Try to put the dough there. Also, put the dough sooner into the refrigerator, before it has much of a chance to get fermenting much.
I don't think it's so much about not decreasing the starter. It's more that you have other techniques that will help. Fermentation tends to be an exponential process, going faster towards the end, and a relatively small change in the initial starter amount will only delay that by a comparatively small amount. Of course you could reduce the starter by a large amount, and that certainly would delay the progress, but using a lower refrigerator temperature and putting the dough in the chill sooner, will pay off anyway.
I have cold retarded a dough with 20% pre-fermented flour for up to 36 hours. My refrigerator temperature is 40dF. The bread does have a slightly more complex and sour flavor. I've not had any problems with over-proofing.
David
That makes sense. My fridge is 46 degrees therefore mine is over proofing at 14 hours.
I don't want to upset my wife by making the fridge too cold, therefore should I adjust the starter down to 10% to achieve a 24 hr cold proof ?
For food safety, your refrigerator temperature should be 39-41dF. Really.
David
Some part of the fridge will be cooler. Try to put the dough there. Also, put the dough sooner into the refrigerator, before it has much of a chance to get fermenting much.
Agreed. There's a 7º difference (infrared) in mine between the veggie drawer (35º) at the bottom and the top shelf (42º).
Experiment till it's right. That's the best way to go. Enjoy!
So everyone says don't reduce the starter? Instead reduce bulk rise?? Hmmm
David, I will reduce the fridge temp a few degrees.
I don't think it's so much about not decreasing the starter. It's more that you have other techniques that will help. Fermentation tends to be an exponential process, going faster towards the end, and a relatively small change in the initial starter amount will only delay that by a comparatively small amount. Of course you could reduce the starter by a large amount, and that certainly would delay the progress, but using a lower refrigerator temperature and putting the dough in the chill sooner, will pay off anyway.
Thank you all!