The Fresh Loaf

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Can you fix an under-fermented dough during the proof?

valbakes's picture
valbakes

Can you fix an under-fermented dough during the proof?

Baking off a batch of 9 loaves today. I was nervous that my ferment was under on the loaves, but had hoped it was just my imagination. Sure enough, I baked off a test loaf and it is way under-fermented. Flat, chewy, and lacking flavor (if it was over-proofed or over-fermened, I would have sour notes... this bread just has no flavor). So here's my question-- can I fix my additional loaves with just a long warm proof? Or do I need to let them re-ferment, then re-shape & proof?

 

For the record-- my dough is a low-innoculation (10%... 40 grams of young levain for 400 g of flour). They warm-bulked with the doughs at around 76 degrees for 4 hours, before retarding to the fridge for an overnight bulk.

phaz's picture
phaz

Since the same things happen during both, just proof till it's ready (you'll have to watch it). Reshaping may be a good idea, just to move the food around a little and even the crumb up a tad (shouldn't notice much difference anyway).