Retarding Dough
I've found it convenient at times to separate various stages of dough development (e.g., I can do the mixing and initial fermenting one day; do final proof overnight; and bake the next day). In addition, I've been told that retarding the dough during the final proof can develop the flavor better. I often retard the dough during the final proof stage and in the refrigerator overnight. After retarding, I pull the dough out of the refrigerator and let it reach room temperature (about an hour), or even place it in the oven on the 'proof' setting for a while.
Here are some comments from other sources on retarding of dough:
Here are some comments from other sources on retarding of dough:
SOURCE: Hamelman, Jeffrey (2006-11-10). Bread: A Baker's Book of Techniques and Recipes, 2nd Edition (Page 150). Wiley Higher Ed. Kindle Edition.
Breads that are intended to retard overnight have different needs. Since fermentation will continue during refrigeration, the bread can’t be left at room temperature for too long. If the dough is cool and the fermentation sluggish, the bread can receive upwards of 1 hour of floor time before retarding. During warm months, or with especially vigorous cultures, the bread might be better if the loaves are retarded as soon as they are formed. Experience will be the best guide; unless you work in an environment that is consistent in both temperature and humidity throughout the year, expect that there will be seasonal swings in the needs of the bread. The length of time the bread remains in the retarder will in part determine the best temperature. For breads that retard for up to about 8 hours, a retarder temperature of about 50°F should suffice. As the
retarding time increases, the temperature of the retarder correspondingly decreases. Breads retarding for 16 hours need a retarder temperature closer to 40°F (home refrigerators should be about 40°F, and if making any of these breads at home, expect to retard them overnight). After 20 to 24 hours of refrigeration, dough begins to become quite acidic, regardless of the temperature of the retarder.
Breads that are intended to retard overnight have different needs. Since fermentation will continue during refrigeration, the bread can’t be left at room temperature for too long. If the dough is cool and the fermentation sluggish, the bread can receive upwards of 1 hour of floor time before retarding. During warm months, or with especially vigorous cultures, the bread might be better if the loaves are retarded as soon as they are formed. Experience will be the best guide; unless you work in an environment that is consistent in both temperature and humidity throughout the year, expect that there will be seasonal swings in the needs of the bread. The length of time the bread remains in the retarder will in part determine the best temperature. For breads that retard for up to about 8 hours, a retarder temperature of about 50°F should suffice. As the
retarding time increases, the temperature of the retarder correspondingly decreases. Breads retarding for 16 hours need a retarder temperature closer to 40°F (home refrigerators should be about 40°F, and if making any of these breads at home, expect to retard them overnight). After 20 to 24 hours of refrigeration, dough begins to become quite acidic, regardless of the temperature of the retarder.
SOURCE: Reinhart, Peter (2010-10-13). Peter Reinhart's Artisan Breads Every Day: Fast and Easy Recipes for World-Class Breads (Kindle Locations 226-235). Random House, Inc.. Kindle Edition.
I take advantage of a number of factors that aren’t always available to commercial bakeries: refrigeration, small batches, and high hydration. For the most part, bakeries don’t have enough room to hold large batches of dough overnight, so they use sponges or other pre-ferments to build flavor. But home bakers can, so most of the recipes in this book call for making a complete, single-mix dough, then using the refrigerator to retard the fermentation process. This gives enzymes and microorganisms ample time to work on the molecules in the dough and develop the flavor. Once the dough is mixed, in most cases it’s quickly retarded to slow down activity of the yeast. One of the differences between this method and those I’ve used in previous books is that the recipes often call for lukewarm water (about 95°F or 35°C) rather than water at room temperature. This allows the yeast a chance to wake up and begin fermenting the dough as it cools down, until the yeast eventually goes dormant when the temperature of the dough falls below 40°F (4°C). A lot of the flavor transformation in the dough takes place during the dormant stage, because the starch enzymes are still at work even while the yeast goes to sleep.
I take advantage of a number of factors that aren’t always available to commercial bakeries: refrigeration, small batches, and high hydration. For the most part, bakeries don’t have enough room to hold large batches of dough overnight, so they use sponges or other pre-ferments to build flavor. But home bakers can, so most of the recipes in this book call for making a complete, single-mix dough, then using the refrigerator to retard the fermentation process. This gives enzymes and microorganisms ample time to work on the molecules in the dough and develop the flavor. Once the dough is mixed, in most cases it’s quickly retarded to slow down activity of the yeast. One of the differences between this method and those I’ve used in previous books is that the recipes often call for lukewarm water (about 95°F or 35°C) rather than water at room temperature. This allows the yeast a chance to wake up and begin fermenting the dough as it cools down, until the yeast eventually goes dormant when the temperature of the dough falls below 40°F (4°C). A lot of the flavor transformation in the dough takes place during the dormant stage, because the starch enzymes are still at work even while the yeast goes to sleep.