After mixing dough, a bulk fermentation of (2-4 hrs), and then putting into a fridge in container for at least 12 hrs what would be the best way to proceed?
- Shape and put into oven
- Should you remove wanted dough gently shape and let proof 40-60 min
- Bring to room temp before shaping
I have read the the cold retardation may effect the "normal" proofing process and/or that touch i.e the poke test may not be a great indicator of readiness.
** no starters used just commercial yeast
In the Artisan Bread in 5 Minutes a Day, they use a method very similar to what you are describing. They shape their bread right out of the fridge and then let it rise before baking. You might want to check out how they do it and since they use commercial yeast, it would be very relevant to what you are doing.
It is (book lightly shapes and lets the dough rest for 40 min) but, with the no knead method I have seen that most people add a few things like slap and folds. I was wondering if people have used different methods when ready to bake.
Welcome to TFL!
I used the Hertzberg/Francois method prior to discovering and joining this web site, and switching to the Robertson/Forkish/Reinhart/Hamelman methods that are more commonly used by the active members here.
I have 4 of the Hertzberg/Francois hard copy books: Artisan in 5, Healthy in 5, New Healthy in 5, and Artisan Pizza/Flatbread in 5. (All from Amazon's used book marketplace.)
First bit of advice, don't mix/combine methods until you've mastered one of them. Pick one, go with it, trying as best as possible to duplicate exactly what the formula's author has documented in their book.
Hertzberg/Francois have some good videos on youtube. search on: Hertzberg bread 5
You're just not going to get a Hertzberg/Francois result if, before you master their technique, you start modifying it with things outside of their system. (Or maybe you have mastered their style, and are now moving on. Or, maybe you want to switch styles. That's fine, too.)
Secondly, not everyone who jumps in is going to read your previous posts and realize you are going by the Hertzberg/Francois books. That is going to lead to confusion because terms mean slightly different things in their system than in other systems. So, please state in each post what book/author you're working from, if that is the case. It even helps if you name the recipe, and give the page number where applicable.
(Already, it looks like you've possibly confused "stretch and folds" with "slap and folds" mentioned on this website, which are different.)
My main challenge with the H/F system was that the dough in the fridge changes every day because it keeps on fermenting. ( Maybe because my fridge temp is over the magic number of 34 or 35. ) So no two loaves from the same batch bake up the same. A 12 hour, a 24 hour, a 36 hour, a 48 hour, a 60 hour, and a 72 hour cold "bulk ferment" are all just plain different -- because ... "time" is an ingredient.
So when someone asks "How long was the bulk ferment?" Then just saying "X hours, and then I put it in the fridge" is only part of the story. The better answer is "X hours at room temp (at T1 degrees), then Y hours in the fridge (at T2 degrees)."
Of note: the H/F method of shaping is slightly different than the fold-roll-and-scooch method others use. The over-arching concept of developing a tight outer skin is the same, but different handling methods to get there.
And, around day 3 or 4, depending on whether I used whole wheat or white flour, the dough just degraded. So I had to use up the batch of dough within 48-60 hours anyway. So if you mix up a batch Monday morning, you bake Mon evening, Tues evening, and Wed evening, and that's it. And all three of those loaves end up different, becasue of extra fermentation.
Also, by not using a banneton, the loaves need to be kept small. So, I eventually figured out I would rather make a big 2.6 pound (weight before baking) mostly whole wheat loaf in one go, proof it in a 8" inner-diameter banneton, do just one bake, then eat it over a period of 3+ days. And I find the dutch oven simpler to use than the rigamarole of pouring boiling water in a roasting pan.
Again, welcome to the TFL club. "Where some of us are a little half-baked, but no one is crummy."
I'm confident that once you advertise yourself as a "Hertzberg/Francois" or "5 minutes a day" baker, you'll get advice tailored for that method.
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By the way, what's your preference about percentages between white flour and whole wheat flour?
I've tried both methods and found that bringing my dough up to room temperature (usually 2 hours in my environment) yields my best loaves.
You really should try both methods to se which works best for your environment. Have Fun!
Yes, I tried a couple things and found that taking the dough out of the fridge doing a quick pre- shape letting it rest for about 10 min and then shaping it letting it proof for 60-90 min was best. Perhaps this dough was no left to bulk ferment long enough.