I really like the flavors I get after dough has been in the fridge for several nights (after initial bulk rise). Is it important to let the dough come back up to room temperature before baking, so the yeast can wake up again?
When I do a cold retard as you’re describing by leaving the shaped dough in the fridge after final shaping, I always bake from cold. You’ll get a better oven spring as the cold gases, alcohol etc in the dough rapidly expand as it bakes. I don’t typically warm the dough up prior to baking.
I was actually planning to shape AFTER refrigeration. Would that make any difference?
I guess handling it to shape might knock out some of the gas. Maybe I should let it warm up after shaping the cold dough after all--to allow it to re-rise a bit?
I have done this for certain types of bread, baguettes in particular that are more challenging to shape. I haven’t done it for other types of hearth loaves, I’m not sure why you would want to, what do you think is the advantage of shaping after a cold retard for you?
I like the bread to have been in the shape I want it to “grow up” to become for a long period of time so that is why I like to shape, place it in the banneton and then cold retard.
There is a risk of tearing the gluten if you try to shape a cold stiff dough. It is better to let the dough relax a little or do a light pre shape then rest it before shaping again and proofing.
Too late to change my process now, so this one will be an experiment.
I let my mixed dough rise 90 minutes before going in the fridge--it nearly tripled in size, so I'm worrying maybe 90 minutes was too long.
After 3 nights in the fridge, it looked exactly the same as when it went in.
This morning I dumped it out, gave it one "letter fold" then gently rounded it to a ball and scored. I'd say the volume of the dough reduced by thirty or forty percent compared to what it was in my large mixing bowl, after this handling.
I'm hoping it will rise a bit as it sits in the Dutch oven while I'm waiting for the oven to pre-heat. Now I'm torn.. should I wait a couple of hours, hoping for some more rise, or get it right in to the oven cold?
I've read several posts supporting the idea that results stay consistent whether the Dutch oven is pre-heated or not--so I decided to go the easier way.
OK, I haven't tried that, maybe it works! But not what most people are doing. Just in case, so you know. I imagine, if your dough doesn't hold its shape perfectly, heating it slowly will allow it to spread into a pancake before it springs up... Maybe with low hydrated doughs it works fine...
One great reason to refrigerate the bulk ferment instead of shaping first is if you are making multiple loaves. It can be hard to find room in the fridge for multiple bannetons (or whatnot). Usually easy to fit a single covered tub of some convenient shape. In this case, I usually shape cold (gently) and wait for the dough to show signs of life before baking. It usually takes ~2 hrs, depending on what room temperature is. It's nice to have different options. A lot of different plans work out fine.
Can’t tell anything about the crumb from the picture. Based on your description, a little longer final proof was needed. Wait until the loaf is a bit jiggly.
Though your best bet for next time is shape before retarding, as others have noted.
Do you score the dough while it's cold, or after a couple of hours when it shows signs of life? I noticed that it's extremely easy to score while it's cold, but the score lines lose definition after the dough warms up.
While the oven was preheating the dough was out of the refrigerator for a total of about 1 hour. It actually rose about 20% while it was sitting in the Dutch oven waiting.
The dough was still pretty cold, but I decided to throw it in the oven anyway,
The exterior looks great. I think I got some good oven spring, judging from the nice high dome. I was really expecting this recipe to fill the pot, though, since there is 920g of flour in there. I have the feeling my crumb is going to be dense.
If you mean you keep it in the fridge after shaping, then no need to warm it up, load directly into a hot oven! It's easier to score cold dough too.
The yeast is awake in the fridge only less active.
I always put it straight out of the fridge in the oven.
When I do a cold retard as you’re describing by leaving the shaped dough in the fridge after final shaping, I always bake from cold. You’ll get a better oven spring as the cold gases, alcohol etc in the dough rapidly expand as it bakes. I don’t typically warm the dough up prior to baking.
Benny
I was actually planning to shape AFTER refrigeration. Would that make any difference?
I guess handling it to shape might knock out some of the gas. Maybe I should let it warm up after shaping the cold dough after all--to allow it to re-rise a bit?
What do you think?
I have done this for certain types of bread, baguettes in particular that are more challenging to shape. I haven’t done it for other types of hearth loaves, I’m not sure why you would want to, what do you think is the advantage of shaping after a cold retard for you?
I like the bread to have been in the shape I want it to “grow up” to become for a long period of time so that is why I like to shape, place it in the banneton and then cold retard.
The cold dough is also easier to score cold.
It wasn't necessarily my preference--I was just following my recipe, which instructed me to refrigerate immediately after initial bulk rise.
After thinking about your comments, I much prefer the idea of shaping first. I'll do that on the next round.
Than you!
Those are the answers I was hoping for, thank you.
That's good news about the scoring. I usually have trouble with the blade dragging and stretching the dough, so this with likely solve my problem.
There is a risk of tearing the gluten if you try to shape a cold stiff dough. It is better to let the dough relax a little or do a light pre shape then rest it before shaping again and proofing.
I let my mixed dough rise 90 minutes before going in the fridge--it nearly tripled in size, so I'm worrying maybe 90 minutes was too long.
After 3 nights in the fridge, it looked exactly the same as when it went in.
This morning I dumped it out, gave it one "letter fold" then gently rounded it to a ball and scored. I'd say the volume of the dough reduced by thirty or forty percent compared to what it was in my large mixing bowl, after this handling.
I'm hoping it will rise a bit as it sits in the Dutch oven while I'm waiting for the oven to pre-heat. Now I'm torn.. should I wait a couple of hours, hoping for some more rise, or get it right in to the oven cold?
I'll report back later.
Just FYI, that's not a typical baking process - usually one preheats the Dutch oven in the oven, and then you put just-scored bread into the hot DO.
Right.
I've read several posts supporting the idea that results stay consistent whether the Dutch oven is pre-heated or not--so I decided to go the easier way.
OK, I haven't tried that, maybe it works! But not what most people are doing. Just in case, so you know. I imagine, if your dough doesn't hold its shape perfectly, heating it slowly will allow it to spread into a pancake before it springs up... Maybe with low hydrated doughs it works fine...
Dob,
One great reason to refrigerate the bulk ferment instead of shaping first is if you are making multiple loaves. It can be hard to find room in the fridge for multiple bannetons (or whatnot). Usually easy to fit a single covered tub of some convenient shape. In this case, I usually shape cold (gently) and wait for the dough to show signs of life before baking. It usually takes ~2 hrs, depending on what room temperature is. It's nice to have different options. A lot of different plans work out fine.
Sumi
Funny, I think I wound up doing almost exactly what you said, right before I noticed your comment!
Overall, everything came out pretty well except but I did not get the big Artisan Style air holes in the crumb I was hoping for.
What should I do to puff this baby up the next time?
--Don
Can’t tell anything about the crumb from the picture. Based on your description, a little longer final proof was needed. Wait until the loaf is a bit jiggly.
Though your best bet for next time is shape before retarding, as others have noted.
I'll do it--thank you!
Sumi,
Do you score the dough while it's cold, or after a couple of hours when it shows signs of life? I noticed that it's extremely easy to score while it's cold, but the score lines lose definition after the dough warms up.
I score right before going into the oven. That’s what is needed to get “ears”.
While the oven was preheating the dough was out of the refrigerator for a total of about 1 hour. It actually rose about 20% while it was sitting in the Dutch oven waiting.
The dough was still pretty cold, but I decided to throw it in the oven anyway,
The exterior looks great. I think I got some good oven spring, judging from the nice high dome. I was really expecting this recipe to fill the pot, though, since there is 920g of flour in there. I have the feeling my crumb is going to be dense.
We'll see about the crumb in an hour..