Hi - and thanks in advance to all who answer. I just started baking bread last week - and am on my fourth loaf. I started with the No Knead Bread and have now moved to the Cooks Illustrated Nearly No Knead bread. This differs from the NKB by the introduction of both beer and vinegar into the mix. So here is my question:
I know that the NKB can be aged in the fridge - up to 7 days even. I am unsure if the Cooks Illustrated Almost No Knead Bread can be kept in the fridge - aging - before final rise and baking. Does anyone know? And if so - for how long? 7 days like NKB? Does the vinegar and beer impact whether you can keep it in the fridge for some time before baking? I do not want to get anyone ill.
Thank you
I make an ale and yeast bread where the pre-ferment is made of equal amounts (by weight) of home made ale and bread flour, and a tiny bit of yeast. That 'poolish' is left to ferment for 5-6 hours. Then the bread is made (mix the poolish with the rest of the flour, water, salt and another tiny bit of yeast). After the dough is mixed and developed a bit it sits at room temperature for a couple of hours then goes into the fridge for 12 to 14 hours, being baked the next morning. It's fabulous bread; one of my customers' favourites, so I would say the ale doesn't hurt the dough at all overnight.
I have also made the whole wheat beer bread from "Health Bread in 5 minutes a Day". This dough can be kept in the fridge for days, and contains a fair amount of beer.
I sometimes use a bit of kombucha in my bread dough too, but it isn't nearly as acidic as vinegar.
Thank you for your reply. I was not so worried about hurting the dough - I was concerned I would make something that would make people ill...that the beer and vinegar dough would be toxic if left in the fridge for day/days prior to baking. I can deal with failed dough - but I would hate to make something that made us sick if we ate it. Thx for responding
it would seem to negate or at least significantly lessen the need to use the beer and vinegar which are, as I understand it anyway, added to increase depth and to impart a bit of SD-like flavor. But those things should happen anyway during the long refrigeration period, although how much is fairly subjective.