kaid59•10d ago

Switched to cold proofing my dough overnight and never went back

For like 3 years I always let my bread dough rise at room temp for 2 hours. Then I read a post from a baker in Vermont who said she puts hers in the fridge for 12 to 18 hours. I tried it last Tuesday and the crust came out way crispier with more oven spring. The flavor was deeper too, not just plain white bread taste. Now I plan my bakes a day ahead instead of rushing same morning. Has anyone else noticed a big difference with longer cold proofing times?

2 comments

2 Comments

gavin_hill2710d agoTop Commenter

Honestly, I used to think cold proofing was just a hack for people who couldn't plan ahead. But I tried it last month after seeing a post from a home baker in Maine, and man, I was wrong. The crust came out so much crispier, like way more than I expected. The flavor was deeper too, not just that plain bread taste you get from a fast rise. Now I actually look forward to mixing dough at night and shaping it the next morning, feels like cheating or something. This method really changed my mind about rushing the process.

ellis.mia10d ago

@gavin_hill27 i tried it too and honestly i still think it's overhyped. the flavor was ok but i got the same crisp crust from just leaving my dough on the counter for 4 hours.