Crave The Good
You’ve probably heard that proofing your sourdough in the fridge is one of the best ways to make a loaf with an incredible flavor and texture. But what does that mean, exactly? And how do you go about doing it?
- Ally @ cravethegood.com
Proofing refers to the rise after shaping. The shaped dough is allowed to rest and rise, allowing the yeast to create carbon dioxide gas, stretching the gluten in the dough, and trapping the gas in bubbles within the bread.
- Dough that has been proofed in the fridge has a more complex, sourer flavor - Cold dough is much much easier to handle - You can bake that bread on your schedule, not the dough's
1. Follow recipe as written 2. Shape the dough then place into a banneton 3. Cover and place in fridge 4. Preheat oven and bake straight from fridge.
While there is a wide range of times that your sourdough can be proofed in the fridge and there is no right or wrong answer, keep your cold retard time frame within reason.