TIL letting my sourdough cold proof for 36 hours made a huge difference

I used to only proof my dough for about 12 hours in the fridge. Then I tried pushing it to 36 hours on a whim after reading a forum post. The crust came out way darker and crunchier, and the inside had these big irregular holes I never got before. The extra time let the发酵 slow down and develop more acid flavor. Has anyone else noticed a big change from adjusting their proofing time?

3 comments

3 Comments

kimblack9d ago

My neighbor swore by a two day cold proof for his ciabatta and I thought he was crazy. I had a loaf that just would not cooperate one weekend, soggy and flat no matter what I did. Left it in the fridge out of pure frustration for about 40 hours and that sucker came out with the most beautiful crackling crust I have ever gotten. The crumb was so open and airy it almost looked like a honeycomb. Now I intentionally push my dough to that long chill on purpose every time I want that bakery look.

tessap979d ago

Man, that's wild timing. My buddy had the exact same thing happen with his sourdough last month, accidentally left it in the fridge for two days and couldn't stop bragging about the crust.

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cora8139d ago

Oh man, 36 hours is where it's at for real. I had a batch last winter where I forgot to even shape my dough before tossing it in the fridge for a whole weekend, came back expecting a brick and got the best loaf of my life. Now I intentionally leave mine for two days and call it my "forgotten dough" method, makes me look way more skilled than I actually am.