Good baking asks us to look a little closer. Not at complicated tricks, but at the ordinary decisions that shape flavor, texture and how a loaf feels in the hand.
The refrigerator lets the final proof happen on a more flexible timetable. Shape the dough with surface tension.
Start with the dough, not the clock.
The refrigerator lets the final proof happen on a more flexible timetable. This is the kind of bake that becomes easier when you take note of a few dependable cues instead of adding another elaborate technique.
Things to pay attention to
- 01
Shape the dough with surface tension.
- 02
Place seam-up in a floured basket.
- 03
Cover to prevent drying.
- 04
Refrigerate after bulk fermentation.
- 05
Bake directly from cold if the dough is ready..
The detail that matters
Cold proofing slows fermentation; it does not reverse an overproofed loaf.
Every oven and every bag of flour behaves a little differently. Write down what you noticed and adjust one variable at a time on the next bake.
Keep practicing.
Keep the notes that matter, leave room for discovery, and bake it again when you have time.
