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My bakery switched from a 24-hour bulk ferment to a 48-hour cold proof for our rye loaf.
The flavor difference is huge, way more complex, and the crumb structure is better. Anyone else find a longer, colder proof beats a fast room temp rise for dense breads?
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dixon.ryan25d ago
Wait, did you have the starter at peak activity when you put it in the fridge? I went through a whole phase where I kept trying to rush a rye loaf and it always came out like a dense hockey puck. The thing that got me was temperature control, I finally bought a cheap oven thermometer and realized my kitchen was way too cold for a room temp rise. My first successful 48 hour cold proof was a total accident too, I had a family emergency and just threw the dough in the fridge and forgot about it for two days. That loaf ended up being the best rye bread I'd ever made, so now I just plan my bakes around the fridge schedule even if it feels weird.
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brookefox3mo ago
Oh man, my one attempt at a cold proof ended with a brick I could've used for home defense. So yeah, I'm totally convinced the slow way is better, I just lack the patience.
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