On Thu, 23 Sep 2004 23:57:19 -0700, D. Sutton
> wrote:

>I'm about to make some challah for the upcoming jewish holidays and
>want it to be fresh for dinner on saturday night, but won't have time
>all day saturday to make it and let it rise, etc.
>
>Would it work if I prepared the dough on friday night and let it rise
>in the fridge overnight? The recipe calls for rising time of only 90
>minutes, so would it be okay to sit in the fridge for hours? Would it
>rise just the same in there? Is there a special way to break up bread
>recipes when the dough is going to sit overnight?
>
>any help is appreciated.
>
>thanks.

Howdy,

Rising the dough in the fridge is a fine idea, but...

I would suggest that you experiment a bit before you are ready to bake
for friends and family. If the recipe calls for 90 minutes (at a
probably unspecified temperature much warmer than the refrigerator)
then it would be tricky to calculate a comparable fermentation time
for the dough in the refrigerator. Rather than risking it, I would
suggest making a batch of the dough, putting it in the fridge (in a
cylindrical plastic container through which you can view its
expansion) and timing its increase in volume to the point that you
intend.

Also, you ask "Would it rise just the same in there?" and the answer
is "no."

In my experience (about 40 years of pretty serious baking) I find that
cooler (and therefore slower) rises almost always produce better
texture, crust, and taste. In that regard, making bread is rather like
making wine. Slower is usually better.

I hope that this is of some help, and wish you and yours the best for
the holidays,

--
Kenneth

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