I am a novice bread maker - a few loaves under my belt (literally and
figuratively) but learning as I go. I'm wondering if my basic yeast
bread making method (make dough, rest 15 minutes, knead, let rise in a
warm place, punch down, form loaves, let rise for short time, bake)
can be spread out over two days (or more)? Could I at some point in
the process put it in the frig for a day and continue on? Any advice
on this point would be appreciated. The evening hours are so short but
I'd like to be able to make bread other than Sunday afternoons.
Thanks,
Lynn

"Lynn" > wrote in message
om...
> I am a novice bread maker - a few loaves under my belt (literally and
> figuratively) but learning as I go. I'm wondering if my basic yeast
> bread making method (make dough, rest 15 minutes, knead, let rise in a
> warm place, punch down, form loaves, let rise for short time, bake)
> can be spread out over two days (or more)? Could I at some point in
> the process put it in the frig for a day and continue on? Any advice
> on this point would be appreciated. The evening hours are so short but
> I'd like to be able to make bread other than Sunday afternoons.
> Thanks,
> Lynn

Not only is it possible to slow the process, but it is preferable. I often
make dough and let it rise in the refrigerator. The flavor and texture is
improved. At the point that the dough is ready for the first rise, I simply
put it in the refrigerator. Make sure you give it enough room to expand --
I often just put the dough into a plastic bag. When you are ready to
continue, remove it from the refrigerator, form you loaf, and let it rise
again. You will have to add an extra 30 minutes or so to the second rise
because the dough is cold. Bake as usual.

"Vox Humana" > wrote in message
...
>
> "Lynn" > wrote in message
> om...
> > I am a novice bread maker - a few loaves under my belt (literally and
> > figuratively) but learning as I go. I'm wondering if my basic yeast
> > bread making method (make dough, rest 15 minutes, knead, let rise in a
> > warm place, punch down, form loaves, let rise for short time, bake)
> > can be spread out over two days (or more)? Could I at some point in
> > the process put it in the frig for a day and continue on? Any advice
> > on this point would be appreciated. The evening hours are so short but
> > I'd like to be able to make bread other than Sunday afternoons.
> > Thanks,
> > Lynn
>
> Not only is it possible to slow the process, but it is preferable. I
often
> make dough and let it rise in the refrigerator. The flavor and texture is
> improved. At the point that the dough is ready for the first rise, I
simply
> put it in the refrigerator. Make sure you give it enough room to
expand --
> I often just put the dough into a plastic bag. When you are ready to
> continue, remove it from the refrigerator, form you loaf, and let it rise
> again. You will have to add an extra 30 minutes or so to the second rise
> because the dough is cold. Bake as usual.
>
Or do it the other way around. Do the first rise at room temperature, shape
loaves, let them just begin to move and then refrigerate over night.
Bringing them totally to room temperature the next day is not necessary
before baking.
Janet

"Janet Bostwick" > wrote in message
...
>
> "Vox Humana" > wrote in message
> ...
> >
> > "Lynn" > wrote in message
> > om...
> > > I am a novice bread maker - a few loaves under my belt (literally and
> > > figuratively) but learning as I go. I'm wondering if my basic yeast
> > > bread making method (make dough, rest 15 minutes, knead, let rise in a
> > > warm place, punch down, form loaves, let rise for short time, bake)
> > > can be spread out over two days (or more)? Could I at some point in
> > > the process put it in the frig for a day and continue on? Any advice
> > > on this point would be appreciated. The evening hours are so short but
> > > I'd like to be able to make bread other than Sunday afternoons.
> > > Thanks,
> > > Lynn
> >
> > Not only is it possible to slow the process, but it is preferable. I
> often
> > make dough and let it rise in the refrigerator. The flavor and texture
is
> > improved. At the point that the dough is ready for the first rise, I
> simply
> > put it in the refrigerator. Make sure you give it enough room to
> expand --
> > I often just put the dough into a plastic bag. When you are ready to
> > continue, remove it from the refrigerator, form you loaf, and let it
rise
> > again. You will have to add an extra 30 minutes or so to the second
rise
> > because the dough is cold. Bake as usual.
> >
> Or do it the other way around. Do the first rise at room temperature,
shape
> loaves, let them just begin to move and then refrigerate over night.
> Bringing them totally to room temperature the next day is not necessary
> before baking.
> Janet

I'll give that a try. I am somewhat afraid that the final product would
over-rises in the refrigerator.

Vox Humana wrote:

> I'll give that a try. I am somewhat afraid that the final product would
> over-rises in the refrigerator.

I've done refrigerator rises for years and never had a problem. The
guidelines are for 2-24 hours. Most of the rise will take place in the
first two hours, then it slows down or stops.

Karen

Karen wrote:

> I've done refrigerator rises for years and never had a problem. The
> guidelines are for 2-24 hours. Most of the rise will take place in the
> first two hours, then it slows down or stops.

To add another datapoint...

I've done second (i.e. final) rises of up to 5 days in the fridge. The resulting
leavening power is not consistent enough that it could be used commercially but
it's fine for home. It's especially good for having dough around all the time that
can be put together for quick pizza dough, bread sticks, focaccia,
etc. I always have a supply of dough loaded in pans and wrapped in my fridge.

--
Reg email: RegForte (at) (that free MS email service) (dot) com

"Vox Humana" > wrote in message
...
>
> "Janet Bostwick" > wrote in message
> ...
> >
> > "Vox Humana" > wrote in message
> > ...
> > >
> > > "Lynn" > wrote in message
> > > om...
> > > > I am a novice bread maker - a few loaves under my belt (literally
and
> > > > figuratively) but learning as I go. I'm wondering if my basic yeast
> > > > bread making method (make dough, rest 15 minutes, knead, let rise in
a
> > > > warm place, punch down, form loaves, let rise for short time, bake)
> > > > can be spread out over two days (or more)? Could I at some point in
> > > > the process put it in the frig for a day and continue on? Any advice
> > > > on this point would be appreciated. The evening hours are so short
but
> > > > I'd like to be able to make bread other than Sunday afternoons.
> > > > Thanks,
> > > > Lynn
> > >
> > > Not only is it possible to slow the process, but it is preferable. I
> > often
> > > make dough and let it rise in the refrigerator. The flavor and
texture
> is
> > > improved. At the point that the dough is ready for the first rise, I
> > simply
> > > put it in the refrigerator. Make sure you give it enough room to
> > expand --
> > > I often just put the dough into a plastic bag. When you are ready to
> > > continue, remove it from the refrigerator, form you loaf, and let it
> rise
> > > again. You will have to add an extra 30 minutes or so to the second
> rise
> > > because the dough is cold. Bake as usual.
> > >
> > Or do it the other way around. Do the first rise at room temperature,
> shape
> > loaves, let them just begin to move and then refrigerate over night.
> > Bringing them totally to room temperature the next day is not necessary
> > before baking.
> > Janet
>
> I'll give that a try. I am somewhat afraid that the final product would
> over-rises in the refrigerator.
>
It is pretty scary sometimes, when you look in the fridge and the dough is
still rising like crazy. It is still working off of internal heat and heat
that it generates. But as another poster said, it slows or stops after a
couple of hours. The advantage for me is that I can start the bread when I
get home from work; it does the bowl rising at its leisure during supper and
until I am almost ready for bed. I then shape up the dough and put on/in
pans or baskets, let it just begin to move a bit and then put it in plastic
bags and in the refrigerator. First thing when I get up in the morning, I
turn on the oven to preheat for about an hour, take the bread out of the
refrigerator and put the bread in the oven when the loaves feel right(light,
but not jiggly). The temperature of the dough at this point will probably
still be quite cool--doesn't matter. Actually, if you are going to slash
the loaves, a cool loaf slashes more easily. I can get the bread baked
before I go to work in the morning. This works out very well during the
summer when you don't want heat in the kitchen later in the day.
Janet

Janet Bostwick wrote:

>>
>
> It is pretty scary sometimes, when you look in the fridge and the dough is
> still rising like crazy. It is still working off of internal heat and heat
> that it generates. But as another poster said, it slows or stops after a
> couple of hours. The advantage for me is that I can start the bread when I
> get home from work; it does the bowl rising at its leisure during supper and
> until I am almost ready for bed. I then shape up the dough and put on/in
> pans or baskets, let it just begin to move a bit and then put it in plastic
> bags and in the refrigerator. First thing when I get up in the morning, I
> turn on the oven to preheat for about an hour, take the bread out of the
> refrigerator and put the bread in the oven when the loaves feel right(light,
> but not jiggly). The temperature of the dough at this point will probably
> still be quite cool--doesn't matter. Actually, if you are going to slash
> the loaves, a cool loaf slashes more easily. I can get the bread baked
> before I go to work in the morning. This works out very well during the
> summer when you don't want heat in the kitchen later in the day.
> Janet
>
>
This method is great, especially for weekend brunches. Taking it out of
the fridge, turn on the oven, brew the coffee, read again about how
lousy the Seahawks and Sonics are, and presto, time to bake the bread,
or my favorite Saturday brunch: onion bagels, cream cheese and lox.
--
Alan

"If you reject the food, ignore the customs, fear the religion, and
avoid the people, you might better stay home."
--James Michener

"Janet Bostwick" > wrote in message
...
> >
> It is pretty scary sometimes, when you look in the fridge and the dough is
> still rising like crazy. It is still working off of internal heat and
heat
> that it generates. But as another poster said, it slows or stops after a
> couple of hours. The advantage for me is that I can start the bread when
I
> get home from work; it does the bowl rising at its leisure during supper
and
> until I am almost ready for bed. I then shape up the dough and put on/in
> pans or baskets, let it just begin to move a bit and then put it in
plastic
> bags and in the refrigerator. First thing when I get up in the morning, I
> turn on the oven to preheat for about an hour, take the bread out of the
> refrigerator and put the bread in the oven when the loaves feel
right(light,
> but not jiggly). The temperature of the dough at this point will probably
> still be quite cool--doesn't matter. Actually, if you are going to slash
> the loaves, a cool loaf slashes more easily. I can get the bread baked
> before I go to work in the morning. This works out very well during the
> summer when you don't want heat in the kitchen later in the day.
> Janet

The reason that I never tried to make-up the final products is because, as
you point out, the dough can rise at an amazing rate in the refrigerator.
There have been times that have had to deflate the dough and let it raise a
second time in the frig. That's why I always smile when I see people who
are overly concerned about proofing boxes and draft-free environments.

You can also make a small portion of the dough without the salt and let it
rise on the counter overnight, then combine it with the rest of the
ingredients the next day. If you want, you can then retard *this* dough
overnight. This should yield really good bread.

When you think about it, there are only five ingredients in classic bread:
flour, yeast, water, salt and technique. Once you've decided on the
proportions of the first four things, the only variable is the technique.
Don't be afraid to experiment. Remember, there are no bread failures, just
more bread crumbs.

Barry

"Lynn" > wrote in message
om...
> I am a novice bread maker - a few loaves under my belt (literally and
> figuratively) but learning as I go. I'm wondering if my basic yeast
> bread making method (make dough, rest 15 minutes, knead, let rise in a
> warm place, punch down, form loaves, let rise for short time, bake)
> can be spread out over two days (or more)? Could I at some point in
> the process put it in the frig for a day and continue on? Any advice
> on this point would be appreciated. The evening hours are so short but
> I'd like to be able to make bread other than Sunday afternoons.
> Thanks,
> Lynn

Retarding is refrigerating your yeast dough to slow the fermentation. Make
sure your liquid is 75º and your refrigerator is between 35ºF and 40ºF.