How to Save Overproofed Bread Dough

[Albie_baking]

Hi,
I made a dough this morning to bring to dinner and bake later. I thought by placing the dough in the fridge that it would retard the proofing and that it could rise on the way to our destination. When I checked the dough it had already doubled in size! I pushed out all the air and i'm hoping it will rise again on the way to our destination and still be ok.

Does anyone have advice to save my dough? I'll post pics in a bit. It's a 70% hydration mix.

 

[Norcalbaker59]

Hi,
I made a dough this morning to bring to dinner and bake later. I thought by placing the dough in the fridge that it would retard the proofing and that it could rise on the way to our destination. When I checked the dough it had already doubled in size! I pushed out all the air and i'm hoping it will rise again on the way to our destination and still be ok.

Does anyone have advice to save my dough? I'll post pics in a bit. It's a 70% hydration mix.

Bread can rise three or four times and bake up fine. The hydration isn’t the issue; yeast needs food. It converts the starch in flour to sugar, then consumes the sugar. So it’s the type of yeast, and amount of yeast to flour that matters.

Instant yeast is a strain that develop very quickly. It is not good for long fermentation; it gives a big first rise, and a so-so second rise as it develops fast, so plows through its food.

If you used instant yeast and bake within 12 hours of mixing you should be fine.

If you used active dry yeast, you should be good up to 24 hrs.

This is based on 3% yeast to flour. The less yeast you use the longer the dough can ferment.

As a general rule, whenever you want to delay baking, reduce the amount of yeast in the recipe and use active dry yeast.

 

[Albie_baking]

Sorry for the delayed response. Thanks for your advice. The bread did indeed rise again! I forgot to mention elevation was a factor too. I went to a mountain around 6000 feet el. to finish the second rise and baking. I found the bread took longer to bake and with the water tray the crust became too crispy. Once I removed the water tray the next loaves were better, but not much crust. I guess it was good experience for this situation. Bread seems finicky.

 

[Norcalbaker59]

Sorry for the delayed response. Thanks for your advice. The bread did indeed rise again! I forgot to mention elevation was a factor too. I went to a mountain around 6000 feet el. to finish the second rise and baking. I found the bread took longer to bake and with the water tray the crust became too crispy. Once I removed the water tray the next loaves were better, but not much crust. I guess it was good experience for this situation. Bread seems finicky.

Glad you’re bread rose again. Yes high-altitude baking it is difficult. Water Boyles at a lower temperature and the air pressure is lower, so everything takes longer to cook and bake.

And yes you are bright bread is very finicky. It is as basic as it gets with just flour, water, leavening/sourdough, and salt. Yet it’s the most difficult thing to bake.