Barb at King Arthur

June 3, 2018 at 4:22pm

In reply to by Mike Czechowski (not verified)

I hadn't looked at the question from that perspective, Mike. Thanks for clarifying! If the loaf has been rising in the refrigerator in the shaped form and looks ready to bake the next day (I often bake sourdough this way), then there's no need for the dough to warm up before baking. However, if you've refrigerated the dough in bulk form, I find it helpful to let it sit our for an hour or so at room temperature before shaping. This allows the dough to acclimate a little and it seems to rise more evenly once the bread is shaped. This isn't as necessary for smaller baked goods like rolls, that warm up more quickly. While it may take longer for the dough to rise when it's cool, there's really no harm in letting it take its time, and trying to warm it up too quickly could cause the outside of the loaf to proof too quickly, while the interior is still cool. I would recommend trying to find a rising spot that's in the 75-78°F range (or maybe a tad warmer) and let the loaf rise at its own pace. Barb
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