Hi Judy, I don't think 3 hours was necessarily too long, and it may be that the top of the dough isn't as much crusty as firmer and a bit drier from refrigeration. I suspect you won't need to remove the top and it will work nicely into the dough when you go to deflate and shape your loaf. In future, you may find coating your container with a little oil or baking spray, and then dipping the surface of the dough in the oil before placing it in the container, will help prevent a "crust" from forming. 

• Reply