Fermentation and timing

27 questions bakers asked about fermentation and timing, most-asked first, each with the answer and the chapter it comes from.

How should I adjust sourdough baking for hot and humid climates? Hot and humid climates can definitely affect sourdough baking. In these conditions, you'll want to pay extra …
When should I use autolysis versus fermentolysis in sourdough baking? I usually prefer fermentolysis over autolysis as it simplifies the process by extending fermentation time an …
Can I bulk ferment sourdough overnight at room temperature? Overnight at room temperature works well if you use less starter, around 5%, so the bulk takes 10 to 12 hour …
Can I cold ferment sourdough dough? Yes, and it makes the whole thing easier to schedule. Shape the dough, put it straight in the fridge, then b …
Can I let sourdough dough rest overnight before a second rest period? Yes, an overnight rest followed by more time in the bag is fine, especially for a forgiving discard bread. T …
Can I make quick yeasted bread instead of sourdough? Totally reasonable when time is short. The book's flatbread recipe is built exactly for this: minimal effort …
Can I place the aliquot jar inside the dough container? That is fine, and it actually helps. Keeping the aliquot right next to or inside the same container means th …
Can I proof sourdough and maintain starter at 21C room temperature? Yes, 21C is a comfortable, practical temperature for both. It sits right in the normal room-temperature rang …
Does room temperature affect a small dough sample differently than a large batch during bulk fermentation? You're absolutely right-room temperature can have a bigger impact on small dough samples. To keep things in …
Does sourdough fermentation produce the bacteria that provide health benefits? Yes, bacteria in sourdough provide health benefits and flavor. They outnumber yeast 100 to 1 and produce lac …
Does the 22°C temperature guideline for sourdough refer to kitchen or outdoor temperature? Warmer than 22°C refers to the temperature in your kitchen or where you're keeping your dough. Sourdough fer …
How can I tell if my sourdough has overfermented? Love to hear it clicked. That diagnosis is spot on, and now that you can read the signs you are most of the …
How can I tell when bulk fermentation is done? Reading bulk fermentation by look and feel takes hundreds of loaves, so give yourself an objective gauge ins …
How do I add yeast during the autolysis process? In autolysis, you actually don't add yeast; it's just flour and water mixed together and left to rest for 30 …
How do I adjust poolish and yeast amounts for pizza dough in summer heat? Yes, the same logic applies to a poolish or any preferment: the amount you use sets the fermentation speed. …
How do I know when rye and whole wheat dough is properly fermented? That is expected. Rye barely builds a gluten network because of pentosans, and whole wheat is heavy too, so …
How do I know when sourdough proofing is complete? You have got it right that proofing is just the same fermentation continuing after shaping, so yes the dough …
How do I manage sourdough fermentation in hot summer temperatures above 30°C? For high temps, try reducing your starter to 1-5% to slow fermentation. Keep your dough and starter at simil …
How do kitchen temperature and timing affect sourdough bread making? Timing and kitchen temperature are crucial. I usually start my dough with 22°C water if my kitchen is around …
How do you fit sourdough baking into a busy schedule? You do not babysit it for eleven hours; most of that is hands-off waiting. Make it an overnight dough: mix i …
How do you make sourdough bread in a cold house around 15°C? In chilly conditions like 15°C, the fermentation process tends to slow down. To help your sourdough thrive, …
How flexible are sourdough fermentation times, and why do different recipes give different rising durations? Those times are ballparks rather than exact instructions, which is why they differ. Fermentation speed depen …
How long can I refrigerate sourdough dough before baking? You can keep your dough in the fridge for up to 24 hours, and sometimes even 48 hours, before baking. Just r …
How long can sourdough rest in the refrigerator during cold proofing? At 20°C, your timing sounds good. The dough can rest in the fridge for up to 24 hours, so 12 hours is fine. …
How long does it take to make sourdough bread from start to finish? Roughly a day, most of it hands-off. Feed the starter the evening before, then the bulk fermentation runs ab …
How much sourdough starter should I use at my kitchen temperature? The book works in ranges, not single figures. At 20 °C use 10 to 20% starter, at 22 °C around 20% for a bulk …
Why did my dough turn liquid after bulk fermentation? It over-fermented. After a long bulk the bacteria and enzymes break down the gluten and the dough turns soup …

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