Tried a cold autolyse for my baguettes after reading a random blog from a baker in Lyons

Left the dough to rest overnight in the fridge and the crust came out way crispier than my usual room temp method, has anyone else messed around with fermentation temps for better oven spring?

2 comments

2 Comments

taylorcarr2d ago

Why would you want the dough to sit in the fridge that long? Seems like a sure way to kill off a lot of the yeast activity before it even hits the oven. A cold autolyse might give you a firmer dough, but you're trading a crispier crust for a denser crumb and less oven spring. Room temp fermentation lets the yeast do its job faster, which means more gas production and a bigger, airier loaf. I've always gotten way better results with a standard bulk ferment at around 70 degrees. That blog from Lyons probably just got lucky with their fridge temps.

uma_reed262d ago

Nah, my buddy tried the fridge method and his loaf came out like a hockey puck with zero rise. He swore off cold ferments after that.