Pro tip: Overnight bulk fermentation saved my sourdough sanity

I spent 3 straight weekends trying to get my sourdough to stop being a flat, gummy mess. Turns out I was rushing the bulk fermentation at room temp. After a tip from the San Francisco Baking Institute website, I tried an overnight cold ferment in the fridge for about 12 hours. Huge difference in oven spring and crumb. Any of you folks tried different timing tricks for bulk fermentation?

2 comments

2 Comments

coleman.jade12d ago

Tbh I had the opposite problem where my dough was way too slack after a long cold ferment and I couldn't shape it worth a damn so I started cutting the fridge time in half.

johnson.ryan12d ago

Nah man I gotta hard disagree here. The whole point of a long cold ferment is to build that flavor and structure, cutting it in half is just cheating yourself out of a better loaf. If your dough is too slack after a long cold ferment then you're probably starting with too high hydration or not developing enough gluten in your initial mix. I've done 72 hour cold ferments plenty of times and the dough only gets easier to handle the longer it sits, not harder. Maybe try stretching and folding more during bulk before it goes in the fridge, that'll give you the strength you need for those long cold ferments. Shortening the fridge time just means you're missing out on that tangy sourdough taste and the open crumb you get from a proper cold proof.