How to Bake Bread Straight from the Fridge | Cold Proofing Guide, by ChainBaker on YouTube. 9 min 19 s.
- Video length
- 9 min 19 s
- Time to do it
- 30 minutes active, plus 8 to 1
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Steps
- 9
What you need
Steps
Mix your usual bread dough. A simple white loaf works well: 500 g white flour, 350 g water, 10 g salt and 5 g instant yeast.
Bulk ferment at room temperature until the dough has grown by about half, roughly 1 to 2 hours with commercial yeast. Sourdough takes longer.
Tip the dough onto a lightly floured bench, divide it if you are baking more than one loaf, then preshape it into a round. Rest for 15 to 20 minutes.
Shape the dough into a tight final loaf, building surface tension, and place it seam side up in a well floured banneton or a bowl lined with a floured cloth.
Slip the basket into a large plastic bag or cover it with a shower cap. Seal the edges so the dough surface cannot dry out overnight.
Put it in the fridge at about 4 C for 8 to 16 hours. Overnight is ideal: mix at 8 pm and bake at 8 am.
Next morning, preheat the oven to 230 C with a Dutch oven inside for at least 30 minutes. Cold dough bakes straight from the fridge.
Turn the loaf out onto baking paper, score the top with a sharp blade, and lower it into the hot pot. Bake covered for 20 minutes.
Remove the lid and bake another 20 to 25 minutes until the crust is dark brown. Cool on a rack before slicing.
Tips and common mistakes
Bake the dough while it is still cold. Warm dough slackens and spreads, so it scores and rises better straight from the fridge.
Keep the plastic cover loose over the basket so it does not stick to the risen dough.
A longer chill gives a tangier loaf, but past 24 hours the dough can over-proof and collapse.
Score with a sharp blade away from your fingers, and keep your hands clear when lowering dough into a hot Dutch oven.
Questions
Can I bake the loaf straight from the fridge?
Yes. Cold dough holds its shape and scores cleanly, so there is no need to let it warm up. Just preheat the oven and pot fully first.
How long can bread dough stay in the fridge?
Anywhere from 8 to 24 hours. Around 12 to 16 hours gives a good rise and mild flavour; much longer and the dough may over-proof.
Can I use sourdough starter instead of yeast?
Yes. Use your normal starter amount and bulk ferment longer at room temperature, since the cold slows the rise further.
This guide was drafted from the video's details and general task knowledge. It has not been checked against the full video. Check the video and relevant product instructions before following a procedure. Report a correction.
