Which Gives the Best Results? A Covered OR an Uncovered Cold Proof in the Fridge?

Summary

The video explores the impact of cold proofing sourdough in the fridge, comparing uncovered and bagged methods. The presenter shares experiences showing that uncovered dough in a specific fridge with humidity control develops well, while the same method in a different fridge dries it out. They suggest covered proofing as a safe option and emphasize the importance of fridge conditions, such as airflow and microclimate, on dough hydration. The video encourages viewers to experiment with different methods to find the best fit for their baking needs.

Takeaways

• 🍞 Cold proving sourdough in the fridge enhances flavor, makes it easier to score, and helps schedule baking without over-fermentation.
• 🌡️ The dough should dry slightly on the outside during cold proving to create structure and ease scoring, but excessive drying can negatively affect the oven spring and loaf quality.
• 🏠 The speaker initially proved dough uncovered in a backup fridge without drying issues, leading to the belief that covering was unnecessary.
• 🔍 After user feedback, the speaker experimented with proving in a kitchen fridge and found that the dough dried out excessively, ruining the bread's texture.
• 🧊 The difference in results was attributed to the kitchen fridge's multi-airflow system, which circulates cold air and dries the dough.
• 🌬️ The backup fridge's plate, which cools and collects moisture, creates humidity that prevents the dough from drying out when left uncovered.
• 📦 Proving covered in a plastic bag is a reliable method as it prevents excessive drying and is less dependent on fridge conditions.
• 💧 The humidity levels in the fridge, influenced by stored items and their storage methods, can affect how much the dough dries out.
• 📍 The position of the dough within the fridge can yield different results due to varying airflow and humidity.
• 🔧 There is no one-size-fits-all approach to baking; it's essential to be flexible and experiment to find what works best in one's specific situation.

Q & A

What are the benefits of cold proving sourdough in the fridge?

Cold proving improves the flavor, makes the dough easier to score, and less likely to spread out during baking. It also helps schedule baking and prevents over-fermentation.

Why does the dough need to dry out slightly during cold proving?

A slight drying out creates a thin skin on the dough, which helps with structure and makes it easier to score, but excessive drying can negatively affect oven spring and the final loaf's quality.

Why did the baker initially leave the sourdough uncovered in the fridge?

The baker's backup fridge, which is now used as a fermentation fridge, has a plate on the back that creates humidity, allowing the dough to develop a skin without drying out excessively.

What was the difference when the baker tried proving dough in the kitchen fridge?

The kitchen fridge has a multi-airflow system that dries out the dough excessively, ruining the oven spring and the bread's final texture.

How does the multi-airflow system in a fridge affect sourdough proving?

The multi-airflow system circulates cold air, which can dry out the dough if left uncovered, affecting the bread's texture and oven spring.

What factors can affect the humidity levels inside a fridge during sourdough proving?

The ingredients stored in the fridge, how they are covered, and the fridge's airflow system can all affect the humidity levels, impacting the dough's drying process.

What is the recommended method for cold proving sourdough if there's concern about drying out?

Proving the dough covered in a plastic bag is recommended as it prevents excessive drying out while still allowing for a slightly drier outer skin.

Why might some people prefer to prove their sourdough uncovered in the fridge?

If the fridge doesn't have built-in airflow and the atmosphere isn't too dry, leaving the dough uncovered can work well for cold proving.

What advice does the baker give for finding the best cold proving method for individual circumstances?

The baker suggests experimenting with different methods to see what works best, as every fridge's microclimate can be slightly different.

What lesson does the baker share from their experience as a chef regarding baking techniques?

The baker emphasizes the importance of flexibility and testing different methods to find what suits one's specific situation best, as there are many ways to cook or bake with the same ingredients.

How does the baker suggest handling a plastic bag when proving sourdough to avoid the dough sticking to the basket?

The baker advises not to seal the bag completely, and if there's concern, to leave it slightly open to prevent the dough from sticking to the basket.

Outlines

00:00

🍞 Sourdough Cold Proofing Techniques

The speaker discusses two methods of cold proofing sourdough: leaving it uncovered in the fridge or placing it in a plastic bag. They explain that cold proofing enhances flavor, eases scoring, and prevents over-fermentation. The speaker's experience with an uncovered proof in a backup fridge, which created a thin skin without drying out the dough, contrasts with a kitchen fridge that dried out the dough due to its multi-airflow system. The speaker advises that the choice of method depends on the fridge's airflow and humidity, suggesting a trial-and-error approach to find the best method for individual circumstances.

05:01

🔄 Flexibility in Baking Approach

The speaker emphasizes the importance of flexibility in baking, drawing from their experience as a chef. They acknowledge that different methods can be equally effective depending on the situation and encourage viewers to experiment with various techniques to find what works best for them. The speaker invites further questions and promises to create more videos to address them, expressing gratitude for the viewers' engagement.

Keywords

💡Cold Proofing

Cold proofing, also known as retarding, is the process of slowly proofing sourdough in a cool environment, typically the refrigerator. This method is highlighted in the video as a way to improve the flavor of the dough and control the fermentation process without the risk of over-fermentation. The script mentions that the speaker initially left the dough uncovered in the fridge, which allowed it to develop a skin without drying out excessively.

💡Fridge

The fridge is central to the cold proofing process discussed in the video. It provides the necessary cool and controlled environment for the dough to ferment slowly. The script emphasizes that the type of fridge and its specific features, such as air circulation systems, can significantly affect the outcome of the cold proofing process, leading to different results in terms of dough texture and oven spring.

💡Sourdough

Sourdough is a type of bread made with a natural leavening agent, a sourdough starter, which gives it a distinct flavor and texture. The video focuses on the cold proofing of sourdough, which is a critical step in the bread-making process that affects the final product's quality. The speaker shares personal experiences with different cold proofing methods for sourdough.

💡Oven Spring

Oven spring refers to the rapid rise of bread dough in the initial phase of baking, which contributes to the bread's final volume and texture. The video script mentions that excessive drying of the dough during cold proofing can negatively affect oven spring, resulting in a denser loaf with less airiness.

💡Fermentation

Fermentation is the process by which yeast or bacteria feed on sugars in the dough, producing carbon dioxide gas that causes the dough to rise. The video discusses how cold proofing in the fridge allows for controlled fermentation, ensuring that the dough doesn't over ferment and maintain its structure and flavor.

💡Dough Hydration

Dough hydration is the ratio of water to flour in the dough, which affects the dough's consistency and its behavior during proofing and baking. The video script suggests that proper hydration is crucial when proving dough in a plastic bag to prevent it from sticking to the basket, indicating the importance of hydration in the cold proofing process.

💡Plastic Bag

A plastic bag is mentioned as a tool for cold proofing sourdough, where the dough is placed inside to create a slightly drier outer skin without drying out excessively. The video emphasizes that the bag shouldn't be sealed completely, allowing for some air exchange and preventing the dough from sticking to the basket due to correct hydration.

💡Microclimate

The microclimate within a fridge refers to the specific conditions of temperature and humidity that can vary between different fridges. The video script explains that the microclimate can significantly impact the cold proofing process, with drier microclimates leading to more drying of the dough. The speaker encourages viewers to experiment to find the best method for their fridge's microclimate.

💡Airflow System

An airflow system in a fridge is designed to circulate air, helping maintain a consistent temperature. However, as discussed in the video, such a system can also dry out the dough if it's placed uncovered for cold proofing. The speaker's kitchen fridge has a multi-airflow system that led to excessive drying of the dough, contrasting with the experience in the backup fridge.

💡Humidity

Humidity is the amount of water vapor in the air and plays a crucial role in the cold proofing process. The video script describes how the humidity levels inside the fridge, affected by the fridge's design and the way ingredients are stored, can influence how much the dough dries out during cold proofing.

💡Flexibility

Flexibility in approach is a theme that the speaker emphasizes towards the end of the video. It suggests that there is not a one-size-fits-all method for baking, and that different techniques may work better depending on the specific conditions, such as the fridge's microclimate. The speaker encourages viewers to be flexible and experiment with different cold proofing methods to find what works best for them.

Highlights

The baker discusses two methods of cold proofing sourdough: uncovered in the fridge and in a plastic bag.

Cold proofing enhances flavor, makes the dough easier to score, and helps with scheduling baking.

A thin skin on the dough surface is desired for structure and easy scoring, but excessive drying can negatively affect the bread.

The baker's backup fridge has a unique cooling plate that maintains humidity, allowing for uncovered proofing.

The kitchen fridge has a multi-airflow system that dries out the dough when proofing uncovered.

Fridge airflow can significantly affect the dough's moisture and texture during proofing.

The baker experimented with proofing in different fridges to understand the impact of fridge conditions on dough.

Covering the dough with a plastic bag is recommended for most fridges to prevent excessive drying.

The baker suggests not sealing the plastic bag completely if there are concerns about the dough sticking.

Uncovered proofing may work in fridges without built-in airflow and with less dry atmospheres.

The baker emphasizes the importance of experimenting with different methods to find the best fit for individual situations.

There is no one-size-fits-all approach to baking, and flexibility is key in the kitchen.

The baker invites viewers to ask questions for further exploration in future videos.

The baker concludes with a reminder to stay tuned for more educational content.

Transcripts

so i've had plenty of emails from you

asking why i've changed the way that i

or cold proof my sourdoughs in

some videos i leave it uncovered in the

fridge and then in others i place it in

a plastic bag so in this video i'm going

to share my experiences on what i've

learned from both methods and why it's

your fridge and not me that holds the

answer so cold proving or retarding our

sourdough in the fridge has many

benefits i mean it improves the flavor

the dough cools down making it easier to

score and less likely to spread out

when we come to bake it it helps us

schedule our baking easily and

allows that final part the fermentation

process to happen without too much

danger of the dough over fermenting and

then while it's cold proving we want the

dough to dry out ever so slightly on the

outside and create a thin skin that

helps with creating some structure for

the dough and makes it easy to score but

what we don't want is the dough to dry

out too much otherwise that's going to

have a negative effect on the oven

spring and

the quality of the final loaf now for

quite some time i was proving my dough

in my little backup fridge which is now

my little fermentation fridge and

i'd leave the dough uncovered after

shaping you know i pop it in the basket

and then straight into the fridge in the

afternoon and then take it out the next

day ready for baking the dough developed

to skin but it never ever dried out it

was really easy to score and it sprang

beautifully

in the oven so at this point i couldn't

really understand why everybody seemed

to be covering their sourdough with a

bag it kind of seemed well

completely unnecessary and then over

some time some of you were kind of

reporting back to me about your

experiences proving both covered and

uncovered now some of you were really

really pleased with the results but

others were wondering why the dough was

drying out so much and kind of turning

into a brick

now the difference in results could only

be down to one thing so i decided to

spend the next few weeks proving my

dough in a different fridge i was going

to prove it overnight in my kitchen

fridge just to see if there was any

difference and it was like night and day

proving uncovered in my kitchen fridge

dried the dough out excessively ruining

the oven spring and the final texture of

the bread so my backup fridge has got a

plate on the back of it which cools down

to manage the temperature of the fridge

now during that process moisture

collects on the plate and it freezes and

then it thaws and this creates some

humidity so the way this specific fridge

functions means that i can prove my

sourdough uncovered without it drying

out but my kitchen fridge is different

it's got what's called a multi-airflow

system i think and it uses a series of

vents to gently circulate cold air and

it's this airflow that blows over the

top of my dough and works its way

through the basket

and dries it out

now if you've watched my video on

dehydrating sourdough starter you'll

have seen just how effective a fan can

be at drying out sourdough well if your

fridge has got air circulating within it

the same thing will happen to the dough

now the ingredients you keep in your

fridge and the way they're stored or

covered will also affect the humidity

levels the drier the microclimate in

your fridge the more likely your dough

is to dry out where you place the dough

in the fridge will also give different

results

so which method should you choose

well proving your dough covered or

inside a plastic bag is probably the

easiest way to go the basket or the

cloth liner that the dough is in contact

with will absorb enough moisture to

create a slightly drier outer skin and

don't worry proving your dough in a

plastic bag won't cause it to stick to

the basket if you've got your dough

hydration dialed in correctly and it

hasn't over fermented but remember

you don't need to seal the bag

completely if you're a little bit

worried you could leave it

slightly open

now if your fridge doesn't have built-in

airflow and the atmosphere inside it

isn't too dry

then leaving your dough uncovered will

work perfectly experiment

everyone's microclimate in the fridge

will be slightly different so see what

works best for your situation now

remember there isn't one size that fits

all if working as a chef over these last

i don't know 20 odd years has taught me

anything it's that there are many

different ways to cook or to bake the

same ingredients some applications suit

certain circumstances but other methods

could work equally well it all depends

on the situation learn to be flexible in

your approach and test different methods

to see what suits you the best

don't be too rigid now if you've got any

other questions that you'd like me to

dive a bit deeper into let me know and

i'll shoot some more of these videos a

huge thank you for watching i'll see you

again very soon

stay tuned