Stop Over Proofing Your Sourdough, Find Your Optimum Proof Time (2024)

Testing sourdough proofing times

Have you ever stood there poking your dough wondering what you were supposed to understand from digging your finger into your dough? Well, you aren’t alone.

I’ve just begun exploring the fermentation process in more depth, to better understand what’s going on, improve my baking, and be able to help you out with any questions you may have.

In this test, I discovered what my best proofing times are at 25c / 77f and also that a little sneaky tweak in bulk fermentation would have a dramatic impact on the crumb.

You can watch the video of the experiment at the bottom of this article.

Why do we proof the dough in the basket or banneton?

After the bulk fermentation period, the dough is divided into individual portions and shaped, preparing the dough for the final part of its fermentation journey.

Proofing the dough in a sourdough basket or banneton, supports the dough during the final part of the fermentation, allowing the dough to take the shape of the basket, before baking at the optimum point (hopefully!)

Sourdough doesn’t need to be proofed in a basket, for example, sourdough ciabatta and baguettes are proofed on a couche (baker’s cloth), or the dough could be proofed in a tin for a sandwich loaf.

Knowing when the final proof is completed and the dough is ready to bake is one of the trickiest things to get the hang of. The dough should be left to expand enough to give us a nicely textured crumb and a loaf that “springs” in the oven. Leave it too long and you run the risk of over proofing resulting in the dough deflating.

I wanted to have a look and see how different stages of proofing affect the loaf, especially the crumb. The flavour of the bread will also be affected depending on the overall time the dough ferments. Although I didn't notice any difference with such small differences in time.

The four test subjects

For this experiment I’m comparing 4 different doughs:

Dough 1: Bulk ferment to 100% increase in volume - no proof ambient proof in the basket, retarded in the fridge immediately, for 18 hours

Dough 2: Bulk ferment to 100% increase in volume - 1-hour ambient proof followed by an overnight retard in the fridge for 18 hours.

Dough 3: Bulk ferment to 100% increase in volume - 2-hour ambient proof followed by an overnight retard in the fridge for 18 hours.

Dough 4: Bulk ferment to 75% increase in volume - 2-hour ambient proof followed by an overnight retard in the fridge for 18 hours.

The bulk fermentation and the proofing in the basket were carried out in a temperature-controlled chamber at 25 degrees Celcius or 77 degrees Fahrenheit. The cold retard in the fridge was carried out at 3 degrees Celcius or 41 degrees Fahrenheit.

Cold retarding in the fridge

I’ll be retarding all of the doughs in my fridge overnight before baking the next day. This is how I bake regularly so it makes sense to continue that for this experiment.

I knew that the dough must continue to proof in the fridge as the temperature of the dough would take some time to drop and stall the fermentation. I decided to pop a continuous read thermometer into one of the pieces of dough to see how long it took.

The dough went into the fridge at 25c / 77f and took virtually eight hours to drop to 5c / 41f. So, now I know that the dough will continue to actively ferment for several hours in the fridge, which means it could still overproof during the cold retard. This period in the fridge should be accounted for when judging when to begin the cold retard.

The recipe & process

I completed the experiment over a couple of days so I made 2 double batches of dough. Each batch weighed 1600 grams, which gave me enough dough for two 750g pieces for the loaves and 100 grams for the control piece.

The control piece of dough would be removed from the main dough after the initial kneading and placed into a jar. I marked lines on the outside of the jar so I could monitor the increase in volume during the bulk fermentation. The jar was kept in the fermentation chamber at 25c / 77f.

I used my sourdough calculator to work out how much dough I would need to make a double batch and have enough for the control. I used 548 grams of water, 208 grams of active sourdough starter at 100% hydration, 826 grams of strong white bread flour and 19 grams of salt.

I mixed the ingredients into a rough dough, let it rest covered for 15 minutes in the chamber and then kneaded for 2-3 minutes until the dough was smooth. This is when I removed the dough for the control and placed it in the jar.

The dough was stretched and folded twice, the first time was 30-minutes after kneading, and the second 60-minutes after kneading.

After ninety minutes from the kneading session, I divide the dough into two pieces, shaped it into dough balls and placed them into two individual bowls. Whenever I wasn’t working with the dough it was kept in the chamber at 25c / 77f.

After bulk fermenting, the dough was shaped and placed into a sourdough basket and proofed in the chamber and then retarded in the fridge until baking the next day.

The loaves were scored and then baked on a baking stone that had been preheated in the oven to 220c / 430f. The loaves were covered for the first 20 minutes of the baking with a large pan and then baked for a further 25 minutes uncovered.

The loaves were cooled on a wire rack to room temperature before slicing.

The results

Test subject 1

Bulk fermented @ 25c / 77f - increased to 100% of it’s original volume
Retarded immediately in the fridge at 3c / 37f for 18 hours

Stop Over Proofing Your Sourdough, Find Your Optimum Proof Time (1)

Stop Over Proofing Your Sourdough, Find Your Optimum Proof Time (2)

The dough felt tight before it was retarded in the fridge. When I “poked” it the dough responded with lots of energy pushing back quickly. This could have proofed for longer, without a doubt.

The shape of the loaf was full with a nice open ear, the dough sprang well in the oven. A month or two back this would have been the loaf I was shooting for, but now, I knew the crumb might disappoint a little.

Sure enough, the crumb was uneven with irregular holes that ranged in size, from small at the bottom of the loaf, to huge at the top.

The crumb wasn’t gummy and still had a nice soft texture. But the crumb was a little too irregular for what I’m trying to achieve.

Test subject 2

Bulk fermented @ 25c / 77f - increased to 100% of it’s original volume
Proofed in the basket for 1 hour @ 25c / 77f
Retarded in the fridge at 3c / 37f for 18 hours

Stop Over Proofing Your Sourdough, Find Your Optimum Proof Time (3)

Stop Over Proofing Your Sourdough, Find Your Optimum Proof Time (4)

When I touched the dough before retarding it felt nicely inflated but I knew it could cope with the continued proof after placing it in the fridge. Tricky to explain, but it felt right.

This produced a nice round, plump loaf. There wasn’t much of an ear but I think that was down to my scoring technique. On the whole, the outside was very nice.

The crumb was a lot more even with some nice holes, but not too big. There was only one slightly large opening in the crumb.

Overall I was pleased with this bake, and if I’d scored the dough a touch deeper before baking I think this would be a total success.

Test subject 3

Bulk fermented @ 25c / 77f - increased to 100% of it’s original volume
Proofed in the basket for 2 hours @ 25c / 77f
Retarded in the fridge at 3c / 37f for 18 hours

Stop Over Proofing Your Sourdough, Find Your Optimum Proof Time (5)

Stop Over Proofing Your Sourdough, Find Your Optimum Proof Time (6)

Before retarding it in the fridge I very gently inspected it by touching it very carefully. It was close to being over-proofed. It felt very gassy, fully inflated and as if it was ready to start deflating. I wasn’t confident this would survive the period in the fridge, but survive it did.

Surprisingly, the dough sprang in the oven producing a nicely shaped loaf, I wasn’t expecting that. But the crumb looked as though it had started to collapse a little. There were irregular holes and a lot of the crumb was quite tight.

Test subject 4

Bulk fermented @ 25c / 77f - increased to 75% of it’s original volume
Proofed in the basket for 2 hours @ 25c / 77f
Retarded in the fridge at 3c / 37f for 18 hours

Stop Over Proofing Your Sourdough, Find Your Optimum Proof Time (7)

Stop Over Proofing Your Sourdough, Find Your Optimum Proof Time (8)

I knew there was no point in pushing the proof in the basket any further, so I decided to reduce the bulk fermentation, stopping it when the dough increased to 75% of its original volume. After shaping the dough it was proofed in the basket for 2 hours in the chamber.

This dough felt super before it was retarded in the fridge. Stopping the bulk fermentation a little earlier and shaping seemed to tighten up the structure of the dough. It felt really good, well inflated, but strong.

After baking, the loaf was a little flat for my liking, “pancake” springs to mind. I’m not sure why this didn't spring so nicely in the oven. More investigating is needed!

The crumb was absolutely perfect for me. There was a nice open structure without the holes being too large, they were also evenly spread throughout the crumb.

Conclusion

Reducing the bulk fermentation slightly to a 75% increase in volume and proofing for 2 hours at 25c / 77f before retarding produced the best crumb for my liking. Although I need to work on the shape of the loaf a little.

What I enjoy in a sourdough loaf probably isn’t what you would enjoy, so I’d encourage you to experiment with the process and see how those tweaks work for you.

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Stop Over Proofing Your Sourdough, Find Your Optimum Proof Time (2024)

FAQs

What to do if my sourdough is overproofed? ›

The dough will look very puffy, but when you touch it or move it you may notice it deflate or sag. Below is an example of a severely overproofed sandwich loaf. The fix is to bake it or try to reshape and proof again. For my family, I always choose to bake the bread.

How long should I proof my sourdough? ›

The proofing time for bread dough varies based on the dough's makeup (amount of preferment, flour choices, and hydration) and the temperature at which it's proofed. The dough should generally be proofed for around 1 to 4 hours at a warm temperature or overnight (or more) at a cold refrigerator temperature.

What is the optimal bread proofing time? ›

Most recipes call for the bread to double in size – this can take one to three hours, depending on the temperature, moisture in the dough, the development of the gluten, and the ingredients used. Generally speaking, a warm, humid environment is best for rising bread.

What are signs of Overproofed bread? ›

What to look for in an over proofed loaf. Similar to the signs of over proofed dough, an over proofed loaf will be very flat, without much rise or retention of shaping. Over proofing destroys the structural integrity of the bread, so loaves that have gone over are unable to hold their shape in the oven.

Can overproofed dough be saved? ›

The good news: We found an easy way to rescue overproofed dough. Simply punch it down gently, reshape it, and let it proof again for the recommended amount of time. In the test kitchen, these steps resulted in bread that tasters found acceptable in both texture and flavor. 1.

Can you leave sourdough to prove for too long? ›

The longer you leave your dough in the refrigerator, the more sour and complex flavors it will develop. You can easily leave a loaf in the refrigerator for 3 days before baking. I've gone as long as 5 days, but you will see some deterioration of the loaf after Day 3.

What's the longest you can let sourdough rise? ›

If you desire an extra-sour sourdough loaf, cover it and refrigerate immediately. The dough will rise slowly overnight or up to 24 hours. Allowing the dough to remain longer in the refrigerator isn't beneficial, as an extended time in the refrigerator will lead to off flavors and diminished dough strength.

Can you let dough rise for too long? ›

If the dough has risen too long, it's going to feel fragile and might even collapse as you poke it,” says Maggie. If this is the case, there's a chance you can save your dough by giving it a quick re-shape. Learn more about this fix in our blog on saving overproofed dough.

How do I know if my bread has proofed long enough? ›

Gently press your finger into the dough on the top. If the dough springs back quickly, it's underproofed. If it springs back very slowly, it's properly proofed and ready to bake. Finally, if it never springs back, the dough is overproofed.

Can you let sourdough rise overnight on the counter? ›

If you don't want to put the dough in the fridge for a cold ferment, you can leave it to proof on the counter for a little while. You do need to be careful not to let it over ferment. Ideally, you want the temperature to be on the cooler side (no more than 21C / 69.8F). Let the dough relax into the banneton.

Is 100 degrees too hot to proof bread? ›

Mix the dough with lukewarm 100°F (38°C) water, then ferment at 85-90°F (30-32°C). Temperatures above 90°F (32°C) may adversely affect the flavor of yeast bread. Pre-ferments that rise overnight need a cool temperature to help ensure that they don't over-ferment while unattended. Set the Proofer to 70-72°F (21-22°C).

What to do if you overproof your sourdough? ›

Overproofed sourdough is preventable but also salvageable. Reshape the dough, bake it as a pizza or flatbread dough, or bake it and turn it into breadcrumbs for granola.

How do you stop proofing process? ›

Put simply, retarding dough is the process of slowing down the final rising in the bread-making process. This is easily done by proofing bread overnight in the refrigerator since the cold slows down the rise. It has its benefits, including adding flavor and allowing you to bake the bread at a later time.

What does overproofed sourdough look like? ›

Note: As loaves begin to overproof they lose their height and shape. The crumb becomes more dense. The holes become more ragged and irregular in shape. The crust begins to thin and separate from the crumb.

How do you revive Overproofed sourdough? ›

Deflate and reshape your over-proofed dough

First, deflate the dough. It actually feels kind of satisfying to press all that air out; you know, like you're breaking the rules and getting away with it. Next, reshape the dough into a loaf. Place it in its pan.

What happens if you bake Overproofed dough? ›

underproof dough will spring back completely correctly, proof will spring back slowly and only halfway, and overproof dough won't spring back at all. after baking, the underproof dough will be dense and deformed. while the dough that was ready will be fluffy and light. and the overproof dough will be flat and deflated.

What happens if you leave sourdough to rise too long? ›

The loaf is also inclined to over spring resulting in a crumb with big, random, holes or channels running through the loaf. If you over-ferment the dough you run the risk of the gluten structure degrading and the loaf turning into a puddle of goo before your eyes, never to be retrieved and destined for the bin.

Is overproofed sourdough gummy? ›

Over proving can produce a moist crumb, if your loaf is wide and flat and pale on the outside with small holes and a slightly damp interior, it may well be over. Under baking can produce a gummy interior.

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