Tried a cold ferment on my sourdough and it made a huge difference

Honestly I've been baking sourdough for about 2 years now and always did a same day bulk ferment at room temp. Last month I decided to stick my dough in the fridge for 18 hours after shaping just to see what happened. The crust came out way crunchier and the sour flavor was way more pronounced than usual. I used 200g of starter for a 500g flour loaf and the rise was still solid. Has anyone else tried different ferment times and noticed a big change in texture?

2 comments

2 Comments

ryantorres1mo ago

200g starter for a 500g flour loaf is pretty high hydration but that cold ferment just locks in the flavor like nothing else. I did 24 hours once on a batch and the crumb was way more open than my usual 12 hour fridge rest. That extra time lets the enzymes break down the starches more so you get that deep sourness without the dough getting too slack.

ellis.susan1mo ago

200g starter for 500g flour? That's a LOT. @ryantorres you're brave but I bet that 24 hour cold ferment really paid off. I might try it just for the crumb.