To punch down dough for a second rise, gently press your fist into the center to deflate it, then fold the edges in to form a ball, redistribute the yeast, and create a finer crumb for a better final texture before shaping for the next proof. It's less about aggressive punching and more about gentle degassing to release large gas pockets and reset the yeast for a more even rise.
I often just grab a large pot lid and use that over a bowl of proofing dough. A sheet tray works too — just make sure the seal is tight enough to prevent any air movement. For especially large batches I often use a food-safe trash bag, placing the entire bowl of dough inside the bag.
That is: mix, refrigerate for a ``first rise'' (from a few hours to a few days), then remove from fridge, shape, and then let rise the second time until read to bake. (The second rise can take anywhere from an hour to a few hours, depending on amount and activity of yeast.)
Keep your dough in the bowl it was resting in. Gently punch down your dough. Either make a fist with your hand or use your knuckles to press down gently into the centre of the dough to deflate the air pockets.
Lab-grown bread yeast is very active, and will probably come back to life, but if the dough has been over-proofed by too much, you'd have to use the resulting goopy mess as a biga/levain for another loaf, since the process changes the dough. You won't get sourdough out of the goop, though.
By deflating — or punching down — the dough after the first rise, the baker is allowing the yeast to move to areas where more sugars are available. The yeast can then repeat the same process during the second rise and create more gas to be trapped in the dough.
If you're checking on shaped dough for the second rise/proof, then it should also be about double in size. Feel: Bread dough that has successfully risen/proofed will spring back slowly when poked and leave an indent. If it snaps back too quickly, it needs more time.
That's the second “rise” The Resting helps relax the gluten so it can rise again in the oven. If you let your dough fully double in the second rise it won't rise in the oven and you run the risk of it over proofing and collapsing in the oven. Reduce the second rise to 20-30 minutes and you'll get a nice oven spring.
Put it in the fridge but don't be surprised if it over ferments and you don't get a good loaf. If you plan on putting it in the fridge for an extended period of time after final shaping I suggest only bulk rising til about 60-70%. That way theres less risk of over-proofing in the fridge.
Plastic keeps the dough moist and keeps it from sticking to the towel. Towel keeps the drafts out and warmth in. Kaye L. Myers plus towels CAN leave fuzzies/lint on the dough.
It looks over proofed. It's usually after the rise falls again. You're looking for a domed top that slowly bounces back when you press on it. It'll be harder to shape when is over proofed as the dough will seem runnier and flat.
As mentioned above, temperature is usually the culprit when your dough is taking forever to rise. Why? Because temperature controls time. Simply put: if the weather is cold, your dough will take longer to rise.
When doing stretch and folds, most recipes call for 4-6 rounds with 30-minute rests in between each round. Early stretch and folds can be more aggressive. Later stretch and folds should be gentler.
The short answer is – cover it to prevent it from drying out. And there is no good reason not to cover. But of course, there are things to consider. We all know to cover our dough so that it does not develop a dry skin on its surface which can give it an unpleasant look and texture.
If your recipe calls for a 1- to 3-hour rise at room temperature (either first or second rise), opt for a long (8- to 12-hour) rise in the refrigerator. It can last up to about 16 hours, depending on the recipe, but be careful not to let the bread dough overproof.
For a fluffy bread texture, the key is to let the bread rise long enough.
Bread recipes typically call for two rises: The first is the “bulk” rise when the dough rises in the bowl, while the second rise comes after the dough has been shaped, like when a sandwich dough proofs directly in the loaf pan.
The short of it is that more than two rise periods would be a waste of the baker's time invested in most bread. And once dough is knocked down more than four times there is ultimately a negative return on taste, texture, and size.
if it melts too quickly. it's over mixed and if you still see the edges fold. couple more times and test it again. I call this a 10 second test.
In broad strokes, if a recipe calls for you to stir or knead the dough then let it rise undisturbed, go ahead and stir or knead but only to the point where ingredients are homogeneous and you have a “shaggy mass.” At that point you can step away, returning to fold three to four times in the first hour of fermentation.