You can typically punch down dough once or twice, as most recipes call for one or two rises, but going beyond two punch-downs is usually unnecessary and can negatively affect texture by overworking the gluten, though some complex recipes or artisan breads might involve gentle folding/punching up to three or four times for flavor development. The key is to gently deflate after the bulk ferment, then again after shaping, letting it rest, and repeating as the recipe directs for a good crumb structure, but excessive punching diminishes the yeast's effectiveness and can lead to a tough bread.
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.
When common ratios of ingredients are used, bread dough made with commercial yeast can be knocked down and left to rise upwards of ten times. However, for best results, most bread dough should be baked after the second rise but before a fifth rise.
In bread baking, there is the first proof or bulk fermentation, and then there is the second or final proof or often just proof once the dough has been shaped and placed into its banneton. This proof can be done at room temperature or cold-proofed in the refrigerator as is often done when making bread with a levain.
Degassing Pizza Dough
Typically, pizza dough is degassed twice because the recipe often calls for you to degas the dough after each rise. The second time occurs after the second rise, and this time it's crucial because the gluten has had time to develop again.
The "55 rule" for pizza dough generally refers to using 55% hydration, meaning 55 grams of water for every 100 grams of flour, resulting in a firmer, crispier crust ideal for styles like pepperoni or New York-style. It can also refer to a formula for water temperature (Room Temp + Flour Temp + Water Temp = ~55°C/131°F for a 16-18°C preferment), but the 55% hydration is more common for overall recipe guidance, providing a manageable dough for beginners that bakes up crunchier than higher-hydration doughs.
They punch it down to degas it. This breaks/moves large air pockets for a more uniform distribution throughout the crumb. It also enables yeasts and bacteria to find new food to eat and make new bubbles. Because a dough which has not been folded lacks structure and tension.
Properly proofed dough will be much more consistent in structure, with a soft and fluffy interior, and larger, but more evenly dispersed air bubbles present in the crumb. Over proofed bread is likely to have a very open crumb structure, due to the development of excess CO2 during the proofing stage.
High starter quantities speed up fermentation and lower quantities slow down fermentation. For example, a recipe with 20% starter may finish bulk fermentation in 5 hours and at 10% starter, it may take 8 hours.
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.
For a fluffy bread texture, the key is to let the bread rise long enough.
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.
It really depends on the temperature, ingredients, starter. In summer usually no more than 5 hours in winter could be as long as 12! Sarah Wilcox this graph will help. Your dough temperature is what you want to track.
The Poke Test – Give that ball of dough a firm poke with your finger. If the indentation fills back quickly, you're good to go. If it stays looking like a deep dimple, continue kneading.
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.
Here are some signs that bulk fermentation is complete: Volume: your dough should increase by about 50% in size. Shape: the dough should have a dome shaped surface. Bubbles: you should see visible bubbles on the top and the sides of the dough.
Don't leave it in the counter overnight. That would almost be a surefire way to over- ferment your dough, unless you used a very small amount of starter. I usually use 5% at 70 deg, starting at 6 pm, work it until 9 then finish counter bulk ferment and shape in the morning.
Well-fermented dough has a light, airy, even crumb. A well-fermented loaf has a tall shape. Basically, the Instagram glamour shots of sourdough loaves are generally “perfectly proofed” loaves. Under and over-proofing results in dense, flat, unattractive loaves.
Over fermented dough is very sticky, unmanageable but do you see how it's looking a little goopy? It's not pulling away from the bowl easily as a whole. See all that? That's overdone.
Folding is a more gentle technique; the dough is stretched, then folded over on itself. Generally, the moisture content of the dough determines which method is best. The wetter the dough, the more difficult it is to knead, so folding often is better for doughs such as focaccia, ciabatta and high-hydration sourdoughs.
The secret of successful rising
Generally speaking, a warm, humid environment is best for rising bread. For deeper flavour (and convenience), most doughs can be put in the fridge for their second rise and left to prove overnight.