Overproofed is when the dough has rested too long and the yeast has continued making carbon dioxide while the strength of the dough (gluten bonds) have begun to wear out. The dough will look very puffy, but when you touch it or move it you may notice it deflate or sag.
Step 1: Perform the fingertip test to make sure your dough is overproofed. The test involves gently pressing your finger into the surface of the dough for 2 seconds and then seeing how quickly it springs back. The dent you make will be permanent if the dough is overproofed.
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.
Smooth surface – there should be no shagginess in the texture of the dough, it should smooth and almost shiny at its surface. A domed surface – the top of the dough should looked domed, indicating it is still growing and has strength left in it. If it becomes flat or collapses, this is a sign it has over fermented.
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.
YES! You most definitely can bulk ferment sourdough too long. If you leave the dough to ferment for too long, it will become "over fermented". Over fermented dough will lose its structure and become a soupy, sloppy mess that you will not be able to shape.
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.
Ideally, you can proof sourdough in the fridge for up to 36 hours, or even longer if your dough will tolerate it. You don't want to have the gluten structure break down or for the dough to use up all of its energy before it hits the oven. This will result in poor oven spring.
If you've over-proofed your bread and wondering if it is safe to eat, then the short answer is, YES! It is safe to eat over-proofed bread although it might contain a lot of alcohol! Do not panic!
Overproofed is when the dough has rested too long and the yeast has continued making carbon dioxide while the strength of the dough (gluten bonds) have begun to wear out. The dough will look very puffy, but when you touch it or move it you may notice it deflate or sag.
Here are a few indicators that your sourdough starter is ready: Rise and Expansion: A well-fed and active starter will rise and expand in volume after feeding. It should show noticeable growth, with bubbles forming on the surface and throughout the mixture.
If you desire an extra-sour sourdough loaf, cover it and refrigerate immediately. The dough will rise slowly overnight or up to 24 hours.
Yes! If a recipe calls for proofing bread dough overnight in the refrigerator, it can be proofed on the counter at a warmer temperature for a shorter period. Rather than placing the dough in the refrigerator overnight, leave it covered on the counter for 1 to 4 hours until it's ready to bake.
Ideally, you don't want to allow sourdough bread to cold ferment for longer than 72 hours. Even up to 48 hours, you do risk some loss of gluten structure unless you manipulate the amount of starter down.
If you've just completed autolyse and you feel that your dough is too wet, it is possible to add some more flour at that that stage. The flour will absorb water and become incorporated during the stretches and folds.
When the bulk fermentation goes too long — often when the dough more than doubles or triples in volume — the dough can over ferment. You know the dough has over fermented if, when you turn it out to shape it, it is very slack — if it's like a wet puddle — and very sticky and lacking any strength and elasticity.
Dough appearance should no longer be rough after sourdough bulk fermentation. It should be smooth looking and even a bit shiny. If you lift up a section, it should move together. You should see the formation of lines of gluten strands and/or webs of gluten that have formed.
After kneading, shape your loaf, cover it, and let it proof for 4-24 hours, depending on your specific sourdough starter and ambient temperature. You can manipulate the sourness of the bread with a longer rise time. A 24-hour rise time will produce much more sour bread than a 4-hour rise time.
We've actually left our bread in the refrigerator for up to 18 hours with no problems. When you're ready to bake, remove the shaped dough from the refrigerator and let it sit on the counter while your oven preheats. Place it in the dutch oven, score it, and bake as usual.
Myth 7: You can't overfeed sourdough starter.
While starters do need regular feeding, it is possible to overfeed one. Each time you feed a starter, you thin out the population of microorganisms by adding flour and water.
If it does not hold any shape at all and you still want to save it, spread it in on a baking sheet, add herbs and olive oil and bake it like a focaccia. It usually does not help to try to add dry flour to overproofed dough. You could try this, but results are very inconsistent.
If you want to let you dough proof for longer, try bulk-fermenting it in a cooler place, but don't allow it to go longer than three hours or structure and flavor may be compromised. For the workhorse loaf, a bulk proof of approximately two hours gives us the optimal balance of flavor and texture.