The Knock Test Holding the loaf in one hand, take the other and knock on the bottom of the loaf as though it was a door. If it sounds hollow your sourdough loaf is cooked through! If it sounds dull or thuddy, pop your loaf back in the oven for another 5 minutes and then test again to see it sounds hollow.
Punching down is a common technique used in bread baking and it is essential to almost every yeast bread you bake. Punching down deflates the dough and releases the air so that you can knead it and form it into loaves or other shapes.
Use a thermometer (I like the Thermapen) to assess the doneness of pan breads, freeform loaves, and soft rolls. A temperature of 190°F at the center will yield bread that's fully baked (soft and moist) but not over-baked (tough and dry).
When we make yeasted breads such as Challah, we press the dough gently with our knuckle or finger to determine if it is properly proofed and ready for baking. If the dough springs back right away, it needs more proofing. But if it springs back slowly and leaves a small indent, it's ready to bake.
You'll end up with a loaf that doesn't expand or bake well, and that is also misshapen and very sour. While some people (including us) like that biting flavor, others may find it too sour. Mistakes are inevitable when it comes to proofing bread, but there's no need to throw out dough if it proofs too long.
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.
Look: Your dough should be about double the size it was when it started. If it's in a bowl covered with plastic wrap, then use a marker to trace an outline of the dough on the plastic — the dough is done rising/proofing when it stretches beyond that mark by about double.
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.
Doneness Tips for Breads
If you're ever in doubt, it's better to cook the loaf a little longer than to undercook it. An extra five minutes isn't going to burn the crust, and the worst that will happen is that your bread will be a bit on the dry side.
The ideal oven temperatures for baking bread ranges anywhere between 350 and 475°F (180 and 246°C), optimizing both caramelization and the Maillard reaction (which we'll get into) providing the perfect color and texture in the final product.
Allowing the bread to come to room temperature—which can take anywhere from 30 minutes for small dinner rolls to 8 hours (or more!) for bigger boules—optimizes texture and flavor, and there are several theories as to why.
According to people's beliefs, throwing away stale bread is a sin. What's more, it can also be a sign of bad luck and lack of prosperity. This superstition includes not throwing crumbs down on the floor. You should take them in your hand instead and give them to the birds outside.
The second proving has given the bread more elasticity, and made it harder to deflate the air. Second rises may add significantly to the total time it takes to complete a loaf of bread, but the step can be essential to achieving the taste and texture inherent to a number of popular breads.
If your dough feels dense and tough to handle when you stop the mixer, it is a sign that it is becoming over-kneaded. Over-kneaded dough can become very hard to work with and produce a more flat and chewy bread.
The proof refers to the fermentation action of the yeast causing the dough to rise and create an airy texture. In most basic yeast bread recipes, the dough is allowed to proof twice.
Once you've made your pizza dough, you can place it in the fridge and let it rise overnight for up to 24 hours. Take it out of the fridge 20-30 minutes before you intend on using it to let it come to room temperature. This way, you can make your pizza dough the day before. This is great for entertaining.
Once the dough has been kneaded, the next step is called "proofing," or "the first rise." This is the main fermentation. Think of proofing as an essential and effortless (for you) way to develop the bread's structure and flavor.
Tips for Proofing Bread Overnight
Overnight typically means about 12 hours. Some doughs can be proofed in the refrigerator for longer—up to a few days—but many recipes will lose some of their rise if they are left too long.
Most bread recipes have two rises, a first rise (also called bulk fermentation), and a second or final rise. You can chill your dough during either the first or second rise. Your yeast won't give you much love if it's asked to do both rises in the fridge, so it's best to do one or the other at room temperature.
You can gently deflate the dough, reshape it, and set it to rise again. Watch it very carefully, as this third rise will go quite quickly and probably won't be as high.
Generally speaking, yes, you need to cover the dough while it's rising. Covering the dough will create a warm moist atmosphere for the dough to rise nicely in. If it's cold or dry the dough won't rise as well as it should.
Should You Knead Dough After It Rises? Yes. After the first rise, you can knead the dough lightly to remove some gas that causes air bubbles. This step is ideal if you want your dough to be flat and dense or if you want bread with a close crumb, like sourdough.