Can I make up for under-proving my bread dough during the first rise by doing an extra long second rise?
Long story short, I think I overestimated how much my dough expanded during the primary fermentation (it's supposed to double in size, I'd say mine was only 1.3–1.5× the size). Now the dough is already shaped and has been plopped into the loaf pan for the second rise, and it is still growing albeit slowly. Can I let this dough sit for a longer time than usual in order to compensate for the inadequate first rise?
This is an all-purpose flour dough made with a poolish pre-ferment, fairly lean but with a few tbsp of butter.
Best Answer
No, you cannot and should not, as the first and second rises serve different purposes.
The first rise is mainly for developing gluten and flavour, and after pressing the air out the second rise allows the bread to be fluffy when baked without large air holes developed in the first rise. This is especially true with bread baked in a loaf as you specified, where relatively tight crumb (as opposed to that of a baguette) is usually desirable.
So one issue that may arise is cracking on the sides where the dough rose as it was cooked, due to the lower amount of gluten development, but this should not affect the structure or taste of the final product. If you were to proof the bread too long in the second time, the bread may collapse in the oven, resulting in a dense loaf.
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Quick Answer about "Can I make up for under-proving my bread dough during the first rise by doing an extra long second rise?"
No, you cannot and should not, as the first and second rises serve different purposes. The first rise is mainly for developing gluten and flavour, and after pressing the air out the second rise allows the bread to be fluffy when baked without large air holes developed in the first rise.Can you add ingredients to dough after it has risen?
After 2-4 hours of regular stretch and folds (every 20 minutes or so), the dough is left to bulk ferment either in the fridge or on the counter overnight. It's at the second last of the series of stretch and folds that the extra ingredients should be added.Can you let bread dough rise a third time?
Dough can rise 3 times or more providing that the yeast still has plenty of sugars and starches to feed on after the first two rises. If you're planning on allowing your dough to rise three times, you should add less yeast to your dough so it doesn't exhaust its food supply.Do you have to let dough rise a second time?
According to most baking resources, in order to get the best texture and flavor that is typical of leavened bread, dough should be given a second rise before baking. A second rise allows yeast more time to work, which changes the actual fibers within the dough.Can you speed up the proofing process?
A Bowl of Steaming Water is the Key to Quickly Proofing Bread. In the winter, when your house and kitchen are at a crisp temperature and you need a warm spot for your dough to rise, create a makeshift \u201cproof box\u201d by placing a bowl of steaming water inside your oven alongside your bowl of dough.How long should you leave bread dough to rise for?
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