How long should pizza dough rise?

I have seen different recipes for pizza dough, some of which let the dough rise for about an hour at room temperature, others which recommend an 18-24 rise in the refrigerator. What are the differences between each method, and is one inherently better than the other?

Best Answer

The warmer the dough is during fermentation, the faster the yeast multiply and produce carbon dioxide (carbon dioxide production rate maxes out at around 90°F). So with very simple recipes, this entire process can take place in just a few hours.

Experienced bakers and pizza-makers know that this is not the best way to make dough. Though yeast produces carbon dioxide rapidly at high temperatures, it also produces undesirable flavors. Rather than tasting rich and complex, hastily made breads have the one-dimensional flat flavor of the flour, and sometimes even develop off flavors, like sour milk.

Retarding a dough is the act of placing it in a cold environment after it's mixed in order to slow down the activity of the yeast. At cool fridge temperatures, yeast behaves differently, producing more of the desirable flavor compounds and fewer of the sour ones. It also produces carbon dioxide more slowly.

Texture is also improved: Long fermentation times give the enzymes present in the flour more opportunities to cleave proteins (a process known as autolysis), making it easier for them to untangle, straighten out, and link up into gluten. Gluten structure is improved. Finally, the colder the dough when you shape it before the final proof, the fewer bubbles are forced out of it.

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How long should pizza dough rise? - From above of broken eggs on flour pile scattered on table near salt sack and kitchenware

How long should pizza dough rise? - Person Slicing A Pizza With A Pizza Cutter

How long should pizza dough rise? - Cooked Pizza

Can you let pizza dough rise for too long?

Pizza dough that has been left to rise for too long, or has been over-proofed, can potentially collapse. The gluten becomes overly relaxed, and the end product will be gummy or crumbly instead of crisp and fluffy.

How long should pizza dough be proved?

Cold temperatures won't kill yeast but just slows fermentation, so an airtight container or plastic wrapped dough in the fridge works well. Proofing for 24 hours is a good minimum, but the taste will develop for days to come. Around 2-3 days is the optimum before it starts deteriorating.

How long can you let pizza dough rise at room temperature?

Are you wondering how long pizza dough can sit out for proofing before you start making your most awaited pizza? The answer is, that the rise time for pizza dough can be as short as 6-10 hours at room temperature and as long as 1-3 days (24-72 hours) in the refrigerator.

How do you know when pizza dough is done rising?

If the dough springs back right away (it's saying, \u201cHey, why'd you do that!\u201d), let it rise for a few more minutes. If the dough springs back slowly, like it's waking up from a long nap, and your prod leaves a small indentation, it's ready to go.