Why do I need to put sablé dough in the fridge?
I made a sablé base for a cake last night. It was the first time I made this, so I used a basic recipe containing butter, flour, sugar, salt, baking powder and egg yolks. After everything is mixed the recipe says to put the dough in the fridge for two hours so it can rest.
I wondered why this is necessary? There is no yeast in the dough that would let it rise.
My only idea would be too cool down the butter so it can be rolled out more easily, but then I think two hours would be pretty long for the amount of dough I got out of the recipe.
Best Answer
Therre are actually two things that happen during the refrigerated rest period:
- Obviously, the dough is cooled, which firms up the butter, making it easier to roll out without having it fall apart.
- The starch granules absorb water, making the dough more cohesive, improving its texture, and making it easier to work
See: What does an overnight chill do to cookie dough, that a 4 hour chill doesn't?
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Why do you have to put dough in the fridge?
Dough can be put in the refrigerator to slow the rise dramatically and improve the flavor of the bread. The cold temperature slows the activity of the yeast, which leads to a slower production of gas and therefore a slower rise.Should you put dough in the fridge?
Yes, risen dough CAN be placed in a refrigerator. Putting risen dough in the fridge is a common practice of home and professional bakers alike. Since yeast is more active when it's warm, putting yeasted dough in a refrigerator or chilling it slows the yeast's activity, which causes dough to rise at a slower rate.Should you chill sugar cookie dough?
Chilling the dough is a key step in making sugar cookies, especially when you're making cut-outs. Even if you're tight on time, make sure to get the dough in the fridge, or even the freezer, even if it's only for a little while.Sable | Full Walkthrough | 100% Achievements
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Answer 2
Refrigerating will reduce the temperature of the butter in the dough, making it less likely to melt when it's being worked into shape. There are other tricks: marble worktops; my grandmother had a hollow glass rolling-pin, which you could fill with ice-cubes and water.
If I'm making a wet bread dough I'll put it into the fridge after combining, before serious kneading. This seems to make it less sticky, but I'm not sure why.
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