What temperature should the room be when my dough rises?

Nail the sweet spot — warm enough to rise at a decent rate, yet cool enough to develop flavor — and you're golden. Studies have shown that the optimum temperature for yeast to grow and flavor to develop is 75°F to 78°F.


Is it better to let dough rise in fridge or room temp?

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.

Will dough rise in a cold room?

In short, dough will rise in the cold. However, it will rise much more slowly and it will create a slightly different texture in the bread. This type of bread is often known as cold-rise bread.


Does dough need a warm place to rise?

The best place to let dough rise is a very warm place. On a warm day, your counter will probably do just fine. But if your kitchen is cold, your oven is actually a great place. Preheat oven to 200 degrees for 1-2 minutes to get it nice and toasty, then turn it off.

How warm is too warm for rising dough?

Temperatures above 90 °F / 32 °C may adversely affect flavor in yeast breads. Pre-ferments that rise overnight need a cool temperature to help ensure that they don't over-ferment while unattended.


How long should you leave bread dough to rise for?



Should the dough be cold or room temp?

Bring your dough to room temperature.

Before you begin stretching, warm up your cold dough for at least 30 minutes at room temperature. Gluten, the protein that makes pizza dough chewy, is tighter in cold conditions like the fridge, which is why cold pizza dough will stretch out and snap back just like a rubber band.

Can dough be left to 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.

Where should you place dough to rise?

An airing cupboard is usually a good place to leave dough to rise but dough can rise in most places (you can even leave it to rise in the refrigerator overnight) it will just take slightly longer at a lower temperature. A warm kitchen worktop, sunny windowsill or somewhere close to a radiator often works.


How do I make dough rise in a cold room?

Test Kitchen tip: Place your bread on an oven rack (while off) and place a pan of hot water underneath the rack. The warm steam will wake up the yeast and help it along, especially if your kitchen is cold.

Does dough need to breathe to rise?

Also called bulk fermentation, the yeast works hard eating sugar and creating air bubbles of carbon dioxide during this stage. It's an essential step that causes the dough to rise and develops the finished bread's flavor.

Can I let dough rise overnight on counter?

Dough that's left to rise at room temperature typically takes between two and four hours to double in size. If left overnight, dough can rise so high it will likely collapse on the weight of itself, making the dough deflate. For best results, always keep the dough in the refrigerator when leaving it to rise overnight.


Does dough rise faster in the fridge?

Put simply, retarding dough is the process of slowing down the final rising in the bread-making process. This is easily done by proofing bread overnight in the refrigerator since the cold slows down the rise. It has its benefits, including adding flavor and allowing you to bake the bread at a later time.

Should I cover dough while it rises?

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.

What temperature kills yeast?

Regardless of the type of yeast you use, if your water reaches temperatures of 120°F or more, the yeast will begin to die off. Once water temps reach 140°F or higher, that is the point where the yeast will be completely killed off.


Should rising dough be airtight?

Dough needs to be covered during the proof, but if there's a hole in your plastic wrap or you use a cloth that doesn't create a tight seal, air exposure will cause the top of your dough to become crusty and tough. Varying air temperatures can also contribute to inconsistent or incomplete proofing.

What temperature does dough need to prove?

The ideal environment for a cold proof is around 50°F, while a room-temperature proof is considered around 75°F. If dough gets too warm during the bulk fermentation, the yeast will expand more quickly than the gluten structure.

How do you know when dough is rising enough?

Physically test your dough with the poke test

What bakers call the “poke test” is the best way to tell if dough is ready to bake after its second rise. Lightly flour your finger and poke the dough down about 1". If the indent stays, it's ready to bake. If it pops back out, give it a bit more time.


How long should dough sit to rise?

In a toasty kitchen, your dough may proof in as little as an hour (or less!). When the temperatures dip, it can take much longer—upwards of two or even three hours. You'll know it's done when it has a full, puffed appearance, like in the image below.

How do you know when to stop kneading dough?

After kneading the dough for several minutes, press it with your finger. If the indentation stays, the dough still needs more work. If it springs back to its original shape, your dough is ready to rest.

How do you know when dough is over kneaded?

For a simple way to tell if your dough has been over-kneaded, check for these signs of over-kneaded dough.
  1. Dense and stiff.
  2. Hard to flatten out.
  3. Hard to knead by hand.
  4. Resist being reshaped.
  5. Tears easily when stretched.


Why do you let dough rise twice?

By deflating — or punching down — the dough after the first rise, the baker is allowing the yeast to move to areas where more sugars are available. The yeast can then repeat the same process during the second rise and create more gas to be trapped in the dough.

Is it better to let dough rise longer or shorter?

The dough ferments as it continues to rise. If this process goes on for too long, you could wind up with bread that has a sour taste. Most people aren't going to enjoy bread that tastes even slightly sour. Thus, it's imperative to only allow the dough to rise as much as it's supposed to.

How long to let dough rise after shaping?

Most recipes call for the bread to double in size – this can take one to three hours, depending on the temperature, moisture in the dough, the development of the gluten, and the ingredients used. Generally speaking, a warm, humid environment is best for rising bread.


How long should I let the dough sit in the fridge?

After kneading, put the dough in a greased bowl and cover with greased plastic wrap and place in the fridge. Punch the dough down after it's been in the fridge for 1 hour, then punch it down once every 24 hours after that. Dough will keep in the fridge for 3 days but it's best used within 48 hours.

Should you let dough rest in fridge?

Our answer. Most pie dough/pastry benefits from a rest in the refrigerator as it allows the glutens in the flour to relax - this should help to give a more tender pie crust with less shrinkage. It can also give time for the liquids in the dough to be absorbed, giving slightly less dry spots in the pastry.