How do you guys retartd your loaves overnight in the fridge? I free shape my loaves and leave them covered by a big bowl on something flat in the fridge. I never had a problem before but for some reason recently, I think because of the warm weather and the temperature difference between the air I trap and fridge I am getting all this condensation on the inside of the bowl which form droplets that fall down on the loaf causing tears on the outside of my loaf, its basically cracking and spreading while retarding. This is what it seems like to me anyway, anyone know any other reasons the surface of the loaf might tear when retarded that way? Not cool! Any ideas?
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Hello Rezpeni,
On the odd occasions that I have retarded, I still put my loaf into a lined container (colander or basket depending on shape, with rye flour dredged tea towel). I put that inside one of those large vacuum storage packs that have a ziplock seal on them. There is a very small amount of condensation inside the bag afterwards.
I certainly haven't experienced your tearing problem but I wonder whether you are getting a 'dry' skin before (or maybe even after) it goes into the fridge and that is tearing as the loaf expands. Just a thought.
Regards
Farinam
I oil half of a plastic bag, and then put my formed dough inside wrap it loosely and stick it in the fridge.. bottom shelf.
I don't have any condensation.
I use a banneton - I spray the inside with cooking spray and coat with fine semolina, then put the tensioned dough in and the whole thing into a plastic bag and into the fridge. It does sound like your dough is either not tensioned enough so the skin isn't holding together, or it's drying out and the water rivulets are acting like slashing, weakening the crust at those points. Sounds like you should try wrapping in oiled plastic instead - you shouldn't get the cracking with that.