I always proofed my sourdough in the fridge until a baker in Portland told me to try it on the counter instead

I figured cold proofing gave better flavor but my loaves kept turning out flat and dense. After 4 tries at room temp I finally got that oven spring I was chasing. Has anyone else seen a big difference switching up their proofing spot?

3 comments

3 Comments

hugo_cooper1mo ago

Ngl I feel like I've been gaslighting myself about sourdough for years, thinking I was some kind of artisan baker when really I was just making hockey pucks with a nice tang. I did the cold proof thing for months and my loaves were so dense they could've been used as doorstops. Switched to counter proofing and suddenly my bread actually puffs up like it's supposed to. Now I just gotta figure out why my scoring always looks like a toddler drew on it. 😂

holly_williams1mo ago

I was always in the cold proofing camp too, thought it was the only way to get that tangy flavor. But after reading this and trying a few loaves on the counter, I have to admit you're onto something with the oven spring.

the_michael1mo ago

You said "cold proofing camp" and "that tangy flavor" and I gotta jump in here real quick. Cold proofing in the fridge actually slows down the bacteria that makes sourdough tangy, you know, the lactobacillus. So if you're getting more tang from counter proofing, it might be because your dough is warmer and the bacteria are more active, not the other way around. The fridge is great for making a mild, almost sweet loaf if you time it right (like 12-24 hours). But the oven spring you're seeing on the counter is real, especially if you catch it before it overproofs, which is a fine line.