Question

If you are unable to bake the dough immediately, you can place it in a covered container and refrigerate it. This will slow down the fermentation process and prevent the dough from overproofing. What are some steps you can take when you're ready to bake the dough?

1) Extend the rise time: when you're ready to bake the dough, you can take it out of the refrigerator and let it come to room temperature. Then, allow the dough to continue rising until it reaches the desired size. This may take longer than the original recipe suggests since the cold dough will need more time to rise.
2) Monitor the dough: keep an eye on the dough during the extended rise time. If it starts to rise too quickly or becomes too large, you can gently deflate it by pressing down on it with your fingertips. This will help redistribute the yeast and gas bubbles and prevent the dough from collapsing during baking.
3) Adjust the baking time: since the dough has been refrigerated and gone through an extended rise, it may require a longer baking time than indicated in the original recipe. Keep an eye on the bread as it bakes and adjust the baking time accordingly. You can check for doneness by tapping the bottom of the bread and listening for a hollow sound.
4) All of the above

Answer 1

To properly bake refrigerated dough, allow extra rise time for it to reach room temperature, monitor its size during the rise, and adjust the baking time as needed. The yeast in the dough produces carbon dioxide through fermentation, enabling the dough to rise. Option 3)

Step-by-step explanation:

When you're ready to bake refrigerated dough, there are several steps you can take to ensure that it bakes properly. Firstly, you should extend the rise time by letting the dough come to room temperature and continue rising until it reaches the desired size. This process might take longer than the original recipe due to the dough being cold.

Secondly, it's important to monitor the dough during its extended rise. If necessary, gently deflate the dough to redistribute the yeast and gas bubbles, preventing the dough from collapsing during baking. Lastly, you may need to adjust the baking time, as the refrigerated dough might require a longer period in the oven. Checking for doneness by tapping the bottom of the bread for a hollow sound is a good practice.

The science behind this relates to the properties of yeast. In bread dough, yeast uses alcoholic fermentation to produce energy and generate carbon dioxide gas. This gas causes the dough to rise by creating bubbles within it, leading to the light, fluffy texture of baked bread, as evidenced by the small holes formed by gas bubbles.