We’ve had several search engines questions that keep recurring for this site. One of the questions that seems to pop up frequently is, “How do I know when bread is done rising?”
I want to make sure that those seeking the answer to that critical question actually FIND a clear answer to it here.
First of all, most recipes use the phrase “doubled in size.” This is the best rule of thumb for rising. When the volume of the dough has doubled, it’s “done” rising. I say done in quotation marks because dough WILL go on rising beyond that but you don’t want it to! If dough rises beyond double its original volume, it starts overstretching the gluten fibers and the dough will be very negatively affected in both flavor and in texture. Eventually, dough will rise to the point that it collapses back in on itself. You can still bake it and eat it, but it won’t taste as flavorful or be as tender as if you caught it on time. The texture will be crumbly and dry…possibly tough.
All this to say, pay close attention and DON’T let your dough over-rise. Over-rising is a Bad Thing in breadmaking. Any other questions?
BK
1 Comment
September 12, 2006 at 3:05 am
[...] After kneading, I covered the dough with a clean towel and let it rise until it was double it’s original size. Don’t let the dough over-rise. I punched down the dough and formed it into two loaves, slashed the tops, and set them to rise again. After they’d doubled again in size, I put them on a stone pan in an oven that was preheated to 400°. [...]
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