Nathan Myhrvold advised us that cold-proofing means having extra management over your dough, the place “you’ll be able to fluctuate the time and temperature in accordance with your schedule, wants, and preferences.” He says it really works particularly effectively with bread like sourdough the place the rise comes out of your starter, however can be utilized with business yeast doughs, too. Better of all, that management additionally allows you to experiment with the flavour of your bread. 

Myhrvold says, “In the event you desire very sour-tasting sourdoughs, you will need to cold-proof so long as attainable as a result of longer fermentation produces extra lactic and acetic acid. The alternative is true in case you desire a milder taste.” Nevertheless, in case you do go for a protracted proof, he recommends including diastatic malt powder when mixing your dough, which is able to assist maintain the yeast fed in the course of the lengthy rise. Myhrvold does warn that cold-proofs will not be your best option for each kind of bread. 

Enriched breads, the place substances like butter and eggs are combined in, will not rise as a result of the fats within the dough will harden within the chilly. He additionally says that you need to take note of the temperature in your fridge, advising that whereas most fashions run between 33 and 40 levels Fahrenheit, “if it is attainable, regulate the temperature to 4 levels Celsius/39 levels Fahrenheit; temperatures any colder than that may decelerate yeast fermentation an excessive amount of.” However with these minor issues out of the way in which, a cold-proof would be the best technique to nice sourdough.