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c/bakersthe_nathanthe_nathan4d ago

Cold proofing in the fridge is a myth, 2 years of sourdough says otherwise

Three years ago I fell for the long cold ferment trend. Everyone raved about 24 hour retardation. I tried it for 2 years straight. Loaves always came out flat. Last week I skipped the fridge entirely. Room temp proof for 4 hours. Best crumb I ever got. Should I just toss my banneton in the freezer permanently?
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wells.karen
My kitchen sits at 72 degrees most of the year, so I started doing a 6 hour room temp proof back in March and never looked back. That cold fridge method just seems to suit people with warmer houses or who need to bake on a schedule, but for me it always gave that same dense, flat result you described. I keep my banneton in the freezer too, but only for the dough itself to hold shape when I do a shorter cold rest of about 30 minutes before baking.
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