sage52•1mo ago

Old baker at the county fair showed me a trick with overproofed dough

I was panicking at the Kern County Fair last summer because my brioche had proofed way too long in the heat, and this 70 year old baker named Frank walked over and told me to chill it for 20 minutes then punch it down twice as hard as usual. He said the extra air just needed to be forced out and the gluten would bounce back, and I ended up with the softest rolls I've ever made. Has anyone else salvaged dough this way or did I just get lucky?

2 comments

2 Comments

ryanprice1mo ago

Did the rolls actually stay soft or get tough again later?

elizabeth_gonzalez1mo ago

Yeah that's what I'm wondering too @ryanprice. Did they stay soft overnight or did they turn into rocks the next morning? Cause I've salvaged overproofed dough before but it always gets weird after day one.