I used to swear by a 24-hour cold ferment for my pizza dough, but a 4-hour room temp rise gives me a better crust

2 comments

2 Comments

Overthinking pizza dough is a real hobby for some people. The difference between four hours and a day in the fridge seems pretty small in the grand scheme of things. @the_tara might be right about the gluten, but a lot of it comes down to how you handle the dough after the ferment anyway. My guess is your flour type and hydration level matter way more than the exact timing. If a four hour rise works for you, that's all that really counts.

the_tara18d ago

Read a thing once that said a super long cold ferment can sometimes over-develop the gluten... makes the dough too tough. Your four hour rise might hit that sweet spot where it's got enough air but still stays tender. Makes sense if you're using a hotter oven too, like a home oven on a pizza steel. The faster rise could give you a more open crumb without getting chewy.