Stories, Insights, and Tips

Keep Your Sourdough Proofing Cooler (and Slower) This Summer.

When summer temperatures rise, so does the activity in your dough, causing the potential for your dough to ferment and proof faster than anticipated. This accelerated fermentation is due to increased activity of yeast and bacteria, which are sensitive to temperature changes. Overproofing can lead to weakened gluten structure and excessive gas production, resulting in a less-than-optimal loaf. But baking perfect sourdough in summer is still doable with a few small tweaks.

We’ve shared some ideas for how to lower your dough’s temperature to slow the fermentation process in our Tips and Tricks section, below, and there are other things you can do to avoid overproofing. One method: you can try using a smaller ratio of starter to flour. This helps slow the fermentation rate. Another option: it seems simple enough, but regularly monitoring your dough’s temperature and adjusting as needed works wonders in avoiding the summer sourdough overproofing slump. Summer sourdough is all about adjusting to the heat and humidity. Use our suggestions and a perfect summer bake is in the forecast.

Tips & Tricks

Refrigerate your flour the night before mixing. It’ll help slow fermentation and yield better flavor, texture, and control.
A proofing box over ice can help bring down the temperature and prevent your dough from proofing too quickly.
Using cold water can also help keep your dough’s temperature in check.
The fridge is your friend– don’t forget to utilize the refrigerator to reduce fermentation speed.
Even moving your dough to a shaded or air-conditioned spot can make a difference.

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