Over Proofing & Under Proofing: Explained | How to Tell the Difference - ChainBaker (2024)

FAQs

What is the difference between over proofing and under proofing? ›

to tell when your bread is ready for the oven, gently poke the dough. underproof dough will spring back completely correctly, proof will spring back slowly and only halfway, and overproof dough won't spring back at all.

The term "proof" refers to an alcohol that can contain 50% volume, or 100 "proof". "Underproof" means that rum has less than 50% alcohol per liter, while "Overproof" means that rum has more than 50% alcohol per liter.

Gently press your finger into the dough on the top. If the dough springs back quickly, it's underproofed. If it springs back very slowly, it's properly proofed and ready to bake. Finally, if it never springs back, the dough is overproofed.

Can you overproof focaccia dough? Focaccia is an airy dough with just enough gluten structure to trap those beautiful air bubbles inside. If it overproofs, that means the yeast has run out of sugar to eat and the dough structure has begun to collapse.

If you come back to your rising loaf and see that it's oversized and puffy, turn the dough out of the pan and reshape it. Return the dough to the pan and set a timer for 20 minutes (each rise goes faster than the last).

If you've overproofed your sourdough bread dough, you can bake as soon as possible, pivot, and use the dough as a base for focaccia, or drop it into a loaf pan and bake sandwich bread.

Final proof is different.

If the dough has doubled during final proofing, then there is a high chance of it being over proofed. You want to leave some room for it to grow as it hits the oven. If it has risen to its full potential during the final proof, then it will rise no more as it bakes.

From this, it follows that to convert the ABV expressed as a percentage to degrees proof, it is only necessary to multiply the ABV by 7⁄4. Thus pure 100% alcohol will have 100×( 7⁄4) = 175 proof, and a spirit containing 40% ABV will have 40×( 7⁄4) = 70 proof.

3: In the United States, the system — established around 1848 — is a bit simpler: “Proof” is straight up two times alcohol by volume. So a vodka, say, that is 40 percent ABV is 80 proof and one that is 45 percent ABV is 90 proof. A “proof spirit” is 100 proof (50 percent ABV) or higher.

Overproofed sourdough is preventable but also salvageable. Reshape the dough, bake it as a pizza or flatbread dough, or bake it and turn it into breadcrumbs for granola.

What happens if you bake underproofed sourdough? ›

When the crumb structure doesn't open up with proper fermentation, the texture of the sourdough bread suffers. Even the fully baked bread may have an unpleasant slightly doughy and dense crumb (not to mention a bland flavor). Some may describe the texture as spongy or gummy.

Overproofed is when the dough has rested too long and the yeast has continued making carbon dioxide while the strength of the dough (gluten bonds) have begun to wear out. The dough will look very puffy, but when you touch it or move it you may notice it deflate or sag.

This focaccia is at its best when perfectly-proofed. You'll know it's ready through dimpling: when dimpled, the dimples should stay and the dough should be bubbly. If the dimples bounce back too quickly, or you aren't getting good sized bubbles, let the dough proof for longer.

Properly proofed dough will be much more consistent in structure, with a soft and fluffy interior, and larger, but more evenly dispersed air bubbles present in the crumb. Over proofed bread is likely to have a very open crumb structure, due to the development of excess CO2 during the proofing stage.

Can you overproof focaccia dough? You can definitely overproof focaccia, but it is difficult. There is so much oil in the dough, and very little sugar, so the yeast is "sleepy" or slow due to both of those elements and less likely to overproof.

Overproofed is when the dough has rested too long and the yeast has continued making carbon dioxide while the strength of the dough (gluten bonds) have begun to wear out. The dough will look very puffy, but when you touch it or move it you may notice it deflate or sag.

Over proofed dough has had it's gluten “eaten” or broken down to the point that the strength is gone. The sugars are used up so the crust won't brown properly. The crust is brittle, hard and pale without a beautiful shine. It smells reminiscent of crackers or corn and has a slight flavor that resembles that too.

Over proving can produce a moist crumb, if your loaf is wide and flat and pale on the outside with small holes and a slightly damp interior, it may well be over. Under baking can produce a gummy interior.

It's not until you slice the sourdough and see the crumb structure that you realise it's under fermented. The great thing is that generally, unless it's completely raw inside, you can still eat an under fermented sourdough bread.