one-half times after going through the fermentation process. Whether or not the dough has reached the time for punching can be judged based on the reaction of the dough after being pressed by the fingers. If a gentle push of the finger into the dough from the top doesn't encounter much resistance, and after the finger is removed the indentation in dough remains, the dough is ready for punch down. If the finger feels stronger resistance after pushing into the dough, and the indentation gets filled up immediately, it indicates an insufficient degree of fermentation; let fermentation continue.
Over and Under Fermentation
Fermentation stage is important in as much as the taste, volume, and keeping qualities of bread are affected when there is too much or not enough fermentation. Without proper fermentation good tasty bread cannot be made.
When doughs are fermented at a higher temperature they tend to become acidic and the crumb colour has a tendency to become grayish. Bread made from over fermented doughs stales quickly. The crumb has a tendency to crumble.
Over fermented doughs are inclined to become soft and sticky. They yield less bread of unappetizing appearance as quite a bit of dusting flour must be used during scaling and makeup. Over fermented doughs yield less breads and are hard to bake out
Under fermented doughs do not bake out properly and the crumb darki and very close. They also tend to crumble easily. Under fermented doughs have the tendency to flatten out. This can be noticed during the intermediate proof time.
Proofing
Proofing is really the stage where the production of gas in the dough is at the final stage giving volume to the bread. The ripening of the dough have been achieved during fermentation, the continued production of gas render this process complete. Average proof box temperature is normally 95- 98 F and humidity is 80-83%. The humidity is important to keep the crust moist and bread will not form a crust as quickly in the oven which will allow it to bloom or expand more.
Proper amount of moisture is also important proper gluten conditioning. Gluten is developed and partly conditioned by mechanical mean.
Under-proofing will produce bread of small volume. At time it will brust on side and in as much the volume is less it will be as a rule, unbreaked. There are time when oven temperature is low that the bread should go to the oven under proofed.
over proofing to a certain degree is justified if the bread is baked in hot oven. The more open grain will allow the heat to penetrate more easily and bread will break out quickly. Excessive over proofing of bread will cause shrinkage and at time the bred may collapse in the oven.
An unfermented, also known as "young dough' will not stand as much heat than a properly fermented dough and it should be proofed less than normal. Bread made from over fermented dough also known as old dough should be full proof and if possible baked in hot oven.