Proving Bread overnight

[CarrotPuff]

I'm a decent baker but never made bread before. I want to bake it in the morning, so would like to leave it to prove overnight. Is this OK? If it is, which stage should I do overnight - the initial rising stage to double in size or the second one after the loaf is shaped?

Depends on the type of bread. You can do either, but if you do it before shaping you‘ll have to give it another rise in the morning after shaping.

Are you using yeast or sourdough? If it‘s yeast you need to stick it in the fridge for such a long rise or it’ll rise too much.

You can do the first rise overnight in the fridge without problems.

Yes we do this. Had a load baked by 9.30am this morning.
Made up dough last night. Oiled a bowl , put dough in bowl. Lightly oil cling film , loosely cover bowl - put in fridge.
Next morning , knock back dough, put in tin or shape. Do 2nd rise in warm place until double in size . Cook in normal way. Enjoy.

I do first rise overnight in kitchen (unheated part of house so plenty chilly enough). Try Hen shape, second rise in top oven while bottom one is on low, fresh bread first thing.

I blame my lockdown weight gain entirely on the simplicity of this

Try Hen??? What the actual autocorrect? Then

I make (almost) no knead bread - takes 24 hours but less than 5 minutes of that is hands-on time. It makes gorgeous, really crusty bread.

Morning 1 - mix flour, v. small amount of yeast, salt and water until just combined. Cover and leave to rise for up to 18 hours.
Evening - knead for about 10 seconds, shape and put in proving basket. Rise overnight in fridge.
Morning 2 - tip bread out of proving basket and straight in the oven. Done.

I have a baguette recipe that says to prove the shaped loaves overnight in the fridge.

but as pp say, proving over night in fridge and then shaping &baking in the morning should work well.

There are lots of recipes on the Internet for no knead bread that will adapt to overnight proving. When I make sourdough it always has a final long proof covered up in the fridge or on our balcony in winter. It develops the sourdough flavour.

I mostly use instant yeast otherwise which I am not sure about overnight proving, but I actually freeze pizza dough in an oiled (use spray) plastic baggy and it turns out great. I take it out of the freezer for an hour or so then proof it in my oven before shaping.

Currently trying my hand at hot cross bins. We'll see as I messed up and added far too much liquid so I had to add a bunch more flour.

Good luck. Bread baking is rewarding.

Ooh, that's a good tip about fridge, thanks!

I do sourdough but you can do yeasted overnight. Just use less yeast.

I mix, stretch & fold through the evening, shape, put in the fridge, then bake the next morning.

Well the dough didn't rise in the fridge at all. Was I supposed to let it first rise before putting it into the fridge?

No, it doesn't rise much in the fridge usually. Was this the first rise? Shape it and as it comes up to room temperature it will get going. The second prove will probably take a bit longer because you're starting from cold.

Ok, I was under impression it still would. I've put it in airing cupboard and I think it's rising now.

You can also leave enriched doughs to rise overnight in a fridge. I used to mix up my version of Chelsea buns in the evening, shape them into the baking tray , leave them overnight then bake them off first thing. By the time you have showered and dressed they are baked.

Ok, so here it is. Lots of bubbles inside, and it tastes quite nice but it's kind of a bit spongy, and quite small! It did rise in the tin, but when I was doing finger prod test the dough kept sticking to my finger. I wonder if it overproved a bit?

Also, are bread tins different to cake tins? I used a loaf cake tin, maybe that's why it's so small??

Don't seem to be able to attach a picture, but it looks more like a banana bread than Loaf.