URGENTwhat stage of hand bread making can you delay?

[preggerspoppet]

I need to make a fancy crown for tonight but have a billion other things to do as well, if I start making it now which stage can I delay without ruining it do you think?

Either the first or second rising - just put the dough in the fridge and it will take much longer to rise.

wonderful news! will it then take longer than the stated time to rise as it has been in the fridge?

(love making bread but so very hit and miss with it)

thanks anorak

The yeast likes a warm temperature to divide (which is what causes the bubbles of gas in the bread that make it rise). So if you put it in the fridge they kind of go to sleep - they still divide but much slower. When you're ready to go on, take it out of the fridge and put it in a warm place as usual and once the dough warms up it will rise as usual.