Hot fermenting vs cold fermenting pizza dough - which is actually better?

I've been making pizza dough for about 6 months now and always did the hot ferment on the counter for 4-6 hours, but my buddy swears by cold fermenting in the fridge for 72 hours. I tried his cold fermented dough last weekend and the crust had way more flavor and a better chew than anything I've gotten from my quick method. Is cold fermenting really worth the wait or am I missing something with my hot method?

2 comments

2 Comments

ross.william22d ago

Wait, you've been making dough for 6 months and never tried cold ferment?

grayt4622d ago

Start by roasting @ross.william a little because he's got a point but don't be a jerk about it. Cold fermenting for 48 to 72 hours is where the magic happens, it lets the yeast work slow and builds that deep flavor and chew you noticed. Your hot method is fine for same day cravings but you're missing a lot of the nutty, fermented taste that comes from time in the fridge. Try splitting your batch next time, half cold ferment for two days and half hot, then you can really taste the difference for yourself.