When I began baking sourdough, the most challenging part was Investigating Bulk Fermentation because every dough seemed different. I noticed how a preferment like a starter or levain completely changed the way my bread dough behaved. Sometimes the dough needed to be divided and preshaped earlier, while other times the first rise demanded more patience. Through hundreds of experiments and careful tests over four years, I realized that fermentation is not just about waiting—it’s about learning to read the dough. Watching yeast activity, the balance of bacteria, the slow work of enzymes breaking down starches and proteins, and the way gluten gives strength and elasticity, all became signs I used to decide my next step.
What is Bulk Fermentation? THE ANSWER
As a baker, I often investigate the process using small tools like the poke or finger test to check readiness, or I measure the volume for a 50–100% increase. I also learned how lactic acid bacteria shape acidity, complexity, and flavor, creating a unique taste. Paying attention to time, temperature, and dough strength helped me avoid the mistakes of Identifying Under Proofed Sourdough Bread (with examples) or figuring out What Does OverProofed Sourdough Bread Look Like?.
I even relied on the Sourdough Baker’s Percentage & Hydration Level Calculator to fine-tune water and flour, while sometimes asking myself How Long to Proof Sourdough in the Fridge (+ Tips). Over the years, my approach grew more comprehensive, from doing a few stretch and folds to carefully managing gas production and dough structure. And though it sounds unrelated, learning about traditional recipes like Spotted Dick, The Classic British Steamed Pudding taught me how fermentation and steaming are both timeless techniques in the world of bread-making.
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What is Bulk Fermentation?
When I first studied bulk fermentation, I realized it is more than just the first rise of dough—it is a period where mixing leads to a large mass that slowly ferments, producing carbon dioxide, compounds, and even organic acids that bring flavors, light, and airy qualities to a loaf of bread. In my cookbook, I describe the eight steps of sourdough bread, where creating a levain from a sourdough starter guides the bread-making process;
here, the fourth step is crucial before dividing or preshaping. I often use stretching and folding to keep the dough strengthened, avoiding underdeveloped flavors or a tight crumb structure, while ensuring improved texture and better storage qualities.
Along the way, I’ve also seen how The Truth About Probiotics In Sourdough Bread, using a Sourdough Baker’s Percentage & Hydration Level Calculator, and carefully observing Identifying Underproofed Sourdough Bread (with examples) or recognizing What Does OverProofed Sourdough Bread Look Like?, all connect back to this stage. And yes, even when experimenting with traditional treats like Spotted Dick, The Classic British Steamed Pudding, the lessons from fermentation still influence how I bake.
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Why is the Bulk Fermentation Period important?
From my own baking experience, I’ve learned that the bulk ferment stage is where the dough truly develops its character, and missing the balance can be quite tricky. If you under-ferment, you may end up with a final crumb that feels gummy, sometimes confused with an underbaked loaf, while an over-ferment can weaken the gluten structure, leaving the loaf collapsing like a puddle of goo destined for the bin. At the same time, too much over spring can create big, random holes or uneven channels, just as an underproof dough can result in unwanted random openings despite looking fine on the outside after the oven spring.
That’s why I rely on tools like the Sourdough Baker’s Percentage & Hydration Level Calculator, and I often reflect on The Truth About Probiotics In Sourdough Bread when improving texture and flavor. For me, being on the so-called safe side means watching closely, learning from Identifying Underproofed Sourdough Bread (with examples), adjusting when I notice signs of What Does OverProofed Sourdough Bread Look Like?, and even applying lessons from traditional bakes like Spotted Dick, The Classic British Steamed Pudding, which remind me that fermentation is both science and craft.
Why Compare the Different increases in Fermentation?
When I began my journey of testing sourdough, I started to track the fermentation times inside a controlled fermentation chamber to see what truly makes a fully fermented dough. Some recipes told me the dough should expand only about 30%, while others insisted on a full 100% increase, and that difference pushed me to experiment. By baking one loaf that ferments to 50% of its original volume and another that doubles to 100%, I noticed how the process shapes texture and flavor, and how being too under proofed keeps me stuck in a so-called comfort zone.
This hands-on experiment also taught me to observe the dough with my senses, making me less reliant on instructions and more confident in reading the natural signs of fermentation. Alongside this, I kept revisiting guides like The Truth About Probiotics In Sourdough Bread, using a Sourdough Baker’s Percentage & Hydration Level Calculator, checking tips on How Long to Proof Sourdough in the Fridge (+ Tips), learning from mistakes with Identifying Underproofed Sourdough Bread (with examples) and seeing What Does OverProofed Sourdough Bread Look Like?—even balancing my reading breaks with quirky traditions like Spotted Dick, The Classic British Steamed Pudding.
The Test & the Recipe
- Began with my sourdough recipe using high protein flour, 70% hydration, and 1500 grams of dough.
- Allowed the dough to rest for 15 minutes inside the fermentation chamber set to 25 degrees Celcius / 77 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Double-checked ratios with the Sourdough Baker’s Percentage & Hydration Level Calculator, part of my baking tool kit.
- Gave the mix a knead until it felt smooth and the starter was well dispersed.
- Took out a control piece of 100 grams, pressed it into a jam jar, and drew a marked level on the outside to track increase at 50% and 100% volume compared to the main dough.
- Tested the dough with a lamination on the bench, followed by a stretch and fold, then returned it to the chamber.
- Divided the dough into two pieces, gave each a gentle stretch, did the shaping into neat dough balls, placed them in bowls, and covered.
- The control dough began to rise steadily; after four hours the characteristics showed it was inflated, stable, no sign of collapse, light gas inside, not raw, the fermentation smelt new, slightly sweet and a little sour.
- For the test, I shaped the dough, gave it a bath of rice flour, placed it in a banneton, wrapped it in a plastic bag, and stored it in the fridge for the next day.
- The control piece reached the 100% mark after another two hours (six in total) and felt amazing, expanded, appreciably strong.
- Worked with extra careful hands not to de-gas, set the dough into a basket, added a light dusting, covered with a bag, and kept for an overnight cold proof.
- Throughout, I reflected on The Truth About Probiotics In Sourdough Bread, checked against Identifying Underproofed Sourdough Bread (with examples), timed as in How Long to Proof Sourdough in the Fridge (+ Tips), compared to What Does OverProofed Sourdough Bread Look Like?, and even thought of traditional treats like Spotted Dick, The Classic British Steamed Pudding.
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What Temperature is Best For Bulk Fermentation?
When I think about bread making, there is no universal rule for the best temperature during bulk fermentation, because every dough is a little particular and depends on the method you’re working with and the schedule you follow.
I typically try to keep my dough around 74 to 76°F (23 to 24°C) since this range gives effective results and helps balance the duration of the process. In my experience, times usually fall between 2 and 5 hours, but determining the right end point still requires practice and observation.
What Did I Learn?
While experimenting with sourdough, I realized how intrinsically every aspect is linked, and things rarely feel simple as they first appear. When baking in a moderate climate, my planning often involved retarding the dough overnight in the fridge, and I would sometimes opt to push the bulk fermentation until the dough expands close to 100%.
A short proofing in the room at temperature for an hour or two in the basket also made a big difference. The main increase in volume usually happens toward the end of the period, and I still remember it once took four hours to expand just fifty per cent, but only another one hundred minutes to double.
In a hot climate, there’s always the chance of an overproof if the dough is placed directly after shaping, and in that scenario I felt inclined to reduce fermentation. Using flour with 13,2% protein gave me a strong structure, but a softer mix with less strength when tested near its maximum showed me how much I had only just begun to understand this process. These trials pushed me forward, and such experiments continue to help me stay tuned, share through my blog, and invite support for ongoing content creation on my website that I keep ad-free, with a simple click for contribution.
FAQs
How do you Test for Bulk Fermentation?
In bread baking, particularly sourdough, I know bulk fermentation is at the right stage when the dough rises, develops flavor, looks airy, jiggly, and domed, with bubbles on the surface and sides. It should release easily from the bowl and feel slightly tacky, not sticky, giving the perfect texture to show it’s complete.
What is the process of Bulk Fermentation?
In bread making, bulk fermentation is the first rise or primary stage where the dough develops flavor, strength, and volume. It occurs after mixing and before dividing or preshaping, as yeast and bacteria produce carbon dioxide that makes the dough expand, while organic acids contribute to its conditioning.
What to Look for in Bulk Fermentation?
During bulk fermentation, key signs include increased volume that may be doubled, a domed, jiggly appearance with visible bubbles, and a smooth, tacky surface. The dough should be pulling away easily from the sides of the container when tilted, feel airy and bouncy, not stiff or overly slack, and a dry finger pressed should not stick.
What Temperature is Needed forBbulk Fermentation?
In bread baking, especially sourdough, the bulk fermentation is significantly impacted by temperature. The ideal range is generally between 72-78°F (22-26°C), and this specific window gives the desired rise percentage. As Sourdough Geeks note, the right warmth can influence the flavor, texture, and overall outcome of the dough.
