Tips & Techniques

Can You Speed Up (or Slow Down) Yeast Rise Times?

April  1, 2016

I love yeast. Working with it, eating it, and (perhaps most of all) discussing its wonders with anyone who will listen. Yeast is a fabulous ingredient—I mean, it’s alive while you’re working with it. It’s constantly changing to produce different results until the heat of the oven finally, well, kills it —but at least it’s easier on the conscience than that whole knife through the lobster’s head thing.

Editor Sarah Jampel sent me this article from Smitten Kitchen, where Deb Perelman says she increases the amount of yeast in her favorite pizza dough recipe when she has less time to let it rise. When she has time for a long rise (the original recipe calls for 18 hours), she uses the amount of yeast originally dictated by the recipe: 1/8 teaspoon. When she has time for a 12-hour rise, she uses 1/4 teaspoon, and when she only has time for a 6-hour rise, she uses 1/2 teaspoon. “Can you do this with other doughs, too?” Sarah asked me. “And does this whole slow rise thing work with any kind of dough?

This had us asking 2 questions:

  1. Can you slow down the rise of any dough by putting it in time out in the refrigerator or decreasing the amount of yeast?
  2. And, on the flip side, can you speed up rise time by adding more yeast or letting the dough rise at a higher temperature?

The answers, I’m afraid, are not quite as easy to explain as the aforementioned (super yummy) pizza dough recipe.

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First, we’ve got to take a second to understand yeast. Yeast’s primary function in any recipe is fermentation: It feeds on the sugars in the recipe (not only to added sugars, but also the sugars that occur naturally in basic ingredients like flour) and converts them to carbon dioxide. This conversion happens with the help of the enzyme invertase, which assists in breaking starches down into sugar, and natural bacterias (whose effects are amplified in the case of sourdough and other preferments—they can break down the carbohydrates even more efficiently because they've got a head start).

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Top Comment:
“I've been making a simple yeast dough (for making pita bread) for a long time and been very happy with the result. Now, for a special occasion, I want to triple the amount. Usually, I let the dough stand covered for 30 minutes, then divide it to smaller portions, then cover it again and wait 10 more minutes, and then straight into the oven. The problem is that with triple the amount of pitas, I can't make them all in one batch. So my question is this - will the dough continue to rise (in all the pitas waiting for baking), and if so, is there anyway to stop it from happening? Any help will be greatly appreciated . ”
— Avner
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Fermentation has two main purposes within the recipe: 1) flavor and 2) structure. The yeast begins feeding the moment it is incorporated with the other ingredients, and the dough starts to rise as more and more carbon dioxide molecules form. This continues to happen until the dough reaches 140° F, at which point the yeast dies and its activity ceases. If the yeast runs out of consumable sugars before it hits the oven, both flavor and structure are seriously compromised (this is known as overproofing).

Proper fermentation takes time. How much time? That completely depends—different recipes require different amounts of fermentation to achieve the proper texture and flavor.

But the general rule is this: The longer and slower the fermentation time, the better the flavor and structure of the finished recipe.

Manipulating Recipes to Slow Down the Rise:

Let's address the first question of slowing down the rise time by putting dough in the refrigerator.

It's important to understand, first and foremost, that you can’t have a long fermentation time without controlling the temperature. Yeast feeds and produces carbon dioxide most rapidly at around 95° F; at that temperature, your dough will be proofed relatively quickly. Many bakers opt to retard, or slow down, fermentation by refrigerating the dough after mixing (and/or after shaping). This allows for a slower, controlled fermentation without a high risk of overproofing.

As a bonus: It’s easy! Mix the dough, and slowly let it rise in the fridge while you sleep, cook other stuff, and generally go on with your life. Personally, I’m a huge advocate for this and almost any yeast-risen recipe I share—especially for morning treats like doughnuts and cinnamon rolls—has details for long fermentation. While there are exceptions to the rule, most yeast-risen doughs can be made using this technique (and it can also be used to slow down doughs that are rising too quickly—say, on an especially hot summer day).

Just know this: Recipes will vary on the amount of time they’ll need to ferment, either at room temperature or under refrigeration. Some recipes will even suggest the dough be fermented at room temperature for some time before it is refrigerated (though this isn’t necessary if you allow a lengthy-enough fridge stint). The old visual cue of “double in size” is still a good guideline, when in doubt, but count on refrigerated fermentation time being anywhere from 12 to 24 hours.

Also, you’ll still have to bring the dough to room temperature, and then some, to properly finish it. I will often still shape the dough while it’s cold, right after its rise in the refrigerator, and then let it do its final proofing at room temperature.

But what about slowing rise time by adding less yeast to begin with? In general, I wouldn't recommend reducing yeast in a recipe unless you're okay with some uncertainty. Test it out yourself first—give it a whirl when you're not banking on the recipe to serve for dinner or at a party—and make sure you have at least 2 grams per pound of flour.

Less yeast and a longer rise time make for better flavored bread (as per the rule mentioned previously), but reducing yeast levels could lead to a dramatically longer rise time.

So, if you want to slow down rise without much testing, controlling temperature—allow for a slow rise in the refrigerator or add cold liquid to the dough instead of the usually recommended warm liquid—is the more surefire method.

If you are altering rise time, a good test to make sure your dough is properly proofed is to poke it gently with your finger: If the impression immediately disappears, the dough is not yet proofed. If the impression stays without moving, the dough is overproofed. If the impression stays for a moment, then begins to slowly spring back, it is properly proofed and ready for baking!

Manipulating Recipes to Speed Up the Rise:

Now, for the second part of the question: Can more yeast be added to speed up the process of fermentation?

The short answer is yes: Yeast can successfully be added up to 20 grams per 1 pound of flour, according to Harold McGee in On Food and Cooking. (Think of 2 grams per pound as the lower limit and 20 grams per pound as the upper one.)

You can also speed up fermentation with temperature, by allowing your dough or batter to rise in a warmer environment (near the pre-heating oven, for example); the closer the temperature is to 95° F, the more efficiently the yeast is feeding and producing carbon dioxide.

If you’re feeling like tweaking your recipe, you could even speed up fermentation by adding additional ingredients—diastatic malt (sold in powder or syrup) has a boost of enzymes, plus it contains natural sugars of its own that aid in fermentation and can help with flavor and color (many bread bakers swear by this addition!). A small amount of sugar can also enhance fermentation, though this is harder to do without a little testing.

The effects of any and all of these changes, however, will be the same: less flavor and significant structural changes. By “less flavor,” I mean noticeably less yeasty taste and aromas—a bummer, but not a huge deal when you’re talking about your weeknight pizza dough. “Less structure” on the other hand, can be a much more significant change: Your dough may not rise as high, and may therefore have a denser crumb structure; it also may not be as elastic, making it harder to shape and work with.

Something to consider when you plan your weekly menus: Making your dough ahead of time can mean better flavor and texture, plus it can be easier for you, to boot.

How do you make your yeasted baked goods fit your busy schedule? Tell us your tips in the comments below!

See what other Food52 readers are saying.

  • Reille Vander
    Reille Vander
  • Sarvat
    Sarvat
  • Erin
    Erin
  • Avner
    Avner
  • mrslarkin
    mrslarkin
I always have three kinds of hot sauce in my purse. I have a soft spot for making people their favorite dessert, especially if it's wrapped in a pastry crust. My newest cookbook, Savory Baking, came out in Fall of 2022 - is full of recipes to translate a love of baking into recipes for breakfast, dinner, and everything in between!

15 Comments

Reille V. December 25, 2020
This is ridiculously - entirely too long of an article for a simple question. When saved to an offline reader - it says approx 8 minute read. Ridiculous. On top of all the ads. Shameful.
 
Sarvat May 30, 2020
Hello
I was making naan Indian bread . One time I leave bread for 8 hours and it comes beautifully and second time I leave bread for 14 hours this time it’s difficult to stretch dough and also doesn’t come nicely . Can you explain what is the reason?
 
Erin December 11, 2019
This is an older article but i’m hoping comments are still checked! My daughter and I have been making cinnamon buns on Christmas morning for over a decade. I make the dough last thing on Christmas Eve and set it to rise. In the middle of the night, one of us (lately her as i’m too old for this crap!) gets up at like 4 in the morning to punch it down, then when it’s properly morning, we roll out the dough, make the rolls & let them rise again. It has always been a pain but she insists so we do it.
Then recently I discovered the overnight rise when baking pumpkin rolls. Literally did everything the day before, the rolls rose overnight and I baked the next morn. Mind blown!
Can I simply do the same with my Christmas rolls? The recipe is a copycat CinnaBon recipe using dry active yeast whereas the pumpkin ones used instant yeast.
I’m thinking i’m just going to go ahead and let the buns rise in the fridge overnight but if I can avoid failure, I’d prefer to do so. Thanks in advance!!
 
Erin December 11, 2019
I should specify, we’ve been letting the Cinnabon dough rise overnight on the counter whereas the shaped pumpkin rolls rose in the fridge overnight.
 
Hilary_Pi November 24, 2020
Hi Erin! How did your cinnamon rolls go last year? Did you try proofing overnight in the fridge?
The recipe below does an overnight fridge rise (and was thekitchns fave) and might be worth trying or using your own recipe and doing the second rise in the fridge could also work based on what the article is suggesting! Definitely worth trying!

http://www.thevanillabeanblog.com/2019/12/cinnamon-rolls.html
 
Avner August 10, 2017
Hi,
I reached this great article after a long search for an answer for a question regarding yeasts, and it was very interesting, but my question remains open.... I've been making a simple yeast dough (for making pita bread) for a long time and been very happy with the result. Now, for a special occasion, I want to triple the amount. Usually, I let the dough stand covered for 30 minutes, then divide it to smaller portions, then cover it again and wait 10 more minutes, and then straight into the oven. The problem is that with triple the amount of pitas, I can't make them all in one batch. So my question is this - will the dough continue to rise (in all the pitas waiting for baking), and if so, is there anyway to stop it from happening? Any help will be greatly appreciated
.
 
Erin J. August 10, 2017
Hi Avnet
 
Erin J. August 10, 2017
Hi Avner! Yes, once you have divided your (risen) dough into the size you need for your pitas, transfer any amount you can't bake right away to a parchment lined baking sheet and store in the refrigerator, covered in greased plastic wrap, until you are finished with your first batch. Then the dough out of the fridge, let it come to room temp, then shape it and keep moving forward! Hope this answers your question!
 
Avner August 11, 2017
I'll give it a try, thanks!
 
mrslarkin April 4, 2016
I like the fast approach. I heat a mug of water in the microwave, then set my covered dough bowl in there with the door shut., with the steaming mug tucked in the back corner. I'm convinced this moist heat actually does something. Does it? I get a beautiful rise each time, so I guess the answer is yes. I think the slow, cold technique does produce a tiny bit better flavor, but if you haven't got room in the fridge for a big bowl, then the quickie way is just as good. I mean, it's homemade bread!
 
barries November 6, 2019
Interesting, I found putting the dough in a dishwasher after The washer has run (empty) produces great results when you want to manipulate time and temperature. Especially on cold days when the yeast doesn’t want to be quite active.
 
zwieback April 3, 2016
You show instant, active dry and fresh yeast in the picture but don't mention it in the article, might be enlightening to add a paragraph on the differences.
 
Sarah J. April 3, 2016
Click on the photo and it will take you to an article all about that! Yippee!
 
barries November 6, 2019
They are all the same but each has more living bacteria than the other which affects the potency. Instant yeast has 25% more living cells than an equal amount of active dry yeast and a whopping 300% more living cells than an equal amount of fresh compressed yeast. They can be substituted using the following bakers formula:

100 % fresh yeast = ~40 to 50% active dry yeast = 33% instant yeast
 
Maya S. April 2, 2016
Great article! I've always tinkered around with this but it's great to see an affirmation for adjusting rise temp/yeast amounts.