Bulk rise for one dough ball for one pie?

[mkevenson]

Probably a silly question, BUT, is there an advantage when making dough for one pie, after kneading, to bulk rise as opposed to immediately ball and ferment? Does it depend on the ferment time?
 
Mark

[Pete-zza]

Mark,

I'm not sure I fully understand your question but does this thread address your question?:

http://www.pizzamaking.com/forum/index.php/topic,24284.0.html

Peter

[mkevenson]

Mark,

I'm not sure I fully understand your question but does this thread address your question?:

http://www.pizzamaking.com/forum/index.php/topic,24284.0.html

Peter

Peter, not really. As I understand bulk ferment followed by weigh and ball ferment, the process is to mix the ingredients, knead the ingredients, then let the bulk of the dough ferment for x time. After this cut the dough into the desired single ball weight, ball the dough and ferment the balls again.

I am asking, if you are only making dough for one pie, is there still an advantage to fermenting for x time after kneading, but before balling, and later balling the dough and fermenting for x time? Omid describes this process in his thread many times. Of course he makes enough dough for many balls.

Mark

[Pete-zza]

Mark,

Thank you for the clarification. What threw me off is that normally one does not "bulk" ferment only a single dough ball. The common approach is to make a bulk dough for several pizzas and do the division into individual dough balls at a later point in time. And this approach is most typically used for an ambient temperature fermentation, such as at room temperature or a controlled temperature that is optimum for dough fermentation. A good example would be a Neapolitan style pizza dough. Once you make a true bulk dough, factors like the "mass effect" come into play. While that effect does not apply to a single dough ball that is not divided further, and especially for the weight of a typical dough ball that you would be using, that effect is discussed at Reply 490 at http://www.pizzamaking.com/forum/index.php/topic,576.msg30150/topicseen.html#msg30150.

I think a more specific response to your question can be found at Reply 7 at http://www.pizzamaking.com/forum/index.php/topic,7022.msg60428.html#msg60428. In your case, with only a single dough ball, I don't think you will see a material effect on your end results, at least from a biochemical standpoint. However, depending on how you handle the dough ball, you might end up with some strengthening of the gluten structure in the re-balling or re-forming stage.

Peter

[mkevenson]

Mark,

Thank you for the clarification. What threw me off is that normally one does not "bulk" ferment only a single dough ball. The common approach is to make a bulk dough for several pizzas and do the division into individual dough balls at a later point in time. And this approach is most typically used for an ambient temperature fermentation, such as at room temperature or a controlled temperature that is optimum for dough fermentation.

Peter

Thank you, Peter. I estimate that I make one dough ball only, 95% of the time.
I am beginning to learn that certain doughs are meant for room temp/controlled temp shorter fermentation ,24hrs, and others suited for longer retarded fermentation under refrigeration, 48Hrs +.

Mark