How to judge whether the dough is fermented well?

We all know that when many people make bread, cakes, buns and other delicious desserts, they usually ferment the dough first. The fermentation of the dough is very important, and there are many things to pay attention to and precautions, especially the fermentation time of the dough. So how do you judge whether the dough is fermented? Let's take a closer look!

How to tell if the dough is done rising?

1. First look at the volume of the dough

Here we need to pay attention to the size of the dough before it rises. Then, after opening the lid of the dough, we can compare whether the dough is more than twice as big as before. Generally speaking, it is normal to have at least 2-3 times the size. If it does not rise to this size, then we need to think about whether there is a problem in some part of the dough rising process. Normally, looking at the volume of the dough is a very simple and direct way for us to observe. It is also a practical method that most people can use to judge whether the dough has risen well.

2. Look at the bubble holes

If the dough is well fermented, we can see that the air bubbles are in the shape of countless small air bubbles. This does not mean that there are only a few holes, but there are holes of various sizes and shapes on it, and basically there are holes in every part of the dough. I broke the fermented dough and took a look at it before. It was full of air bubbles. It can be seen that it is not just the air bubbles that stay on the surface, but it is more suitable for fermenting the dough if it is full of air bubbles. The effect of fermenting the dough with such air bubbles is also more ideal. Then after we took out the fermented dough, some of the dough stuck to the bottom, and it was a little difficult for us to pick it up. And I can tell you that there are also small air bubble holes at the bottom, and the small holes in the dough are the effect of countless small bubbles the moment you pick it up.

So this is also the second method to judge whether the dough is leavened successfully. This method is not as intuitive as the previous method, but it is indeed a reliable method to judge the effect of dough leavening.

3. Look at the rebound degree after the dough rests

I believe everyone has encountered this problem. After the dough is fermented, we need to knead it before we can make it into pasta. In this way, the air bubbles in the dough will definitely be compressed during the pressing process, so the volume of the dough will be much smaller than before. Generally, after making pasta, it needs to be rested for 20 minutes. The method is to cover it with a layer of plastic wrap so that the prepared pasta is sealed in the plastic wrap and not exposed to air. In this way, the air bubbles in the dough will be restored by the yeast component and will also be restored to almost the original size. This is also a way to judge whether the dough is fermented well.

What does the dough look like after it has risen?

Observe the volume of dough

This is the most intuitive way to judge. The volume of a well-fermented dough should be about twice the volume of a soft and firm dough. This method may be more suitable for experienced people, but it is not easy for novices to grasp it. Keep reading.

Use your finger to verify

How to use your fingers to verify whether the dough has risen is a very practical and effective method. If the dough has become larger in volume but you are not sure whether it has risen, poke a hole in the middle of the dough with your finger. If the dough at the hole does not shrink when left alone, it means that the dough has risen. Otherwise, it needs to continue to ferment.

Open the dough and observe

If you observe that the volume of the dough has obviously increased, you can open the dough to see if the inside of the dough is full of honeycomb-like pores. If the inside of the dough is full of abundant and even pores, it also means that the dough has been well fermented.

How to tell if the dough is over-fermented

Over-fermented dough has a strong sour smell, the dough will collapse as soon as the plastic wrap or pot lid is opened, and there will be very large pores inside the dough. These points all indicate that the dough is over-fermented.

Using under- or over-fermented dough to steam steamed buns and dumplings may cause them to collapse or become hard lumps, or the finished product may not be soft enough.

The surface of the dough is smooth and has a slight yeasty aroma. If you press the dough gently with your hands, a small dent will appear, and the dent will quickly return to its original shape, which means the dough has risen properly. If the dough smells sour, it means it has risen too much and is bad.