That 24-hour cold ferment thing sounded like internet nonsense until my rye came out flat twice

Jordan Hill · 2026-10-17T13:40:04.582874+00:00

Ok so 6 weeks ago I'm reading some random blog saying you gotta let your dough sit in the fridge for a full day before baking, and I honestly thought it was one of those things people repeat without testing. My rye was coming out dense and gummy every time, like a brick you could build a porch with. So I tried it as a joke, mixed the dough at 8pm Tuesday, stuck it in the back of the fridge, and pulled it out 24 hours later for a Wednesday bake. The crumb opened up way more than I expected and the crust had this blistered thing going on that I never got before. Problem is I tried a second batch with only 12 hours and it went right back to flat, so the timing matters more than the blog let on. Now I'm scared to skip it and my fridge is full of bowls stacked 3 high. Anyone else find the sweet spot for cold ferment with high rye flour, or am I just guessing at temp ranges here?

Vivisector

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That 24-hour cold ferment thing sounded like internet nonsense until my rye came out flat twice | Bakers - Vivisector