What to do with over-fermented dough
Over-fermentation of dough is a common problem during baking. Whether you are a novice or an experienced baker, this situation can happen to you. Over-fermented dough will not only affect the taste and appearance of the finished product, but may also lead to baking failure. This article will detail how to deal with overfermented dough and provide some practical solutions.
1. Characteristics of over-fermented dough

Overfermented dough typically exhibits the following characteristics:
| Features | Description |
|---|---|
| Too big | The dough expanded too much and the volume was significantly larger than expected. |
| surface collapse | Dimples or collapse appear on the surface of the dough |
| Abnormal smell | Smells overly fermented, sour or alcoholic |
| Loose texture | Dough structure is loose and lacks elasticity |
2. Causes of excessive fermentation
Overfermentation of dough is usually caused by:
| Reason | solution |
|---|---|
| Fermentation time is too long | Strictly control the fermentation time and adjust it according to the ambient temperature |
| Too much yeast | Accurately weigh yeast according to recipe |
| Ambient temperature is too high | Place the dough in an environment with a suitable temperature |
| Dough moisture content is too high | Adjust dough moisture content to avoid over-wetness |
3. How to deal with over-fermented dough
If the dough has over-fermented, you can try the following methods to remedy the situation:
| method | steps |
|---|---|
| Knead the dough again | Take the dough out and knead it again to release excess air |
| Add new flour | Add a small amount of new flour and knead again into a ball |
| Shorten secondary fermentation time | Shorten the time during secondary fermentation to avoid over-fermentation again |
| Make other pasta | Use the dough to make pizza, pancakes and other pasta that does not require high fermentation |
4. Tips to prevent over-fermentation of dough
To avoid overfermenting your dough, you can take the following precautions:
| Skills | Description |
|---|---|
| Use timer | Set a timer reminder to avoid forgetting the fermentation time |
| Control ambient temperature | Keep the dough in a stable temperature environment to avoid overheating |
| Refrigerated fermentation | Place the dough in the refrigerator to ferment to slow down the fermentation rate |
| Observe the state of the dough | Check the dough regularly to ensure proper fermentation |
5. Other uses of over-fermented dough
If the dough is beyond salvage, consider using it for other purposes as well:
| Purpose | Description |
|---|---|
| Making old noodles | Use over-fermented dough as old dough for next fermentation |
| Make bread crumbs | Bake the dough and grate it to make bread crumbs |
| making feed | Feed the dough to poultry or pets |
6. Summary
Although over-fermenting dough is a common problem, it can be avoided or remedied with reasonable handling and preventive measures. The key is to grasp the fermentation status of the dough and adjust the fermentation time and environmental conditions in a timely manner. Hopefully the methods and tips provided in this article will help you better deal with the problem of overfermentation during baking.
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