Fast cooling retarded fermentation is a special form of retarded fermentation which was designed for baking (cooled and fermented) dough pieces at the point of sale. The process is of great importance as a result of the advantages in regard to quality and logistics during the production of baked goods. It is precisely in the growing branch bakery business that this dough method has become firmly established.
This was benefitted by the changed flour qualities (lower enzyme activity), increased energy prices, improvers adjusted to the dough method and new cold dough technology. As a result of the different cold curves and altered procedures, the dough pieces can be baked “all around the clock” in the branch bakeries. This generates a constantly pleasant atmosphere of freshly baked rolls and creates a special scent marketing.
According to requirements, fermented or partially fermented dough pieces are supplied to the branch bakeries in a cooled state, which, depending on the situation, can be stored or baked not long after. Mainly convection shop ovens or smaller deck ovens are available in the branch bakeries for baking. The provision and storage of cooled dough pieces normally poses organisational and logistic challenges to both the central place of production and the employees in the branch bakery.
This is made simpler by the easy-to-handle, stackable fermentation boards and the high fermentation tolerance of the dough pieces. The stackable fermentation boards are double-walled and made of plastic with small air vents at the side, so that a controlled exchange of air can take place. At the same time, the dough pieces in the stack of boards are protected against drying out and rapid increases in temperature.