So I mixed up some bread dough this afternoon.... emergency happened and had to run my daughter to the doctor. I guess it wasn't very 'warm' where I placed the dough and when I got home it was flat. I moved it over next to the stove since I had dinner in there cooking, but it just occurred to me... it is probably no good now huh? Didn't know if it had another shot or I should start over again in the morning!? *edited for horrible spelling!*
The dough may still be good but was just too cool to rise. Try kneading it a little again, rub oil on the dough & cover with a damp linen towel or several layers of cheesecloth so it won't dry out. Put it back near the stove & see what happens. If it doesn't rise then turn it into breadsticks.
First a little bit background: Contrary to today's more common practice of -relatively- more more yeast, high temperature, short time fermentation (rising) of the dough, there's another path to follow: -relatively- less yeast, low temperature, long time. This second way is gives more refined results for most of the cases. I, generally, practice that technique and even do the fermentation in the refrigieator. It takes an overnight for the rising. If it can be done even in the refrigirator, there shouldn't be any problem to do it in a house, room even if its somewhat cold. I think that the place where the dough placed was not colder than a standard refrigirator. Let the dough be in a refrigerator, or be at room temperature or some degrees above, of course there's a limit to let it to ferment (rise) and beyond that limit the dough will be spoiled, but -again- to reach to that point first you should pass through a point where the dough is rised to the desired level. Depending to the temperature, this may take relatively long or short. So, in your situation I don't think that the dough was or would be spoiled. It might be that the temperature was lower than your usual practices and it was taking more for the dough to rise and you decided that there was a problem. If this is true, just letting the dough to ferment more at its pace, it would rise. Apart from this, there may be two conditions which can lead a non-fermenting situation: 1- By mistake, you didn't add the yeast 2- The yeast is not active (its dead). Even if it didn't rise well, you can feel the difference between a non-yeasted dough and one which rised a bit. What was your dough's situation? Its possible to check the yeast by some means and that will be usefull. (Testing it in a mug fill of tiny batch, lets say.) Yeast is a living organism and sometimes such things happen. Take it easy!
Quote:Everything he said In the fast paced world we live in, it is expected that everything happen in a hurry...bread baking has not gotten with the times yet!
I totally understand. The dough was made from a 'sponge' I made the night before and was very active when I started the dough. Unfortunatly, it never rose again. I did the garlic bread sticks and froze those for another night. I am going to start another sponge tonight for a batch of rolls tomorrow. I very much enjoy bread!!! Making and EATING it.
