Pizza NightCold fermentation for pizza dough
A day in the fridge is the easiest upgrade a home pizza can get.
Cold fermentation means letting pizza dough rise slowly in the fridge, usually for 24 to 48 hours. The slow rise builds flavour, makes the dough easier to stretch and gives a lighter crust that browns better. Take the balls out about 2 hours before baking.
Why the fridge makes better pizza
- Flavour. While the yeast works slowly, enzymes break starch into sugars and the dough develops a deeper, slightly tangy taste.
- Stretch. The gluten relaxes over time, so the dough opens without tearing or springing back.
- Colour. Those extra sugars help the crust brown, which matters in a home oven that isn't as hot as a pizza oven.
- Timing. Most of the work happens while you're busy or asleep. You mix on Friday evening and bake on Saturday.
24 or 48 hours?
| 24 hours | 48 hours | |
|---|---|---|
| Taste | Clearly better than same-day | Deeper, a little more tang |
| Handling | Easy to stretch | Very relaxed; can get slack if over-proofed |
| Yeast (fresh, 22 °C kitchen) | 3.7 g per kilo of flour | 2.3 g per kilo of flour |
| Best for | A first cold ferment | When you know your fridge and your flour |
Both work with ordinary pizza flour. For 48 hours a stronger flour (Italian 00 for long rises, or bread flour) holds up better.
A 24 hour schedule for a 19:00 dinner
- Friday 17:42 · mix the dough (15 minutes).
- 17:57 · first rise at room temperature, 1 hour.
- 18:57 · divide and shape into balls, into a covered box.
- 19:07 · into the fridge for about 20 hours.
- Saturday 15:07 · out of the fridge to come back to room temperature, 3 hours.
- 17:37 · heat the oven.
- 18:07 · stretch, top and bake. Dinner at 19:00.
That's the plan the Pizza Night app makes for four Neapolitan pizzas on a Saturday. Choose another time and it moves every step for you, and it never puts a step between 23:00 and 07:00.
Common problems
The balls spread flat in the fridge
Too much yeast or too warm a fridge. Use less yeast, check the fridge is around 4 °C, and shape the balls tighter.
The dough barely grew
Normal in the fridge: most of the rise happens in the last hours at room temperature. If it is still tight after 3 hours out, give it another 30 to 60 minutes somewhere warm.
It tastes of alcohol or smells sour
It went too far, usually from too much yeast for a 48 hour rest. Cut the yeast next time, or use 24 hours.
More numbers in how much yeast for pizza dough.