Can we talk about chilling dough overnight vs same day

I used to always make my pie dough and bake it the same day, because I was impatient and wanted results fast. But last month I tried an apple pie where I let the dough rest in the fridge for about 18 hours, and the crust was noticeably flakier and easier to roll out. I think the gluten relaxes and the butter firms up better, which made a huge difference in the final bake. Has anyone else noticed a big change with an overnight rest vs same day?

3 comments

3 Comments

adam_patel5d ago

Boy oh boy, yeah I was the same way. Always thought resting dough overnight was some kind of fancy chef nonsense that wouldn't matter for a normal person's kitchen. Then I forgot I had dough in the fridge for like 24 hours and it was the best crust I ever made. The butter stayed cold and didn't melt into the flour, and rolling it out was actually relaxing instead of a wrestling match. Now I feel stupid for all those years of rushing it and ending up with tough, shrunken crusts. Lesson learned, I guess.

price.gavin5d ago

Wait, are you telling me that forgetting dough in the fridge is actually the secret? I used to rush my pie crust so much, I thought resting it overnight was just for show. But after reading your post, @adam_patel, I finally tried it and now I get why everyone talks about it.

jake9864d ago

Man, that's such a good point and it applies to so much more than just pie crust. It's like the whole world is in a hurry and we forget that time actually does the work for you if you let it. Same thing with letting chili sit in the fridge overnight or letting a steak rest after cooking. Everything tastes better and works better when you stop micromanaging it and just let things be. It's almost like the secret to a lot of good cooking is just stepping away and doing nothing for a while.