Beyond Sourdough: Scheduling Croissants, Pizza Dough, and Other Long Ferments

The Universal Principle

Backward scheduling is not just for sourdough. Any baked good with a long fermentation benefits from working backward from your target time.

Same principle every time:

1. When do you want it done?
2. How long does each step take?
3. Work backward to find your start time

Recipe details change. The approach does not.

Pizza Dough (48-72 Hours)

The best Neapolitan-style pizza dough needs 2-3 days of cold fermentation. Here is how to time it for Friday pizza night:

Wednesday evening:

• 7:00pm - Mix dough (flour, water, yeast, salt)
• 7:30pm - Knead or fold until smooth
• 8:00pm - Into fridge as one mass

Friday evening:

• 4:00pm - Remove from fridge
• 4:30pm - Divide and ball
• 5:00pm - 7:00pm - Room temp rest (balls relax and warm up)
• 7:00pm - Stretch and bake

Why 48-72 hours? Long cold fermentation is what makes great pizza taste like great pizza. The dough becomes extensible (easy to stretch) and develops complex flavors you cannot get from same-day dough.

Flexibility window: Pizza dough is forgiving. Anywhere from 48-96 hours in the fridge works. Got plans Thursday? Leave it until Saturday.

Croissants (3 Days)

Croissants are a multi-day project with specific rest periods between lamination turns. Here is a schedule for Sunday morning croissants:

Thursday evening:

• 7:00pm - Mix dough (detrempe)
• 7:30pm - Refrigerate overnight

Friday afternoon:

• 4:00pm - Remove dough, prepare butter block
• 4:30pm - First turn (lock in butter, fold)
• 5:00pm - Refrigerate 1 hour
• 6:00pm - Second turn
• 6:30pm - Refrigerate overnight

Saturday afternoon:

• 3:00pm - Third turn
• 3:30pm - Refrigerate 1 hour
• 4:30pm - Roll out, cut, shape
• 5:00pm - Refrigerate overnight (or proof if making same day)

Sunday morning:

• 6:00am - Remove from fridge
• 6:00am - 9:00am - Proof at room temperature until puffy
• 9:00am - Egg wash and bake
• 9:30am - Fresh croissants

Key insight: Lamination windows are non-negotiable. Butter has to stay cold. But overnight rests? Flexible. You can start Thursday or Friday and adjust accordingly.

Brioche and Enriched Doughs

Enriched doughs (butter, eggs, sugar) ferment slower than lean doughs because fat inhibits yeast activity. Plan for longer timelines.

Saturday brunch brioche:

Thursday evening:

• 8:00pm - Mix dough with butter incorporation
• 9:00pm - Brief room temp rise (1 hour)
• 10:00pm - Refrigerate overnight

Friday evening:

• 6:00pm - Shape (brioche a tete, loaf, etc.)
• 7:00pm - Refrigerate overnight

Saturday morning:

• 7:00am - Remove from fridge
• 7:00am - 10:00am - Final proof at room temp
• 10:00am - Bake
• 10:45am - Brunch time

Why so slow? The butter in brioche keeps it cold longer and slows yeast activity. Cold brioche also handles better - it is much easier to shape when firm.

The Multi-Project Baker

What if you want fresh croissants AND pizza for a weekend gathering?

The trick: Start with the longest timeline first.

Both projects share refrigerator time. The croissants need morning attention, pizza needs evening. They do not conflict.

General Principles for Long Ferments

1. Cold is your friend - Refrigeration extends timelines predictably
2. Plan for flexibility - Most doughs have a 12-24 hour window
3. Active steps are short - 10-20 minutes, then back to waiting
4. Write it down - Complex projects need a calendar

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Doughflow helps you schedule any long-ferment recipe. Tell us when you want it done.

Schedule your next project - pizza, croissants, or sourdough.