Trish On Deck
What does “punch it down” actually look like for cinnamon rolls and breads?
—LINDSAY MAYFIELD, ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI
“Punching down” a dough accomplishes a few things. It releases some gas bubbles produced by yeast during the dough’s first rise. This deflation prevents gluten strands from overstretching (and subsequently collapsing) and can help give the bread a finer grain. To boot, sugars and moisture get redistributed along with yeast cells, providing fuel for the
