Resting or Intermediate Fermentation

After bulk fermentation, dividing, and preshaping, the dough is allowed to ferment again. This period has various names: bench rest, table rest, and secondary or intermediate fermentation. This stage allows the dough to relax and recover from the dividing and preshaping process in preparation for final shaping. It allows the gluten to relax, so the dough will become somewhat slack and easier to manipulate into its final shape, and it allows the yeast cells to recover, rebuilding carbon dioxide and therefore the internal structure of the dough. Normally, this stage lasts from 10 to 20 minutes. It is important to keep the loaves covered with plastic wrap or a moist linen cloth to prevent the formation of a skin or dry crust.