Used to skip resting my dough, now I wait the full hour
I used to be the kind of baker who would mix up bread dough, let it sit maybe 10 minutes, and then shape it and throw it straight in the oven. The crumb was always dense and the crust was tough as leather. About 6 months ago I tried a recipe that insisted on a full 60 minute bench rest after mixing, no shortcuts. I sat there watching the clock, but when I finally baked it the texture was completely different - airy, soft, actually looked like bread from a bakery. Now I set a timer on my phone and refuse to rush that step. Has anyone else noticed a big difference when you actually let dough relax? I'm curious if longer rests change flavor too.