The typical shelf life of a well managed dough is 2-days great, 3-days OK, and 4-days in a pinch. So, how do we get a dough to last for up to 6-days? Simple, just target a lower finished dough temperture. For a 6-day shelf life dough shoot for a finished dough temperature in the 70 to 75F range (favoring the 70F side). This will reduce the amount of fermentation received by the dough during the first 36 to 24-hours (making it less than stellar in performance during that period of time) but by the third day, the dough will have received sufficient fermentation perform well, and continue to perform well through the 6th day, and possibly into the 7th day. You will need to be on top of your dough management game to do this though. Watch the finished dough temperature carefully, and keep track of the cross stack time as it will vary with dough ball weight (typically, 1.5-hours for 12-ounces and less, 2-hours for over 12-ounces, and up to 16-ounces, 2.5-hours for over 16-ounces and up to 22-ounces, and 3-hours for anything over 22-ounces) You wil then need to work out the best tempering time for the dough balls after they are pulled from the cooler.
Tom Lehmann/The Dough Doctor
