Hi Wendy! You bet! Just cover it with plastic wrap or a damp tea towel so it doesn’t dry out. Let it come to room temperature while the oven preheats in the morning.

Hi. I have made this recipe several times. I would like to bake this in the morning instead of in the afternoon. Can I make it at night and shape and proof in refrigerator?

Such good flavor. I increase everything by 1/3, braid and put into two 9” Pullman loaf pans (no tops) for sandwich loaves. I also like using a small amount of whole wheat (maybe 10%) for a bit more flavor. This bread makes great grilled cheese sandwiches of course.

I think that depends on how much past 12 hours you are going to leave it. If you need to leave it for a lot longer, then I would just not make the levain and wait until you have more time. If you need to leave it not much longer than 12 hours, I wouldn’t refrigerate it, but maybe place it a slightly colder part of your home so that it slows down the time it takes to reach its peak fermentation.