I'm looking to make a start in the world of baking bread, and have a quick question:
Once my dough is kneaded, proved and ready to go in the oven (i.e. in the tin) - does it need to be baked immediately, or can it be stored in the refrigerator overnight for example?
You can absolutely do that and in fact it will enhance the flavors of the baked bread and it is a recommended approach.
The yeast activity is reduced in colder environments, so, your dough will not rise too much after cooling some time. However, it's best to de-gas your dough and let it rise in the fridge (although not as much as doubling) again until you decide to bake it.
It is possible. Maybe not with all kinds of dough, but generally speaking it is possible. I have done it with dough for rolls, popping it into the fridge in the evening and baking them on the next morning for breakfast.
You should just keep in mind, that the dough will be very firm when it comes out of the fridge, making kneading difficult or impossible. Therefore you should let it rest for some time outside on the counter to let it warm up a little before kneading again.
