PROOFING DOUGH

For the proofing (rising) stage, place the dough in greased bowl and cover it, then set the bowl in a warm (75° or above), humid and stable environment. Some options:

• Place a glass baking dish on your oven’s bottom rack and fill it with boiling water; place your dough on the middle or top rack. Refresh the water every 30 to 45 minutes.

  Some oven lights radiate enough heat for proofing even without turning on the heat. Turn on the light, then after about 30 minutes, use an oven thermometer to check the temperature; if the oven is 75°F or above, set your bowl of dough in the oven and shut the door, leaving the light on.

• Fill your slow cooker halfway with water and set it to the low setting. Put the lid on upside down, cover it with a dish towel, then set your bowl of dough on top.

Depending on temperature, humidity, the freshness of your yeast, and the type of dough, proofing can take from 1 to 3 hours. When ready, your dough should have expanded to roughly twice its original size and have a full, puffed appearance. To test the dough, gently poke it. It should feel soft and supple, and your finger should leave an indentation. Underproofed dough won’t rise properly during baking.

If the dough looks stretched across the top and springs back instantly when pressed, it’s overproofed, and may crack and collapse when baked. To fix overproofed dough, punch it down, knead it briefly and let it proof again until it’s the correct size.

Kneading

Kneading helps develop gluten, which gives yeast bread its structure. (See instructions for kneading on p. 14.) To tell if you’ve kneaded the dough enough, look for two factors—smoothness and elasticity. To test the dough’s elasticity, let it rest for about a minute and then press it with your finger. If the indentation stays, it’s not yet ready. If the indentation springs back slightly, it’s ready. If it springs back completely, it might be over-kneaded, and you may get tough, chewy bread. Finally, use the windowpane test. Tear off a piece of dough and stretch it between your fingers. If you can stretch it until you can see light through it when your hold it up, it’s ready; if it tears, it needs more work.

How Hard Do I Punch?

After proofing, you’ll need to “punch down” the dough. The action isn’t an actual fast punch—just press down firmly with your knuckles to remove some of the air.