Baking
How to proof bread dough (let it rise)
Let yeast dough sit somewhere warm while the yeast makes gas and the dough grows.
Step by step
- Put the dough in a lightly oiled bowl and cover it with plastic wrap or a damp towel.
- Leave it somewhere warm and draft-free, about 75 to 80°F (an oven with only the light on works).
- For a second rise, shape the dough, put it in its pan and cover it again.
- Check it by size and feel, not just the clock.
How you know it's done
First rise: doubled in size. Second rise: puffy, and a fingertip poke springs back slowly and leaves a small dent.
Common mistakes
- A spot that is too hot, which kills the yeast or gives a sour, slack dough.
- Overproofing: it springs back not at all and collapses in the oven.
Simmerbee recipes that use it (11)
- Classic Cinnamon Rolls with Cream Cheese Frosting
- Garlic Parmesan Knots
- Homemade Margherita Pizza
- Honey Whole Wheat Sandwich Bread
- Jelly-Filled Sufganiyot (Hanukkah Doughnuts)
- No-Knead Crusty Dutch Oven Bread
- Overnight Cherry Tomato and Olive Focaccia
- Rosemary Sea Salt Focaccia
- Soft Buttery Pull-Apart Dinner Rolls
- Soft Classic White Sandwich Bread
- Three-Strand Braided Challah
In those recipes the word is underlined in the steps; tap it for the short version. In hands-free cook mode, ask “How do I proof?”
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