Proving dough

Justamum

horsechestnut wrote: »

Put a bowl of very hot water on the bottom of the oven. Oven switched OFF. Cover the bowl of bread dough with cling film and put in the oven. The steam from the water heats the closed oven and makes the dough rise. You will need to experiment with timings.

Wow!! This really works. I put some dough to rise this morning before taking my son to school and when I got back a couple of hours later after doing some errands the dough had already risen. The oven was still warm too. This tip is a godsend for me because my whole house, and especially the kitchen, is really cold. :T

Justamum

mk_wotsit wrote: »

I read on here somewhere that lidl do bread flour. Is it any good? My friend with a BM sticks to Waitrose canadian but it's so expensive, I can't see it working out much cheaper than buying.
I fancy having a go if the cheapo flour is good.

I've noticed that the price of bread flour has risen quite considerably recently. I bought some of the Waitrose Canadian flour today as it was cheaper than the Waitrose Organic. At £1.15 a bag (which is what it costs me - I don't know if it's the same for you?) it would still work out cheaper than buying a loaf, for me at any rate (the cheapest loaf is about £1.25) I get 3 loaves out of a 1.5kg bag (so 38p each), yeast and salt cost fractions of a penny per loaf, and the electricity I'm not sure about but it won't come to 90p a loaf I'm sure (I make two at a time, one for the freezer so I have a stock in when I don't have time to make any). Also there's no comparison with flavour. Basically shop bought has no flavour :rotfl:

moanymoany

I've just made the week's bread. I use my Kenwood and after the dough is kneaded I put it into lined bread tins and sit it in the kitchen to prove. After about 45 minutes I switch on my oven to cook it. I leave it until it's risen enough. It is always ok, I've never bothered making a special effort to put it somewhere warm.

Sorry folks, I've already said this.... doh

Zziggi

Does anyone have a full-proof method of proving dough please? I have tried using my airing cupboard without sucess. I've heard of people using remoskas/slow cookers but I don't know for how long or the temperature. I have a remoska grand, slow cooker, panasonic breadmaker,oven (obviously).

Can anyone let me know what their proving secrets are please?

MRSMCAWBER

Hi there

If you have time, I find that covering the dough with a carrier bag (like a tent) and leaving at room temp to prove slowly gives a better flavour and texture...and makes the dough more stable

Gingernutmeg

Dough will prove at almost any temperature, but it's the time it takes that differs. Longer, slower proving will give you a better flavour, and tbh I've never really been fond of using something like an oven or slowcooker to prove dough, it seems too chancy to me in terms of it getting too hot, plus the fact that it'll be a dry heat which risks giving you tough bits in the finished loaf - commercial bakers use steamy proving cabinets to get a fast rise, and it's not something you can really replicate at home ... although you could have a go at putting a roasting tray full of boiling water in the bottom of your oven, and putting the dough in there to prove.

I don't have a bread-maker but if there's a proving setting on that it might be worth a go. What I normally do is put it in the warmest spot in the kitchen (usually in the corner under the boiler lol), cover it with clingfilm and leave it till it's doubled. You can even prove dough in the fridge, by making it up and giving it a long, slow rise overnight. Then, in the morning, knock it back, shape it and give it another rise as it warms up.

Butterfly_Brain

I always leave mine in the kitchen as it is usually warm in there - you can prove dough in a fridge overnight but I have never tried it

Jazzy_B

I turn my oven on at 100 degrees for about 3 to 5 mins, then leave the covered dough for about an hour. I just check that it's not too warm by putting my hand in. I've never had tough bits in the dough. I cover it with an oiled hotel shower cap.
I'm not organised enough to make dough the day before, wish I was!

Zziggi

Thank you guys!!

Tried to make chelsea buns today but proving is proving an issue (pardon the pun).has anyone tried the method where you use a remoska?

taurusgb

Zziggi wrote: »

Thank you guys!!

Tried to make chelsea buns today but proving is proving an issue (pardon the pun).has anyone tried the method where you use a remoska?

I use my remoska - but NOT switched on! Just place the dough inside, put on lid and leave it alone. Switch on when the dough has doubled in size. Because it's a small space, it keeps out any draught and even though my kitchen is COLD (brrr!!!) my dough is usually ready to cook within a couple of hours at the most.

Hope that helps.