A trick for proofing your bread dough quickly. Technically, proofing is just rising - letting the yeast do its work. But usually when proofing is referred to it is the last rise after the bread is shaped.
Yesterday we talked about cutting down the initial rise time for No-Knead Bread. Now here is a tip for cutting down that last two-hour proofing step before putting the bread in the oven. You can use your microwave...
We are still playing around with this and we are curious if you've ever tried something similar.
1. After the dough has risen for the required initial rise time (in our case, 6 hours or so), cover the bowl with a very wet towel. Cover the whole thing with a dry towel and put in the microwave for 25 seconds.
2. Let rest for about five minutes.
3. Put back in the microwave for about 25 seconds again, then remove.
4. Let rest and rise for about 45 minutes. By now the two heat zaps from the microwave and moisture from the towel should have accelerated the proofing process.
We put our bread into the oven after just an hour of proofing and this microwave zappery - instead of two full hours of proofing - and the bread tasted perfect.
For those of you who use a microwave, this little trick may come in handy; we want to do more scientific testing on it too.
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We used to do something similar when i was growing up and making anything that had to rise. Specifically, we would warm an oven at about 125 degrees for a few minutes and turn it off, and let the dough rise in there. It created a warm enough environment for the yeast to thrive (the oven should be just warm -- maybe 100 degrees) and it was definitely free of drafts or disturbances that may cause the risen dough to fall.
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I often use my microwave to prove dough but in a totally different way. I make it into a little stream room using an old glass milk jug full of the hottest water from my tap. I put it into the microwave (mine's really quite big since it's also a convection oven) a few minutes before the dough (covered with a tea towel). It creates a really moist, yeast friendly, environment similar to a professional prover. Typically it speeds up the process by about half I'd say.
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i followed the guidelines you posted yesterday; after shaping the loaves, i let them sit for an hour (the first loaf) and only 40 minutes or so for the second loaf. they were as perfect as the ones i make using the 18 hr 2hr rise. i don't see any need for the micro step! thanks for the timesaver!
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I use my convection oven (slowcook-100 degrees) to proof all of my bread doughs. It cuts the time by 1/3.
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