[michellela]

I have decided to try my hand at making bread.  I tried once before and ended up with a crust that would serve well as a wall lining on a bunker, it was completely impenetrable.  Anyhoo, to the point...

I have since moved and have no airing cupboard or anywhere else particularly warm to leave my bread to rise.  Would an oven on its lowest setting do for the job or would it just be too hot?  Any other suggestions would be gratefully received.

[Trillium]

I turn on my oven to about 200F for about 10 min. then turn it off, and then set in the bowl or pans to rise. In about a half hour I check to see that it's still warmish. If not, I turn it to 200 for just a few minutes then off again.
It's the most reliable place I have to raise bread and where the cat won't pounce on it.

when I have the fireplace insert burning, I sometimes stand a tall log on end close to the woodstove and set the bowl on that to rise.

[tosca100]

If you have time, bread will still rise at room temperature, and develop a better flavour as it will take longer, but you must be patient or you will end up with a brick with a separated crust. If you google Paul Hollywood you should get some tips, he's a real bread enthusiast.

[Aunt Sally]

 Would an oven on its lowest setting do for the job or would it just be too hot? 

That's what I use when the weather is too cool to just leave it under a cloth on the work top.

I set the oven to about 40^oC and leave the door open a bit - just keep an eye on it.

[zazen999]

Actually, bread will rise even in a fridge so just leave it for longer and it will get there.....

[Kleftiwallah]

I think they still use a loaf of mine as a door stop in the Boxer Bar  Gibraltar ! Cheers,  Tony.

[Kate and her Ducks]

I use my heated plant propagator this time of year.

It isn't in use with seedlings and it seems to keep it at a nice temp as it rises really well.

[vet]

Like the propagator idea
As long as the dough is out of the draughts it will rise,  just the temp will determin how quickly.

[michellela]

Thanks all for the advice.

I didn't realise that bread would still rise in the fridge, I figured the temp would halt the process completely.  I was thinking I could leave half the dough in the fridge for use later in the week but obviously that's not going to work so maybe I'll just have to hope it doesn't go too stale too quickly.  This all assumes it's edible in the first place of course.

I think I'm going to try the low oven slightly open door technique and see what happens.

Bread as a door stop, brilliant!

[hamstergbert]

it will still rise int eh fridge but by golly it slows it down!  Not unreasonable to make double brew, split at the final prove stage and stick half in the fridge.  Other half I cover with a teatowel and leave on the hearth away from the draughts - even in winter it only takes a couple of hours at worst.  Depending how cool your fridge is you can keep the other half for a couple of days as the rise oh-so-slowly continues in there. Bring it out into room temp a half hour or so before into the oven.

[CZ Silhouette]

I can highly recommend this book.

http://www.play.com/Books/Books/4-/5501140/Bread-River-Cottage-Handbook-No-3/Product.html

It is very well written & explains everything you need to know on how to produce good bread.
Two things really help. A bread stone & sourdough starter.
It's made the world of difference for my bread making skills.

[GrannieAnnie]

When I'm making rolls, I form the balls of dough ready, but half of them I open freeze on a tray, then put together in one freezer bag.  When I need them, I put them on a baking tray to defrost and rise then bake them.

[CZ Silhouette]

I think I'm going to try the low oven slightly open door technique and see what happens.

If you have a cool bag/box you can place your dough in there & fill a plastic bottle with very hot water & put it in the bag/box.
I tried this the other week & it worked a treat.

[michellela]

I have done the first stage, it's in the oven rising at this very moment so fingers crossed.

Will check out the book recommendation, particularly since I see the words River Cottage in the title.  Have been watching archived River Cottage shows online and they're very interesting.

I found a site that had some helpful (to me) videos.  I found the Kneading the Dough video (about half way down the page) to be very good.
http://www.sourdoughhome.com/kneadingconverting.html

[michellela]

My bread, while not perfect, was pretty good.  It has quite a soft crust which I like, certainly better than the I had before.  Flavour was a little bit yeasty though not all that much.  Have read a trouble shooting guide which says that it might be due to too high a temperature during rising, which is very likely.  Next time I'll just leave it alone and not keep checking on it every five minutes.