[chrissie B]

ok ive been proving my stuff in the porch which has been ok but theres no heating in the porch so its hit and miss getting it done , now then could i prove my bread in the oven on the lovest temp its a fan oven electeric , watching brittish bake off i see they have proving ovens at the botom of their ovens so was wondering can i do the same in my oven it would cut out the uncertianty
chrissie b

[mumofstig]

Some ovens have a built in pan storage area that works as a proving oven.
Mine has a seperate grill compartment over the main oven and I can prove bread in there, with the oven on low.

The problem with using the main oven would be taking the risen bread out for a while to bring the temp up for the actual baking (I think it would burn if you left it in there) - I don't know if the bread would fall once in the cool again 

[GrannieAnnie]

I think Trillium, among others, puts their oven on, then turns it off and puts the dough in to rise.

I use my south facing kitchen windowsill when there is any sun at all, it gets very warm there.

Saying that though, I have succumbed again and my new bread machine arrived lunchtime.  When I told Brian last year I was going to retire from the chicken keeping I thought I would have loads of time to make bread, but I have been very busy with the garden and stuff and still don't get enough time really for bread making.

Will let you know how the machine works out!  I don't like the paddles inside the machines, so may use it more for dough making, but this one also has the jam making capability, which could be useful for small amounts of jam!   

[Trillium]

You're right, Grannie, that's what I do. Turn the heat to around 300 for about 5 minutes, then turn it off. A quick check to make sure it's not too hot, and in go the pans for rising. I'll check again around the 45 minute mark and if the oven has cooled off too much, I'll turn on the dial for another few minutes, just enough to make it cozy but not hot, then off again. That usually gets me through to a full rise. In summer, I prefer to do bread on sunny days and can put the pans in a sunny window. Someone I know leaves all her bread dough in a 3 gallon bucket with a loose lid and puts the bucket in the sun to rise. 

[chrissie B]

well i will give it ago in the oven ive started it off in the microwave before but i dont think you can keep on zapping it , all i want is to make some nice bread .
thanks for the advice xx wil report on the result
chrissie b

[DD.]

I've proved bread in an electric fan oven before.

I just put it in on a low temperature then simply turn up the heat when it's risen. What's with all this faffing about? 

[allotmentann]

I thought that bread will prove at just about anything above freezing - it just takes longer? I know that when I put my focaccia dough in the fridge over night it carries on rising. I just bring it back to room temperature the next day. I also often make pizza dough in the morning if I know it is a cool day and just leave it in the kitchen all day. Too skint to put the heating on! Just make my dough earlier!

[Mrs Bee]

I do cheat these days and make my dough in the breadmakers.

But before I had one I would turn on the oven to 100C for about 10 mins, then turn it off  and pop the dough in.

Or in the winter I put it underneath my boiler.

[Yorkie]

I remember my mum proving dough in the big jam pan next to the radiator, with a tea towel over the top.

I loved raw dough; it often had 'holes' in it after a proving session ... 

[Trillium]

I thought that bread will prove at just about anything above freezing - it just takes longer?

Bread dough will rise even when cold, just takes a lot longer. Some of us just can't spare the time and for a few pennies of heat, can get it made and ready for supper, no faffing about. 

[hamstergbert]

I have found that in winter if I knock the dough up before bedtime it has risen perfectly in an unheated (but not freezing) breakfast room the morning.  In the real depths of midwinter though I make it during the day and just bung a teatowel over the dough and park it on the hearth near the fire instead!

After all, as long as you judge the rise by size and not by the clock....

[grendel]

yes its just a matter of time, an airing cupboard is good for proving too, I use the top oven with the bottom one set at just warm, then out it comes , whack up the heat for 5 minutes warming and into the oven with the bread, it wont slump unless youve left it proving too long and then it would probably slump in the oven anyway.
Grendel

[Agatha]

If you use the airing cupboard, make sure the bowl of dough is properly wedged in place so that it can't topple over and spread dough on your clean clothes.

This is a mistake you only make once...

[cheshirecheese]

I just posted a reply on Kleftiwallah's thread about the 'slump' which is partially relevant to this too.  It's really a matter of how much time you have, isn't it, because bread will rise at cooler temperatures - it just takes much longer, and the length of time required isn't as predictable.  Longer proving does result in a much better texture and flavour though, and should also make a loaf less susceptible to Tony's 'slump'!!

[chrissie B]

oh thanks people i have got a ginger and sultana loaf in it started off in the porch as we has sun but that went so i popped it in the oven warming it up first , you know i think its just me im such an impatient person these days , i have a symbol on my cooker i didnt know what it was but has turned out to be defrost , i have a ritual when i bake and thats to put a teatowel over the door so i carnt see (glass door) it seems to worl so fingers crossed for the loaf
chrissie b