Making bread by hand- leave it in a warm place?-what does it mean/

[winnybella]

After you mix all the ingredients together and then again after forming a loaf it says to leave it in warm place for 30 minutes.

Warm as in room temperature?

Warm as in, warm.

In winter I put it by the radiator, in summer in a sunny window.

I put ours on the kitchen table, next to a radiator

Airing cupboards work well. If it is just out on the side it will still work but slower, ie leave it until it has doubled rather than 30 minutes whether or not it has done anything.

a sort of warm room temp, like near a radiator or in an airing cupboard.

the thing is, there is no right temp or time; what matters is the interaction between time and temp. So a cool place for longer or a hot place for shorter (as long as it is not hot enough to kill the yeast) would be fine. However, the flavour is better if it is cooler/slower.

I think 'until it has doubled in volume' is a more useful instruction than 'for 30 mins'.

Thanks. Until it has doubled in volume after mixing it or after the dough has been worked on? Or both times?

I think the optimum yeast proving temperature is about 30. Some microwave defrost settings are this, my oven also has a defrost setting which is a steady and gentle heat and aids quick proving.

If you go much over 40 you risk killing the yeast, the lower you go the slower the reaction with the sugar to prove the bread. So its a case of watching that the dough has proved sufficiently rather than timing it.

If ambient is much below 18 I go the oven route, I used to have a floor mount boiler that was warm I could put bread on or as others suggest on a radiator shelf.

Mix it, knead it, make it into a ball - that is what needs to double. You can even do it in a fridge overnight if you feel so inclined :)