How to replicate a proofing oven, in winter.

[DoneTeachin]

I just produced a brick of a loaf as I couldnt get my dough to rise. I usually use the airing cupboard but its just not getting to the toasty 29 deg C needed. Anyone got any tips? I'm not convinced by the AI suggestions, and dont want to waste more dough testing them! so would appreciate anyone with real life experience! thank you kindly.

I turn a light on in the oven to proof pizza dough

Instant pot on the yoghurt setting works for me

I put a kettle of boiling water into a roasting pan/sauce pan and put the bowl/tray on top( not touching the water ideally) and drape a big cloth over all so it makes a nice steamy fug

Can you have just your oven light on in the oven? Or a microwave alongside a bowl of hot water?
I have a plate warming setting on my oven which I can put down to 30 degrees so I use that OR use residual heat from after the oven's been on (with the door left ajar if the oven is a bit hot)

I turn my oven down to its lowest setting (about 40C) and put the bowl in that. Works a treat.

I turn my oven on to 50 degrees (its lowest setting) to warm while I make the dough. Then turn off and leave the door open to let a bit of heat out till it’s “just” warm, then price the dough in there. This replicates the effect I got in the oven in my old house, which had a proofing setting.

Alternatively if I had an airing cupboard with a hot water tank in it, as I have done in previous homes, I’d use that, or another option is a little shelf above one of the radiators in my current home.

Or just double the proofing time.

Thats what AI says, but I just tested my oven with a thermometer and the temperature didnt really rise.

If you have a heated airer that’s worked well for me in the past.

Yes this makes sense but does the oven stay warm enough for the 2 hour rising time?

We use a heated airer for proving too.

I find that in a warm environment my dough (for a loaf made with 500g flour) rises in 1 hour and yes the oven retains the heat enough to double the dough volume in that time

The proving temp on my neff oven is 40 degrees, so if your oven will go that low, give that a try.

I just tested my Zanussi and it goes down to 50C, which kills the yeast apparently.

I use the microwave, boil a mug of water for few minutes until nice warm and steamy in there and pop in the bread, mind you I have never proved anything for 2 hours, max any loaf is in there is around 40 mins and it works fine for that.

Can you let the dough rise longer? Dough doesn’t actually need much warmth and will rise at any temperature between 0 and 40 degrees. The difference is in the time it takes.

I used to let my dough rise overnight in the fridge, take it out the next day whenever I needed it, let it come to room temperature and then bake it. But you don’t need to go to those extremes. Just let it rise a bit longer than usual if the temperature in the house is lower than usual.

Maybe you could use the oven on at 50, but leave the door ajar? Don't know if that would work.
I use the top oven with light on, or sometimes I bring it into the lounge and put it near the wood burner (covered of course!)

Heat your oven to 50, then turn it off and leave the door open a bit to cool before you put the dough in. Then pop the dough in and it'll be fine. Ovens are extremely well insulated so that they are not boiling hot to the touch on the outside so they retain heat for a good long while.

I stand the loaf tins on an electric seed propagation tray, works really well.

will give it a go and let you know! thank you.

This. A slow proof results in much nicer bread IMHO.

Mine always doubles 🤷‍♀️🤷‍♀️

@DoneTeachin I just prove mine in the kitchen, with a layer of cling film over the bowl and a tea towel over that. It seems to rise fine, even if not a warm room.
The times I have issues with it proving is when the yeast is starting to fail. If I want a quicker prove I heat up a jug of water in the microwave for a few minutes to get it all steamy and then put the bowl or the loaf tin in there and that really helps it prove.