What is corrective bread? And how do I get it right?

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Starting your journey as a baker? It can be scary – so many confusing terms! — but once you understand what it all means, the process becomes much clearer. Here, we're diving into one of the most important steps in making homemade bread: proofing.

Photography by Mark Weinberg; food styling by Liz Neily

What is bread proofing?

Everyone knows that bread dough rises, right? Well, that's basically what debugging is all about! It is when the bread dough is left to ferment – the yeast (commercial yeast OR yeast culture) it consumes the sugars and starches in the dough and removes the carbon dioxide – which causes the dough to expand as it traps the carbon dioxide inside it making it firm and elastic gluten network. As proof of bread, it usually doubles (or nearly doubles) in size, puffing up and pillowing.

Which leads to the next point: bread dough is usually allowed to rise two different times in the baking process, and proofing technically only refers to the second of these rises, but is often used to describe both.

Why do you test the bread dough several times? And what is bulk fermentation?

In a standard bread recipe – get Classic sandwich bread for example – bread dough is mixed and cooked, then left in a covered bowl to rise (usually, but not always, doubling in size). This step is often called the first rise, the first test, bulk fermentation, or bulk proof. It usually takes about 1 to 2 hours, depending on the dough and the environment in which it is left to rise.

After the dough has undergone bulk fermentation, it is shaped. In this example, it is formed into a sandwich loaf and placed in a bread panbut this also applies if you are forming one bouleor bastardor even Yarns. Once formed, the dough is allowed to proof a second time – this is the step technically referred to as “proofing”. Most of the air was knocked out of the dough during shaping, so this is a chance for the dough to expand again before baking. This step is sometimes called the second lift or second test.

Photography by Mark Weinberg; food styling by Liz Neily

What is the best temperature for insulating bread?

One of the biggest keys to successful proofing of bread dough is temperature. Yeast thrives best in a warm environment, and the warmer the conditions, the faster your dough will proof. “Breads do well in the mid-70s, between 72°F and 78°F,” says baking ambassador Martin Philip. “This is just the right range to encourage yeast activity without moving your dough so fast that it overproofs or doesn't develop flavor.”

Martin prefers an electric one folding bread proofer, which allows him to control the temperature and environment in which his bread withstands. But you can also be intentional about where in your kitchen or home you put your bread out to test to make sure you have the best environment – and temperature – for the yeast to thrive.

Where should I try the bread dough?

Ideally, you want to find the warmest spot in your home where comfortable temperatures will encourage yeast activity. Options include:

• Next to a radiator or wood stove
• The top of your refrigerator
• The inside of your oven (off) with the oven light on
• Your empty dryer: spin it for a few minutes to warm it up, then turn it off and put the bowl of dough inside
• On a heating pad (on low level) or dough riser
• At a controlled temperature debug box
• In your microwave, with a cup of boiling water next to it

If you're baking in the summer or your home is naturally warm, you may not need to use any of these options—your kitchen counter can be warm enough. or digital thermometer is a useful way to measure the temperature of your bread during proofing: if it stays around 72°F, it's good where it is. If the temperature drops, consider moving to a warmer location.

How should I cover my proofing bread dough?

While many cookbooks recommend using a tea towel to cover the rising dough, we do not agree. “Covering the dough with a kitchen towel isn't enough coverage—your dough will dry out, forming a skin,” says Martin. “Use one airtight lid, bowl cover, or plastic wrap instead.” If you're doing a lot of baking, consider a lid bucket for raising the dough.

Danielle Sykes

How long does it take to proof the bread?

It depends! (Not a very satisfying answer, we know.) Recipes usually include time intervals (“Let rise for 1 to 1 1/2 hours”), but these should be considered guidelines, not hard and fast rules. fast. Instead, use visual cues to determine if your dough is well insulated—more on that below.

How can I tell if my bread dough has become proofed?

If the dough is supposed to double in size during bulk fermentation, place it in a straight sided bowl with side marks so you can easily and accurately tell when it has doubled in volume.

If you are arranging the sandwich loaf dough in a pan, look for the dough to rise 1″ above the rim of the pan. (Don't guess, use a ruler to measure!)

For free-form loaves, use the poke test to determine the correction: Lightly flour your finger and drop the dough about 1″. If the indentation stays, it's ready to bake. If it comes back out, give it a little more time. See more instructions here: How do I know if the bread dough has risen enough?

And remember: As a general rule, if your dough is proofing in a cool environment, it will take longer. If corrected in a warm environment, it will be faster.

Photography by Mark Weinberg; food styling by Liz Neily

For better bread, nail your proof

“Proofing is just as important as the other fundamental aspects of breadmaking, from mixing to baking,” says Martin. “It's the key to the texture of the bread, the springiness of the oven and the beauty of the final loaf.”

While proofing may be the most passive step in baking—you sit and wait—it's also one of the most important. Being aware of how you cover your dough, where you put it, and when you bake it will set you up for baking success and better bread.

Practice proofreading with Martin's small batch focaccia:

Cover photo by Mark Weinberg; food styling by Liz Neily.