When youโre in the process of baking bread, proofing refers to the final rise after you shape your dough into loaves. Itโs an important rest period before baking, also known as fermentation.
Fermentation is when the yeast is allowed to leaven the dough, and at times the words proof and fermentation and used interchangeably. Proofing bread is crucial to the overall flavor and texture of your final loaf. But let’s rewind a bit to learn more about bread making step by step.
Bread Making Overview
Baking bread is a process. You’ll need to set some time aside in your day as bread making takes time, and with a little bit of patience, you will have the aroma of freshly baked bread rolling out of your oven in no time.
Since bread proofing is an important step in a much larger process, I wanted to provide you with an overview of bread making. Check out our article on sourdough bread for a more complete, detailed how-to.
- Gather all the ingredients and equipment.
- Mix all of your ingredients creating a ball of dough.
- Let that dough ferment! This step is also known as the bulk proof.
- Next, you’ll punch the dough down, knead it, and shape it into loaves.
- Place the loaves into your baking pans and allow it to rise for the second time. This is also known as the final proof. This is where you get your bread structure and flavor.
- Once allowed to proof, your dough is ready for the oven and on itโs way to being a beautiful loaf of bread.
Now that I’ve given you an idea of where the bulk proof and the final proof takes place, you’ll have a better idea of where we are at in the overall bread making process when we start talking about bread proofing.
Bread Making Tools
Tools of the trade make the bread making process easier. The following is a list of equipment that can be helpful in your bread making journey.
- Thermometer: This tool can help gauge the temperature of your water while the yeast is activating and of the dough when it is in its initial rise. A thermometer is also handy when baking to ensure the center of your loaf is cooked all the way through.
- Scale: No need for measuring cups and spoons when you have a scale to measure out all of your ingredients. A scale will also give you a precisely sized loaf every time!
- Flour Sifter: Having one of these on hand helps when you have a recipe that calls for sifted flour, but it also prevents you from having to put your hand into the bag of flour when your hands are sticky with dough and you need to flour your work surface.
- Stainless Steel Scraper: From cubing butter to scraping off your workstation and dividing your dough, this is a tool that definitely comes in handy. Simply put, it’s for scraping every last bit of doughy goodness from your bowl.
- Proofing Baskets: These add to the visual appearance of your final loaf, creating a professional (and Insta-worthy) look every time. They also are known to help the crust get crispier and produce a beautiful color.
- Loaf pans: Great for making a sandwich-type loaf.
- Silicone mat: These mats will fit right into your flat pans and keep your baking from sticking to the pan. Finally! No need for parchment!
- Pizza stone: Great at retaining heat, these stones are great for pizza but also for making bread. Pizza stones will create a perfectly crusty loaf.
Bulk Fermentation: The First Dough Rise
Bulk fermentation, or the first rise of the dough in bread making, is a very important step in the breadmaking process because this is where we let our dough ferment before dividing and shaping it into loaves. It is during this fermentation process that the yeast is going to work its magic.
The process of fermenting helps the dough gain flavor as the yeast is creating alcohol and other by-products. The carbon dioxide it creates will inflate the gluten, which in turn will help the doughโs structure.
You do not want to rush your bulk fermentation as this is where all the yummy flavor is produced!
Donโt Rush The Process
If you allow the dough to rise too quickly, you will get a lot of carbon dioxide but less alcohol, and this will make the bread have an off flavor. The alcohols released by yeast give bread its tasty, rich, earthy flavor, but if the dough is allowed to rise for too long, that flavor will become pronounced and the bread will have a heavy yeasty taste or smell.
Proofing the dough too fast will also interfere with the gluten structure as the yeast will over-inflate and pop, resulting in a dense or more flattened bread.
Consider A Slower Process
However, you can slow down the bulk rise and this will encourage more flavor and structure. But remember that the yeast only has so much food supply, and there needs to be some sugar to allow the crust to caramelize when you bake the bread.
At lower temperatures, the dough will develop a more pronounced flavor, but it will take longer to rise. Alternatively, warmer temperatures allow the dough to rise faster, which can be a huge time saver. So, itโs really a matter of what you care about moreย โ flavor or efficiency.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BdYW4a6BwVF/?tagged=bulkrise
Itโs even possible to leaven dough overnight, though it needs to be left in the refrigerator to stop the dough from over-fermentation. An overnight proof will often have a stronger, more yeasty flavor.
The benefit of allowing dough to rise twice with the bulk proof and then again with the final proof produces a finer gluten structure than allowing it to just rise once. It will also prevent huge gaping air holes in your bread.

When you take your bulk proof and knead it, you push all the air out, and this is what helps develop the gluten structure.
What Happens With Too Much Or Too Little Proofing?
For comparison, a dough that has not been proofed for enough time will have a gummy-like texture, as it did not have enough time to ferment.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BSqtW9tjKbX/?tagged=overproofing
Alternatively, a dough that has been proofed for too long will become very crispy and dry as the fermentation process allowed for moisture loss as the yeast fed too much off the ingredients.
Tips For The Perfect Proof
Since fermentation is related to the flavor of the dough and can only happen during the proofing stage, mastering your own proofing technique will create your own unique product!
The longer the proofing time, the more distinctive the texture becomes, but remember, the yeast only has so much food, so you will want to ensure you donโt overproof your dough.
A good rule of thumb for the bulk rise is 2 to 2 1/2 hours, but even in a cool location no longer than 3 hours, otherwise the taste and structure will be compromised.
Final Proof
In your final proof, the loaves will go through their final stage of fermentation; during this time, the loaves should nearly double in size.
If you proof your loaves in the fridge, this will slow down the final rise, giving the loaves more flavor. This process also makes the loaves easier to handle and score before baking.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BcwUuT_lEv4/?tagged=finalproof
There arenโt many specifics when it comes to proofing, just guidelines because times and temperatures depend on things like the amount of each ingredient and the desired end product.
The ingredients in the recipe are directly related to the end result, so itโs crucial to be consistent when reproducing a recipe as variations to the recipe can change the flavor and structure of the bread.
If you want to achieve a consistent bread, you must first have a consistent recipe or formula based on proofing tests that you have done. It may take some time to master, but you will end up with a bread suited to your own tastes.
The following bread recipe is one that my family has been making for years. Itโs adapted from my favorite bread book, “World of Breads” by Dolores Casella.
Easy Buttermilk Bread
Ingredients
- 1 cup buttermilk
- ยผ cup sugar
- 2 ยฝ teaspoons salt
- โ cup butter
- 1 cup warm water
- 2 ounces cake yeast or 2 ยผ teaspoons dry yeast
- ยฝ teaspoons baking soda
- 6 cups sifted flour
Directions
- Warm the buttermilk on the stovetop until it’s hot enough to melt the butter.
- Stir in the sugar, salt, and butter and let cool.
- Dissolve the yeast in the water and add to the cooled milk mixture.
- Combine the baking soda and half of the flour. Add to the yeast mixture and beat until smooth.
- Stir in the rest of the flour and turn out onto a floured board. Knead until smooth and elastic.
- Place in a greased bowl, cover, and let rise until doubled. This is your first bulk proof.
- Once doubled, punch dough down and turn out onto the board once again.
- Split the dough in half and shape your loaves.
- Place each loaf into a well-greased, 8-inch loaf pan.
- Brush tops with melted butter and let rise again. This is your final proof. Remember that allowing this to rise in the refrigerator will take longer but will create a stronger tasting bread.
- Bake in 400-degree Fahrenheit oven for 50 minutes.
- Allow the bread to cool and enjoy!
A Variation Of This Bread
Instead of shaping into loaves, roll out the dough and spread with butter, then sprinkle with 1 ยฝ cups of chopped, sauteed onions and 1 ยฝ cups of grated sharp cheddar cheese.
Roll up as you would a jelly roll. Cut in half, place into 8-inch loaf pans. Allow them to proof and bake in 400-degree oven for 50 minutes.
Bread Proofing On Instagram
Coca Cola Bread! So, this time i try to make food experiment by mixing flour, instant yeast and Coca Cola. Let's check it out on thisisme0900 youtube channel (link in bio).. Thank you Guys! ๐๐#food #foodporn #foodstagram #foodphotography #foodexperiment #foodenthusiast #cocacola #coke #cola #softbread #bread #recipe #chocolate #chocolatebread #chocolatesprinkles #youtube #youtubevideos #youtubechannel #youtuber #youtubeindonesia #youtubers #sour #sweet #delicious #soft #proofing #breadproofing #dough #nomilk #yeast

Happy Valentineโs Day! We have some thick beautiful snowflakes falling today and it feels cosy and content in our home today. ๐ wishing you your own version of cosy and content for today!. .#sourdough #sourdoughbread #sourdoughbaking #sourdoughscoring #scoringbread #scoringsourdough #showmeyourloaf #artisanloaf #artisanbread #edibleart #foodart #food #breadporn #bread #breadmaking #breadlover #scoringvideo #sourdoughstarter #sourdoughaddict #breadsofinstagram #amateurbaker #breadstagram #dough #sourdoughcommunity #sourdoughlove #breadproofing #foodie #cranberrybrie #doughfordough.

Ok Desiree sweetlittle.bakeshop here we go. #showmeyourloaf !!!Take 3 on the cinnamon sugar loaf. This timeโsuccess! (Thanks to a google search and adding flour to the cinnamon sugar.) The way I rolled it up looked a little wonky but I thought it kinda looked like a croissant and scored it accordingly. ๐..#sourdough #sourdoughbread #sourdoughbaking #sourdoughscoring #scoringbread #scoringsourdough #showmeyourloaf #artisanloaf #artisanbread #edibleart #foodart #food #breadporn #bread #breadmaking #breadlover #scoringvideo #sourdoughstarter #sourdoughaddict #breadsofinstagram #amateurbaker #breadstagram #dough #sourdoughcommunity #sourdoughlove #breadproofing #foodie #foodiesofinstagram #doughfordough

Dough-nation for walk day! This loaf smelled delicious all the way there where we passed it off to our generous donor who was ALSO doing the fundraising walk. She donated to us anyway. ๐ thank you Jan for your donation to cnoyorg !! Still about 10 loaves to go....#sourdough #sourdoughbread #sourdoughbaking #sourdoughscoring #scoringbread #scoringsourdough #showmeyourloaf #artisanloaf #artisanbread #edibleart #foodart #food #breadporn #bread #breadmaking #breadlover #scoringvideo #sourdoughstarter #sourdoughaddict #breadsofinstagram #amateurbaker #breadstagram #dough #sourdoughcommunity #sourdoughlove #breadproofing #foodie #foodiesofinstagram #doughfordough #roastedgarlic

**story time**My sourdough journey started as roommate bonding during early quarantine and it turned into baking for my entire neighbor which then turned into a huge fundraiser where I have sold 40 loaves and money goes to an orphanage in Poland that I work for in the summer .. so glad you guys are on my journey as I bake for fun-raiser ! ๐ต๐ฑ........................................................#sourdough #sourdoughbread #sourdoughstarter #sourdoughbaking #bread #breadmaking #breadbaking #breadlover #breadsofinstagram #breadstagram #sourdoughart #breadscoring #sourdoughbubbles #sourdoughstarters #sourdoughstarterdiscard #sourdoughgrowth #sourdoughselfie #breadporn #breadart #crumbshot #sourdoughscoring #dough #sourdoughlove #breadproofing #foodstagram #breadbaking #breadsofinstagram #yeastbread #yeastdough #yeastrolls #sourdoughrecipes #sourdoughrolls

Dough-nation loaf for today! โHeart with wheat stalksโ as requested! Thank you Jenny for your donation to cnoyorg ! First attempt, by request, at cheddar and roasted garlic.... sound on for cheese crackle at mid-bake! And (swipe to the end) check out that delicious garlic cheese crater! ๐๐คค..#sourdough #sourdoughbread #sourdoughbaking #sourdoughscoring #scoringbread #scoringsourdough #showmeyourloaf #artisanloaf #artisanbread #edibleart #foodart #food #breadporn #bread #breadmaking #breadlover #scoringvideo #sourdoughstarter #sourdoughaddict #breadsofinstagram #amateurbaker #breadstagram #dough #sourdoughcommunity #sourdoughlove #breadproofing #foodie #foodiesofinstagram #doughfordough

**sourdough bread**Final result ๐........................................................Recipe100% bread flour70% Hydration20% starter2% salt2,000 grams flour1,200+200 grams water400 grams starter40 grams saltSteps10am - Step 1) feed starter at least two hours before beginning1pm - Step 2) Add flour and 60% water - Sit for 30 mins1:30pm - Step 3) Add the last 10% of water and salt - Sit for 30 minutes2pm - Step 4) Add in starter - Sit for 1 hour3pm / 3:30pm / 4pm / 4:30pm - Step 5) - Stretch and fold Sit for 30 mins - Repeat x4 (Total 2 hours)5pm / 6pm - Step 6) Laminate stretch and fold and Wait one hour - Repeat 1x (Total 2 hours)7pm - Step 7) Separate if making more than one loaf7pm / 8pm - Step 8) Laminate fold and roll and Wait 1 hour - Repeat x1 (Total 2 hours)9pm - Step 9) Fold and roll , Place in basket , Place in fridge for 16 hours , and wait 16 hoursNext day2pm - Step 10) take the dough out of the fridge and preheat the oven to 450 with the Dutch oven inside2pm - Step 11) place dough on some parchment paper and sprinkle some flour on the dough and score2:30pm - Step 12) place dough in Dutch oven with lid and bake for 30 minutes3pm - Step 13) take lid off and bake for another 30 minutes3:30pm - Step 14) take and let it cool!........................................................#sourdough #sourdoughbread #sourdoughstarter #sourdoughbaking #bread #breadmaking #breadbaking #breadlover #breadsofinstagram #breadstagram #sourdoughart #breadscoring #sourdoughbubbles #sourdoughstarters #sourdoughstarterdiscard #sourdoughgrowth #sourdoughselfie #breadporn #breadart #crumbshot #sourdoughscoring #dough #sourdoughlove #breadproofing #foodstagram #breadbaking #breadsofinstagram #yeastbread #yeastdough #yeastrolls #sourdoughrecipes #sourdoughrolls

My first loaf in the oval banneton and I love it!!!! ๐๐ฅณ itโs still a little ... round in the belly though. Hmm. ๐คท๐ฝโโ๏ธ itโs a pretty one! ๐ this loaf went along with a pot of chicken soup to a family with a new baby. Rosemary, thyme, and a good dose of course salt on top. ๐คค..#sourdough #sourdoughbread #sourdoughbaking #sourdoughscoring #scoringbread #scoringsourdough #showmeyourloaf #artisanloaf #artisanbread #edibleart #foodart #food #breadporn #bread #breadmaking #breadlover #scoringvideo #sourdoughstarter #sourdoughaddict #breadsofinstagram #amateurbaker #breadstagram #dough #sourdoughcommunity #sourdoughlove #breadproofing #foodie #artisanloaf #rosemaryandthyme

Friday Dough-nation for cnoyorg ! โA wheat stalkโ as requested. Thank you Laura for your donation!! Jalapenฬo cheddar might still be my favourite, but my current sourdough crush.... Iโll show you later today. ๐..#sourdough #sourdoughbread #sourdoughbaking #sourdoughscoring #scoringbread #scoringsourdough #showmeyourloaf #artisanloaf #artisanbread #edibleart #foodart #food #breadporn #bread #breadmaking #breadlover #scoringvideo #sourdoughstarter #sourdoughaddict #breadsofinstagram #amateurbaker #breadstagram #dough #sourdoughcommunity #sourdoughlove #breadproofing #foodie #foodiesofinstagram #doughfordough

Jalapeรฑo cheddar loaf from yesterdayโs post!..#sourdough #sourdoughbread #sourdoughbaking #sourdoughscoring #scoringbread #scoringsourdough #showmeyourloaf #artisanloaf #artisanbread #edibleart #foodart #food #breadporn #bread #breadmaking #breadlover #scoringvideo #sourdoughstarter #sourdoughaddict #breadsofinstagram #amateurbaker #breadstagram #dough #sourdoughcommunity #sourdoughlove #breadproofing #foodie #roastedgarlic #doughfordough

Getting on the rose loaf bandwagon!! Not bad for a first attempt... but I think I can do better. ๐.#sourdough #sourdoughbread #sourdoughbaking #sourdoughscoring #scoringbread #scoringsourdough #showmeyourloaf #artisanloaf #artisanbread #edibleart #foodart #food #breadporn #bread #breadmaking #breadlover #scoringvideo #sourdoughstarter #sourdoughaddict #breadsofinstagram #amateurbaker #breadstagram #dough #sourdoughcommunity #sourdoughlove #breadproofing #foodie #foodiesofinstagram

โ๐ฌ๐ฐ๐ข๐ช๐๐ฏ๐ถ ๐ค๐๐ฏ๐ฉ๐ฆ๐ ๐ฃ๐ฌ๐ ๐๐ ๐ ๐ฆ๐Best combination with soup๐ฒ#focaccia#ficacciabread#breadmaking#italianbreas#breadproofing#foodporn#foodphotography#saturdaycooking#weekendmood#bakingmoodon๐ฉโ๐ณ.

I loaf you!!! Happy Valentineโs Day friends! This is my current sourdough crush: cranberry Brie and rosemary. My brother gave me a piece of his and I *had* to have more so here we are. So. Good. I loaf you ben.goheen !!! ๐ Also swipe for a real-time video of writing on bread! ๐ lettering is another hobby of mine (though this barely constitutes lettering, but anyway)โI like when hobbies collide!! Have a wonderful restful Sunday wherever in the world you are! ๐๐..#sourdough #sourdoughbread #sourdoughbaking #sourdoughscoring #scoringbread #scoringsourdough #showmeyourloaf #artisanloaf #artisanbread #edibleart #foodart #food #breadporn #bread #breadmaking #breadlover #scoringvideo #sourdoughstarter #sourdoughaddict #breadsofinstagram #amateurbaker #breadstagram #dough #sourdoughcommunity #sourdoughlove #breadproofing #doughfordough #sourdoughscoringvideo #scoringvideo #breadlettering #letteredloaves

Finally got the time to post crumb of my wholemeal loafs. I am not happy 100% with it but it was the first loafs of 90% whole meal that I have baked. So still not bad effort and taste is delicious and really nice crust. Loan # 52 and 53. #sourdoughbaking #sourdoughstarter #sourdoughselfie #sourdoughclub #bread #breadmaking #breadbaking #breadporn ##breadart #bake #bakery #bakerydesign #bakerylife #bakers #chef #cheflife #chefskitchen #chefsspecial #chefstime #loaf #loafbread#crumbshot #sourdoughcommunity #dough #bread #breadlover #chefsclub #sourdough #sourdoughlove #breadproofing

***Sourdough Discard Dill Crackers ***........................................................RecipeCrackers200 grams of discard100 grams flour10 grams salt10 grams dill32 grams oilTopping oil50 grams olive oil10 grams garlic saltSteps1) mix and let it sit over night2) rolled as thin as possible3) sprinkle oil and salt4) use pizza cutter to cut into squares5) cooked in oven 350 for 10 mins6) switch trays baked 10 more minutes7) flipped the crackers around and baked for 15 more minutes*I multiply the batch depending on how much discard ... I have so this is four batches........................................................#sourdough #sourdoughbread #sourdoughstarter #sourdoughbaking #bread #breadmaking #breadbaking #breadlover #breadsofinstagram #breadstagram #sourdoughart #breadscoring #sourdoughbubbles #sourdoughstarters #sourdoughstarterdiscard #sourdoughgrowth #sourdoughselfie #breadporn #breadart #crumbshot #sourdoughscoring #dough #sourdoughlove #breadproofing #foodstagram #breadbaking #breadsofinstagram #yeastbread #yeastdough #yeastrolls #sourdoughrecipes #sourdoughrolls

Dough-nation for the day! She donated to my 5yo, and asked him to score it! After he decided he wanted to do a tree, he decided it was too hard. ๐ so I asked him to draw his tree on paper and Iโd copy it. Voila!Thank you sandymbv for your donation to cnoy!...#sourdough #sourdoughbread #sourdoughbaking #sourdoughscoring #scoringbread #scoringsourdough #showmeyourloaf #artisanloaf #artisanbread #edibleart #foodart #food #breadporn #bread #breadmaking #breadlover #scoringvideo #sourdoughstarter #sourdoughaddict #breadsofinstagram #amateurbaker #breadstagram #dough #sourdoughcommunity #sourdoughlove #breadproofing #foodie #artisanloaf #doughfordough #kidsinthekitchen

One of my friend asked for an easy yeast based bread recipe and I couldnโt pass this one. Soft, delicious and buttery, perfect for any kind of sandwich. #bread #sandwiches #loaf #sourdoughbaking #sourdoughstarter #sourdoughselfie #bread #breadmaking #breadbaking #breadporn ##breadart #bake #bakery #bakerydesign #bakerylife #bakers #chef #cheflife #chefskitchen #chefsspecial #chefstime #loaf #loafbread#crumbshot #sourdoughcommunity #dough #bread #breadlover #chefsclub #sourdough #sourdoughlove #breadproofing

Bread Proofing Basket.Banneton Proving Basket. 9 Inch with 22 Pack Baking Tools: Cloth Liner, Bread Bag, Lame, Whisk, Scraper, 16 Decor Stencils etcPerfect gift for bakers.UK ๐ฌ๐งUSA ๐บ๐ธDM to get yours...#pizzadough #cooking #pizza s #cakesofinstagram #doughscraper xprt#benchscraper #banneton #bannetonbasket #breadproofing #breadbasket #homebaker #homebaking #homebakers #bakersfield #kitchenstuff #kitchengadgets #kitchengadget #morningcoffee #breadloaf #producttesteruk #householditems #pastery #kitchenitems #bpafree lpa #breadboard #breadlame #bannetonbakery #homebaked s

Savoury teatime snacks.. homemade buns baked with spring garlic, fresh herbs and spring onions. Drizzled with Garlic Butter๐๐Spring garlic is not easily available in Banglore so got it from my hometown, mostly comes during winter season.What a aroma spread in the entire house.

Just a quick lil loaf for dinner. We cut into it way too early but it was worth it! (No scoring video and terrible lighting, because daylight faded way too fast today!)...#sourdough #sourdoughbread #sourdoughbaking #sourdoughscoring #scoringbread #scoringsourdough #showmeyourloaf #artisanloaf #artisanbread #edibleart #foodart #food #breadporn #bread #breadmaking #breadlover #scoringvideo #sourdoughstarter #sourdoughaddict #breadsofinstagram #amateurbaker #breadstagram #dough #sourdoughcommunity #sourdoughlove #breadproofing #foodie #artisanloaf #doughfordough

Heather is the owner ofย Vibrant Food Vibrant You. She believes that getting healthy starts from the ground up. She loves to garden, cook for friends and family, and can be found on the weekends playing with her dogs or wandering around farmerโs markets.
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