What does it mean to proof dough? Proofing dough is the formal phrase referring to letting any type of yeast bread-like dough rise. It occurs during the fermentation process of the yeast causing the dough to rise and create an airy texture. During proofing, yeast leavens the dough and consumes the carbohydrates and expels carbon dioxide gas causing it to expand or rise the dough.
Dough should be proofed in a warm place, away from any drafts and covered with a clean kitchen towel to prevent the crust from hardening or forming during the process.
Depending on the recipe, dough may be proofed once or more. It can refer to any phase in the fermentation process, but it is especially associated with the final phase that happens when the dough has already been shaped right before baking.
Proofing is important, because without it the dough would be very heavy and dense. It’s an essential part of bread baking and working with bread-like dough that rely on yeast to create air pockets. What’s most important is to make sure that the dough is proofed just right. Too much proofing and the dough will collapse, and not enough proofing and the dough will remain dense and have a tight crumb without being fluffy or flaky.
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What does it mean to proof dough?