"djs0302" > wrote in message
ups.com...
>
> Dee Randall wrote:
>>
>> See above wherein I stated:
>> I let it proof for maybe 3 hours (when it
>> > called for 30-45 minutes) and finally gave up the ghost about 11pm last
>> > night and put it in the frig.
>>
>> It sure got a lot of rising and proofing. 6-7 hours rising, 3 hours
>> proofing, then overnight!
>> I never had any trouble with raisin bread in a bread-maker, but then, the
>> recipe I used only called for 3 TB of sugar or honey. When I made that
>> recipe I used 3T of just about any kind of sweetener I wanted: carob
>> molasses, date molasses, briar rabbit, any organic sugar or honey on
>> hand.
>> Thanks for your response, I appreciate it.
>> Dee Dee
>
> Have you ever tried using your microwave oven as a proof box? You
> place a cup of water in the microwave and bring it to a boil. Then you
> move the cup of water off to the side and place the bread dough inside
> the oven and shut the door. The dough itself does not get microwaved.
> I've also done the same thing using a large pot on the stove. I place
> a rack inside the pot. Then I add a tiny bit of water and bring the
> water to a boil. After the water has boiled a few seconds I remove the
> pot from the stove and place the loaf of bread inside the pot on top of
> the rack. The rack is to keep the bread out of the water. I then
> cover the pot with a lid. I remember proofing a loaf of raisin bread
> this way and it seemed to work out well. I don't remember the recipe
> because it was quite a while back and I haven't made it since. I don't
> like raisin bread myself, but I knew someone who did and made some for
> them for either their birthday or Christmas.

Thanks for your proof box ideas. Yes, I've tried so many my head swims.
I've concocted some of my own. Mostly what I do nowadays is put it in a
container, cover it and let it sit in a room that is in the winter months
consistenly 80-82º. I could turn that room up a little more, but for some
reason I've decided on those figures. (Go figure -- ha ha!) For the first
rise, I put it in this same room in a straight-sided see-thru plastic
container marked in steps (in quarts and half quarts) and write down where
it started and where I expect it to rise to. I like the straight side
because there are no considerations as to how much it actually did rise.

I could be wrong on rising and proofing at 80-82 for these types of bread.
If it is a artisanal bread, I don't care how long it takes to rise (perhaps
I should); but I just look-see. If it hasn't moved, I will put it in the
refrigerator overnight.
Thanks,
Happy bread-making,
Dee Dee