Bread Dough Likes A 5-Liter Container

Bread dough does not need a special proofing box. A 5-liter plastic container with a lid works better than another piece of kitchen equipment.

My basic setup:

• Mix 3.5 cups of flour with 1.5 cups of warm water, 1/2 tablespoon of salt, and 1/2 tablespoon of dry yeast.
• Add a few tablespoons of flour until the dough becomes one smooth piece.
• Oil the inside of the container, put the dough in, and leave the lid slightly ajar.
• Set the container in a warm oven for one hour. Around 110°F is enough. If the oven only goes to 200°F, warm it and turn it off before putting the dough inside.

The container gives the dough room to rise without covering the bowl with plastic wrap. The lid also makes it easy to see whether the dough has doubled, which is more useful than guessing from a timer.

After the first rise, I turn the dough onto a floured lid, fold it into a round, and bake it on non-stick paper at 425°F for 25 minutes. The container goes back in the cupboard. No proofing drawer required.