Proving

Shape the dough into a ball and put it in a large, lightly oiled bowl, turning to coat the surface of the dough in the oil. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and leave to rise in a draught-free place for 1–2 hours, or until the dough has doubled in size. Heavier or enriched doughs will take longer to rise.

Ambient room temperature is the perfect environment for the bread to rise, rather than in a room that is too hot — a slower, unforced rise gives a better flavoured bread. You can also allow bread to rise overnight in the refrigerator; the cold doesn’t kill the yeast, it merely retards it. If leaving bread to rise in the refrigerator, remove and leave at room temperature for about 2 hours before shaping it.