Proving

Proving (some bakers say “proofing”) has two meanings in bread making. The less common one is to test that yeast is still active and capable of leavening dough. This is done by either dissolving it in plain water, or in water with a spoonful of sugar or a little flour, to see signs of gas being produced, appearing as bubbles pricking the surface of the mixture after 10–15 minutes. The more common use is to refer to the dough rising, where it sits with several other terms such as “bulk fermentation” (to refer to a large quantity of dough, typically in a commercial bakery, undergoing its first rise after mixing), “second rise” after kneading or being left unkneaded to fully hydrate, and “final proving” (after shaping and just before being baked).