Baking

The last proof over, the dough has risen, the oven has been heated to the required temperature and all that needs to be done is to slash the loaves or glaze them before they are baked.

Not every bread is slashed before baking, but many are, and for a practical reason. Even a loaf of perfect proof has a last bit of expansion, called ‘spring’, left in it when exposed to the oven’s heat. A loaf that has been underproved will have lots. Only those that have collapsed through overproof will not rise up again, though a really hot and moist oven will sometimes nearly rescue them.