What Is a Proofing Box

Reader Contribution by Jodi L. Wise
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My second day of work, I was handed a Classic Sourdoughs revised A Home Baker’s Handbook by Ed and Jean Wood and a Sourdoughs International Original San Francisco Culture.  I was so excited to head home and start my baking with mouth watering bread.  I was told by Ed that I would need to proof the culture first.  Now, you really have to understand that I don’t bake.  I don’t really cook even.  If I get the milk and cereal in the bowl at the same time, I think that I am tearing it up in the kitchen.  So proofing meant to me, that I would be making sure that it was OK.  I related it to proof reading a book.  All I could think is great!  I will get to taste all of these breads to make sure they are OK.  Wow, I was completely off!

Proofing, as I learned when I opened my new cookbook, was keeping the culture at a certain temperature for a given amount of time.  This is when I closed the cookbook and wondered what was the best sourdough bread available at the grocery store.  Proofing was an overwhelming concept to me.  I think this is for many first time bakers.  After about five times of reading and re-reading the chapter on proofing, I bit the bullet and charged ahead to build the proofing box. 

I was excited to build the box.  Now this was up my alley.  Ed has developed a simple way though to build a proofing box.  He takes a Styrofoam cooler, mounts a light bulb (low watts) on the bottom so that it is on the inside, attaches a dimmer switch and you have a proofing box.  The cooler is placed with the top on the floor.  I have added a thermometer through the side so I can see the temperature from the outside of the box.  Some put a thermometer on the floor under the proofing box.  Either way works.

Proofing Box Tips

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