Dee Randall wrote:
>
> See above wherein I stated:
> I let it proof for maybe 3 hours (when it
> > called for 30-45 minutes) and finally gave up the ghost about 11pm last
> > night and put it in the frig.
>
> It sure got a lot of rising and proofing. 6-7 hours rising, 3 hours
> proofing, then overnight!
> I never had any trouble with raisin bread in a bread-maker, but then, the
> recipe I used only called for 3 TB of sugar or honey. When I made that
> recipe I used 3T of just about any kind of sweetener I wanted: carob
> molasses, date molasses, briar rabbit, any organic sugar or honey on hand.
> Thanks for your response, I appreciate it.
> Dee Dee

Have you ever tried using your microwave oven as a proof box? You
place a cup of water in the microwave and bring it to a boil. Then you
move the cup of water off to the side and place the bread dough inside
the oven and shut the door. The dough itself does not get microwaved.
I've also done the same thing using a large pot on the stove. I place
a rack inside the pot. Then I add a tiny bit of water and bring the
water to a boil. After the water has boiled a few seconds I remove the
pot from the stove and place the loaf of bread inside the pot on top of
the rack. The rack is to keep the bread out of the water. I then
cover the pot with a lid. I remember proofing a loaf of raisin bread
this way and it seemed to work out well. I don't remember the recipe
because it was quite a while back and I haven't made it since. I don't
like raisin bread myself, but I knew someone who did and made some for
them for either their birthday or Christmas.

"djs0302" > wrote in message
ups.com...
>
> Dee Randall wrote:
>>
>> See above wherein I stated:
>> I let it proof for maybe 3 hours (when it
>> > called for 30-45 minutes) and finally gave up the ghost about 11pm last
>> > night and put it in the frig.
>>
>> It sure got a lot of rising and proofing. 6-7 hours rising, 3 hours
>> proofing, then overnight!
>> I never had any trouble with raisin bread in a bread-maker, but then, the
>> recipe I used only called for 3 TB of sugar or honey. When I made that
>> recipe I used 3T of just about any kind of sweetener I wanted: carob
>> molasses, date molasses, briar rabbit, any organic sugar or honey on
>> hand.
>> Thanks for your response, I appreciate it.
>> Dee Dee
>
> Have you ever tried using your microwave oven as a proof box? You
> place a cup of water in the microwave and bring it to a boil. Then you
> move the cup of water off to the side and place the bread dough inside
> the oven and shut the door. The dough itself does not get microwaved.
> I've also done the same thing using a large pot on the stove. I place
> a rack inside the pot. Then I add a tiny bit of water and bring the
> water to a boil. After the water has boiled a few seconds I remove the
> pot from the stove and place the loaf of bread inside the pot on top of
> the rack. The rack is to keep the bread out of the water. I then
> cover the pot with a lid. I remember proofing a loaf of raisin bread
> this way and it seemed to work out well. I don't remember the recipe
> because it was quite a while back and I haven't made it since. I don't
> like raisin bread myself, but I knew someone who did and made some for
> them for either their birthday or Christmas.

Thanks for your proof box ideas. Yes, I've tried so many my head swims.
I've concocted some of my own. Mostly what I do nowadays is put it in a
container, cover it and let it sit in a room that is in the winter months
consistenly 80-82º. I could turn that room up a little more, but for some
reason I've decided on those figures. (Go figure -- ha ha!) For the first
rise, I put it in this same room in a straight-sided see-thru plastic
container marked in steps (in quarts and half quarts) and write down where
it started and where I expect it to rise to. I like the straight side
because there are no considerations as to how much it actually did rise.

I could be wrong on rising and proofing at 80-82 for these types of bread.
If it is a artisanal bread, I don't care how long it takes to rise (perhaps
I should); but I just look-see. If it hasn't moved, I will put it in the
refrigerator overnight.
Thanks,
Happy bread-making,
Dee Dee

On Wed, 8 Mar 2006 18:44:58 -0500, "Dee Randall"
> wrote:

>
>"djs0302" > wrote in message
oups.com...
>>
>> Dee Randall wrote:
>>>
>>> See above wherein I stated:
>>> I let it proof for maybe 3 hours (when it
>>> > called for 30-45 minutes) and finally gave up the ghost about 11pm last
>>> > night and put it in the frig.
>>>
>>> It sure got a lot of rising and proofing. 6-7 hours rising, 3 hours
>>> proofing, then overnight!
>>> I never had any trouble with raisin bread in a bread-maker, but then, the
>>> recipe I used only called for 3 TB of sugar or honey. When I made that
>>> recipe I used 3T of just about any kind of sweetener I wanted: carob
>>> molasses, date molasses, briar rabbit, any organic sugar or honey on
>>> hand.
>>> Thanks for your response, I appreciate it.
>>> Dee Dee
>>
>> Have you ever tried using your microwave oven as a proof box? You
>> place a cup of water in the microwave and bring it to a boil. Then you
>> move the cup of water off to the side and place the bread dough inside
>> the oven and shut the door. The dough itself does not get microwaved.
>> I've also done the same thing using a large pot on the stove. I place
>> a rack inside the pot. Then I add a tiny bit of water and bring the
>> water to a boil. After the water has boiled a few seconds I remove the
>> pot from the stove and place the loaf of bread inside the pot on top of
>> the rack. The rack is to keep the bread out of the water. I then
>> cover the pot with a lid. I remember proofing a loaf of raisin bread
>> this way and it seemed to work out well. I don't remember the recipe
>> because it was quite a while back and I haven't made it since. I don't
>> like raisin bread myself, but I knew someone who did and made some for
>> them for either their birthday or Christmas.
>
>Thanks for your proof box ideas. Yes, I've tried so many my head swims.
>I've concocted some of my own. Mostly what I do nowadays is put it in a
>container, cover it and let it sit in a room that is in the winter months
>consistenly 80-82º. I could turn that room up a little more, but for some
>reason I've decided on those figures. (Go figure -- ha ha!) For the first
>rise, I put it in this same room in a straight-sided see-thru plastic
>container marked in steps (in quarts and half quarts) and write down where
>it started and where I expect it to rise to. I like the straight side
>because there are no considerations as to how much it actually did rise.
>
>I could be wrong on rising and proofing at 80-82 for these types of bread.
>If it is a artisanal bread, I don't care how long it takes to rise (perhaps
>I should); but I just look-see. If it hasn't moved, I will put it in the
>refrigerator overnight.
>Thanks,
>Happy bread-making,
>Dee Dee
>

Put a rubber band around the plastic container at the level of the
dough. You can also put one on at the finish level if you wish.
An Alton Brown tip.
--
Susan N.

"Moral indignation is in most cases two percent moral,
48 percent indignation, and 50 percent envy."
Vittorio De Sica, Italian movie director (1901-1974

">
> Put a rubber band around the plastic container at the level of the
> dough. You can also put one on at the finish level if you wish.
> An Alton Brown tip.
> --
> Susan N.

I already put one over the top to keep the seran-wrap sealed better, but I
will but one on 'each' level as your AB tip, in case one breaks!
Thanks,
Dee Dee