My aunt told me to proof dough in the oven with just the light on

She said it's the perfect temperature for rising dough, around 80 degrees. Tried it last winter when my kitchen was cold and the dough doubled in size in 45 minutes flat. Now I use that trick every time I make brioche or any enriched dough. Does anyone else have a go-to proofing spot that works better than the oven?

2 comments

2 Comments

sam_anderson21d ago

Wait, doesn't the heat from the oven light cycle on and off? I've had dough overproof on me in the oven with just the light on because it gets too hot in certain spots, especially near the bulb. The temp can spike way past 80 degrees if you've got a newer oven. I'd rather stick my dough on top of the fridge or near a warm window where the heat stays steady. For brioche especially, that extra bit of heat can make the butter start melting out before it's even ready to bake.

wesley_hart21d ago

Yeah @sam_anderson is totally right about that. I learned that the hard way when I left a batch of croissant dough in the oven with just the light on and came back to a greasy, buttery puddle on the sheet. The bulb gets way hotter than people realize, especially if you've got one of those newer ovens with bright LEDs instead of the old incandescent bulbs. What works better for me is putting the dough on top of the water heater or a cable box, something that gives off a gentle constant warmth without hot spots. For brioche I'd be extra careful, you're right that butter starts sweating out around 78 degrees and you want it completely solid until the final proof.