What size bowl for bread
I have a bread recipe for 1 loaf of bread I want to try. Does it matter what size of bowl I use to let it rise in? I normally bake 2 loafs. Can I use the same bowl? I have a friend that told me it is to big and my bread wont rise correctly. I love her to death, but she really doesn't know everything like she thinks she does. I'm still new at bread making.
Best Answer
Margalo is missing a detail in their otherwise good answer:
Many bread recipes use two rises, one after mixing ("bulk rise"), one after shaping and before the bread goes into the oven.
For the first rise you just want to make sure the bowl is large enough, so at least double the volume of your unrisen dough. For very large and wide bowls, you just have to take extra care that the dough won't dry out.
But the final rise may need the right size of container:
A shaped loaf behaves differently depending on recipe and shaping. Soft doughs will be put to rise in the baking tin (matching the loaf size), very stable ones simply put on a floured board or on the counter.
But there is a middle-ground where the loaf has a tendency to "flow outwards" or to flatten, no matter how carefully you shape it or how much tension you create. For those loaves, a proofing basket ("banneton") is used to keep the dough contained - or a bowl, if the baker doesn't have any special equipment at hand. This bowl should be both large enough that the bread won't overflow, yet small enough that the dough is kept together and can't flatten. Using a too-large bowl here nixes the purpose.
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What type of bowl is best for bread to rise?
Allow dough to rise in a metal or glass bowl. They retain heat better than plastic bowls and you'll get a better rise. You can also run the bowl you're using under some hot water (and then dry it, then spray it with non-stick cooking spray for easy cleanup) before adding the dough so it will be nice and warm.What is a good size mixing bowl for baking?
A 5-quart bowl is the right size for whipping up cakes and cookies with a hand mixer. And a big 8-quart bowl is ideal for making potato salad, coleslaw, and stuffing. A great all-purpose mixing bowl is nonreactive and lightweight yet sturdy.What can I use instead of a bread baking bowl?
For best results, make sure you're using a pot or dish that's at least 4 inches deep in order to give the bread room to rise as it bakes. A 5 or 6 quart saucepan or stock pot will do a great job \u2013 just make sure it's oven-safe (like this one, which is safe up to 500 degrees F!)Will bread rise in a stainless steel bowl?
Stainless steel is non-reactive, and stainless steel bowls are perfectly safe for mixing and rising your bread dough. It is more important to make sure your bowl is large enough to allow your dough to increase in size as it rises.Calculating Pan \u0026 Proof Basket Size for Perfect Bread | Optimum Dough Weight Guidelines.
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Answer 2
The shape of the container can also be helpful (or make more difficult) the evaluation of "how much did that rise" - if you are looking for "doubled" it's much easier to see that in a fairly straight-sided container, where "twice as high as when you put it" in means it's doubled. Indeed, clear plastic graduated containers are great for this, as you can note the volume when you start the rise and know "exactly" when the rise is "double" - this may be helpful for a new or nervous baker.
In a wide bowl, it is much harder to accurately asses what is "double the volume" as it's certainly not "double the height/depth."
As an old warhorse baker, I don't worry about it much, as I have a pretty good idea what I'm looking for in risen dough, and "precisely" doubled does not matter anyway, in my opinion.
Answer 3
Yes. The only concern is if the bowl is too small, causing the dough to overflow. If the bowl works for 2 loaves, it will definitely work for 1.
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