Advised someone last night to try the "put it in the oven with the oven light on" trick to encourage development of reluctant starters, levains, and doughs. I included an admonition to use a note to warn others away from perfidy, but then this morning thought to post an example, since I was doing the very same thing I had advised. I was tempted to compose it on a word processor so I could include ominous clip-art (skulls, cross-bones, mushroom clouds, and the like), but then figured I could ketch more flies with honey, so to speak.
I know rule 5 has been temporarily waived, but here's my recipe ingredients anyway: yellow 5 x 9 notepad, medium point black marker, one two-inch piece of Scotch tape. Process: scribble note, tear it off the pad, and affix it to the range control panel with the tape. Keep it there as long as necessary. Continue bake with peace of mind.
by Kenintf
19 Comments
**Hello Kenintf,**
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My wife actually “par-baked” my starter last year. She freaked out and called me while I was at work to tell me what she had done 😂
or…… “transfer jar to microwave leaving microwave door ajar so that light stays on” –
Note: the microwave will get much warmer with light on since it’s a smaller space!
I wanted to rush a proof this weekend and turned the oven on for a few minutes… that turned into 30 and a melted Cambro 4qt lol.
incredible, I’m adding this recipe to my notebook!
Why are we leaving the light on? I’m new to this
https://preview.redd.it/pdv5t0dv115g1.jpeg?width=3060&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=0f414b85c187ccd19596727ac126965d14ec5b11
I have this to hang on the oven door handle when needed.
I stick a piece of masking tape on the oven knob, securing it to the wall of the oven front, so it’s pretty obvious if someome tries to turn on the oven. Doesn’t (obviously) work with pushbutton stoves etc, but I have an old Wolf.
Why do so many people use the oven and not the microwave? Knowing the vast majority of homes have a microwave, and that it’s permanently insulated and climate controlled (mine is 74°F at all times), and that it never gets turned on without someone opening it first, it makes so much more sense to me to use the microwave as a proofing box for my starter and dough.
I put a kitchen towel over the controls when I’m proofing in the oven.
https://preview.redd.it/k5dflqs0f15g1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=ad15e32c9edc891484daa630d111450da028fe54
In this house we heed the cow!
I hang a hand towel over all of the oven buttons using a salt & pepper shaker to keep it in place. My husband knows that if the towel is there, he can’t use the oven without removing whatever may be inside.
I used to use a post it note, but it fell off once and I decided to go a different way.
I’m very fortunate to have a double oven that can be programmed to ‘proof’.
To prevent accidental baking I only use the lower oven for proofing since the upper oven gets more use.
It was a feature that was not mentioned when buying it to replace an old oven that looked like what was ‘modern’ in Mad Men.
Smart!
I just take blue painter’s tape and put a piece over the controls.
This happened at my house too. I started putting a post it now over the start button. That worked for a week or so and then my wife moved the post it and started baking another starter. Now I lay a kitchen towel over the back display of the oven.
This level of imprecision is what makes it so hard to help posters like you.
Medium point?
What does that even mean? “Medium” is a subjective measure. If you can’t be bothered to express that in millimeters, how can you expect us to help you improve your note-writing outcomes?
It’s almost like you didn’t really care about continuous improvement and just want us to tell you what a lovely note you’ve written.
I wonder if it would be difficult to modify an Easy Bake Oven for proofing use.
I mean it was essentially cooking with a light bulb, right?
I wouldn’t need to try to make one because I live alone but I’m just curious if that’s something someone has explored.
I like to think I’m a good cook, I can make most anything look and taste good with active dry yeast.
That said, I’ve failed maybe 4-5 starters I keep trying to make over the last couple months. I’m going insane. Every time I think I found a new variable to account for, I’m left with more questions than answers lol
For instance, my oven heats to around 90 degrees with the oven light, I’m guessing that’s too hot and killing the good bacteria.