7 Oct 2025
How to prove and bake your dough
Make sure you use your dough the same day that you buy it as it will not prove properly if kept more than a day.
- Cover the dough to ensure that the skin of the dough doesn’t get dry. Leave them to raise at room temperature until double in size.
- Pre-heat the oven to 250°C. Leave a small stainless-steel bowl at the bottom of the oven. This will be used to create steam in the oven.
- When the bread or rolls is ready, use a small sieve to dust the dough lightly with flour, score the tops lengthwise with a sharp knife or a blade then place the tray into the oven. For steam place a few ice cubes into the small stainless-steel bowl.
- Drop the temperature to 230°C and continue baking until the crust is golden brown then remove from the oven and cool on a drying rack.
- Rolls ±15 to 20 minutes.
- Pizza and Focaccia 20 to 25 minutes. (For pizza no ice cubes for steam are required)
- Breads 30 to 40 minutes.
Recipes
Sourdough Rolls:
- Scale dough pieces at 100g.
- Shape the dough pieces long or round. (Be creative and twist the long pieces into knots, use cheese, seeds or garlic to top them off)
- Place all the dough pieces on a flat baking tray, slightly greased with margarine or Bake & Spray.
Sourdough Breads:
- Split the dough into two equal pieces.
- Shape the two pieces into oblong shapes. (The shape is almost like a small rugby ball)
- Place the shaped dough onto a flat baking tray, slightly greased with margarine or Bake & Spray.
Sourdough Breads:
- Prepare your favorite pizza toppings. (Cheese, Mushrooms, meat, etc.)
- Place the dough on a flour dusted service and use a rolling pin to roll the dough out, to about 3mm in thickness.
- Place the rolled-out dough onto a flat baking tray, slightly greased with margarine or Bake & Spray.
- Start by basting the dough with tomato paste and then place all your favorite toppings and finish it off with dried or fresh herbs of your choice.
- Pizzas can be baked directly or leave to proof for about 20 to 30 minutes for a thick base.
Focaccia:
- Split the dough into two equal pieces.
- Place the dough on a flour dusted service and use a rolling pin to roll the dough out, to about 3mm in thickness. Roll the dough about 30cm long and 15cm wide.
- Place the two rolled-out doughs onto a flat baking tray, slightly greased with margarine or Bake & Spray.
- Brush both rolled-out pieces with olive oil.
- Proof the dough for about 30 minutes. Use all four fingers to make deep indentations all over the dough. (The indentations can be close to each other)
- Place toppings and herbs evenly over the dough. (Toppings can be dried tomato, olives, garlic, etc.) Mix toppings with olive oil to ensure they don’t turn black in the oven.
