Glossary

Oven spring

Oven spring is the rapid final expansion of dough during the first minutes of baking. Heat makes the trapped gas expand and drives a burst of yeast activity before the dough reaches a temperature that stops the yeast and sets the crumb. Good oven spring depends on proper proofing and a hot oven: under-proofed dough may burst at a weak spot, and over-proofed dough has little left to give. Scoring the top lets the loaf expand where you choose. See also: Final proof, Scoring, Under-proofing, Over-proofing.