Oven spring is the rapid expansion or rise of a fully proofed bread dough in the first few minutes of baking, typically up to 30% increase in size. This happens because the trapped carbon dioxide gas within the dough expands due to the heat of the oven, pushing against the gluten structure and causing the loaf to swell before the crust hardens.
Key Details of Oven Spring
- It occurs when a loaf is fully proofed, meaning the dough has fermented enough for maximum carbon dioxide to be trapped inside.
- Under proofed dough will have some oven spring but less than optimal, resulting in denser bread.
- Over proofed dough often collapses instead of rising because the gluten structure is weakened.
- Scoring the dough before baking helps direct the expansion so the loaf rises uniformly.
- Steam in the oven during the first 10-15 minutes keeps the crust moist, allowing better oven spring.
- The rapid rise usually happens within the first 10 minutes of baking.
In essence, oven spring is the final burst of rising when the dough hits the oven heat, crucial for light, airy, and well-structured bread.
