I baked my first loaf last night, after 72 hours in the fridge. Delicious, but I'm hoping for a bigger lift next time. Other than longer time in the fridge (and I've still got dough left, so ready on that) what can I do? It seems like even after an hour out of the refrigerator the dough is still cold. I was worried about over proofing so went ahead and baked it but can we do a longer pre-baking rise? Is it OK to put a cold loaf directly into the oven? Would this be a time to use the old instant read thermometer? Sure, let it rise longer, Abby. Did you do the hot water thing? Try spritzing the bread itself with warm water before putting it into the oven, too. Did you substitute any whole wheat flour? If so, that would affect its rise. You can put a cold loaf directly into the oven (you mean, without letting it rise?) - but it won't help it rise more. And yes, you can use an instant-read thermometer to measure the interior temperature of the bread when you think it's done - it should be at least 190°F. Keep trying - you'll figure out what works for you, in your kitchen, in your oven. Good luck - PJH

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