Thank you for another science article. I use a B&T proofer in the winter and it's a game changer. Summers are harder. It feels as if the more you mix the harder it is for the gluten to form. Your tips help get the dough with the correct feel, but the issue of controlling the rate of fermentation (esp. after shaping) still remains. I often joke I need a wine fridge to use as a summer proofer. I've looked into what people have done in the centuries before the modern climate-regulating technology to combat the summer heat. One particular technique was fascinating: dropping the dough (wrapped in cloth) into the river for the bulk proofing time. It works well for brioche, the high fat % keeps the dough from absorbing any more liquid.

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