This article is misleading and doesn’t mention a couple of important variables - the total weight of the dough and the pan size you plan to use. I have baked countless bread recipes since I started my bread-making journey 3 years ago. King Arthur provided me with a great foundation, and I am very thankful for that! Now, I make my own recipes using baker’s percentages. I have formulated my recipes to fit perfectly in the 8.5”x4.5” loaf pan by the USA Pan brand. My basic white sandwich loaf has a total dough weight of 580 grams, which is 41% of the pan’s volume. I found the volume of my pan by filling it with water until it reached the very top without spilling. I have found this is the sweet spot for any pan if you want a bread that rises properly and feels light out of the oven. When you start with the proper dough weight, the rule of baking when the dough reaches 1” above the pan works as intended. However, if you start with a dough weight that is 800 grams, the dough won’t have the proper space to rise, leading to a heavy and dense feeling loaf out of the oven. That is a telltale sign you have not proofed the bread long enough. I’ve been there many times even following King Arthur’s recipes supposedly formulated for my pan size. It was only recently that I discovered these very important variables.

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