Proofing is just a fancy bakery term for “letting the dough sit in a warm place so the yeast can party.” Normally, you’d have to light a candle in a damp bathroom or sit on your dough to keep it warm. Gross and ineffective.
The proof setting turns your oven into a perfect, gentle incubator—usually around 80 to 100°F. That’s the Goldilocks zone for yeast: not too hot (which kills it and makes you cry), not too cold (which makes it nap for three days).
Your oven achieves this by cycling a very low, consistent heat. It’s like a warm hug that says, “Hey, little yeast babies, double in size or I’ll be disappointed.”
