Bread-Bakers v105.n005.6

I am interested in technical aspects of breadmaking, and have appreciated 
the increasing inclusion of "why" explanations in recent 
publications.  However, I still haven't found a good explanation of the 
test for adequate rising--that is, poking the dough with a finger to see if 
the dough remains indented, or bounces back.

Even if we accept that this works, what has happened to the bread that has 
resulted in its change in response?  My only thought is that the maturing 
dough may have reached the end of its tolerance, and therefore needs to be 
baked fairly soon to avoid collapsing.  Any other thought and/or footnotes 
out there?

Phillip R. Seitz
Curator of History
Cliveden of the National Trust, Inc.
6401 Germantown Avenue
Philadelphia, PA  19144
V: 215-848-1777
F: 215-438-2892
<http://www.cliveden.org/>