Making my own cold-proofing box

[aaronatthedoublef]

I always proof my bread dough in the refrigerator at least over night. But our refrigerator is usually tight which limits the amount of dough I can make at one time.

As our basement will drop down to the 50s now that the hot weather has mostly broken - today and tomorrow are supposed to be in the high 70s and low 80s - can I use a cooler with ice packs in it in the basement to make a cold proofer? Has anyone tried anything like this?

Now is not a good time to buy a second refrigerator.

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[skeptic7]

I have put a large cake carrier with cold water in it, and then float the dough in a metal bowl in the cake carrier with the lid on. The cake carrier is one of the large plastic ones, and is upside down also. This gives me a somewhat colder environment for a couple of hours until the water warms up to room temperature. It works nicely to keep the dough from drying out.
I think a cooler with cold water or an ice pack will keep the dough cool over night. How cold do you want the dough? Water with ice cubes might make it too cold.

[aaronatthedoublef]

Thanks Skeptic. I want something about 40 degrees - around our refrigerator (which is actually under 40).

Ice floating on cold water is typically about 38 degrees so that would be good.

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