After mixing however the dough has to be left for several hours to ferment and for the gluten to mellow before it can be baked. The waiting time above is dispensed with if the ingredients are mixed on high speed mixer. This is the method used by the large plant bakeries such as Irish Pride Bakeries. No matter how the dough has been mixed it goes through a machine which divides it volumetrically into pieces of the required size. This is known as the inter-proof or first proof stage.
Good moulding produces an even texture in the finished loaf.
This is known as the final or 2 nd proof. After about 50 minutes in a warm humid condition the dough is ready for baking. If no lid is placed on the tin then the bread will rise to give a loaf with a rounded high top. However if a lid is placed on the tin during baking then the outcome is a square loaf which is often used for toasting pans as the square shape slices are more suitable for the toaster.