For many, the most intimidating aspect of proofing bread is the time — it typically takes a few hours for bread to rise properly — but this is actually the easy part.

The biggest issues that prevent the bread from rising are making mistakes when kneading and not proofing the dough in the right environment.

If your kitchen’s room temperature hovers between 72 and 78 degrees Fahrenheit, you can proof the bread in a covered bowl on the counter. Otherwise, the best bet is in the oven.

Be sure to not turn on the oven — the secret lies in the lightbulb. Believe it or not, those little lights can get your oven as hot as 75 to 100 degrees Fahrenheit.

To test if you can proof your bread, put an oven thermometer inside and turn the light on. If it’s between 72 and 78 degrees Fahrenheit after half an hour, it’s good to go.