Proving bread in a microwave

I've never used a microwave to prove bread, for the same reason as you - even a few seconds on high would tend to raise part of the dough to a temperature likely to kill the yeast and, even if the rest survived, the temperature would not be even throughout. This method sounds simple and safe, though. It only involves using the residual heat of the boiling water and has the advantage that the atmosphere is moist. As I generally use water at blood heat when I make bread, my yeast gets off to a good start and this method would certainly help to keep the temperature up. I noticed that there is a mention at the bottom of the page you mention to 'crockpot bread'. I've looked at descriptions and pictures of this before but have never tried it. Have you?

I've heard that when you get out of bed, you should place the dough in the warm bed! Perhaps you could leave the electric blanket on warm - if you have one.

I wish to have a microwave to try this

hmm, wonder how that'd treat gluten free bread?? that schtuff's sure'nuf finicky! may need to give such a try. 've ya tried it yet?

I am terrible with a microwave, never figured out how to use it for anything but thawing stuff. I bake the old fashioned way, in an oven. So I am not certain what a microwave would do to the yeast, even just warming in it. I hope someone can let you know though.

I still use old method of filling of up a basin with a hot water, placing there my dough in a bowl and covering it all with a towel or blanket. I think it still works well, preserving my yeast

I have never tried that technique. I generally use the bread maker to mix everything, using the dough cycle!

I know I am responding late to this thread, Fleur, so I apologize for that... I LOVE to make homemade bread! I usually turn my oven to "WARM" and place the pan on top of my stove with a towel covering it. The low heat from the oven gently keeps the top of the stove warm allowing my dough to rise just right. I've never had any problems with my bread being too dry, either, from doing the proving this way. I don't bake loaves of bread as I have never been able to get the timing and heat right. I either have raw dough in the center of the loaf or I have burned bread. I quit trying to make loaves thirty years ago! I always just bake rolls with my loaf recipe... I think I am going to give the crock pot bread a try! Thank you for this!