I forgot to thank you for the above-info. It is the very statement that made it worthwhile to try out (for me).

I raised it and then rolled it out into my strands to braid but now I'm thinking that I should've just rolled it out right away and raised it once as I noted that the top dries out and gets a bit crunchy.

Also, I left my in a glass bowl (covered with a cotton towel) and the light on all night... like I would do to make yoghurt... and it seemed to do well enough that I could've baked it right away, right in the bowl. Next time I will raise it overnight, right on the pan that I want to bake it on.