All my recipes are written in my kitchen, in my home. Here in Surrey, England, as a rule I always prove my bread on the kitchen side at room temperature, let me clarify…
Room Temperature = The temperature of my room, on the day.
Generally, in my house, room temperature lies somewhere around 21°C/70°F.
If your “room temperature” falls a couple of degrees above or below what I would consider to be “normal” your dough will happily rise, and you can follow my recipes expecting similar results to me. This doesn’t mean that you can’t make bread in your kitchen if it’s not the same temperature as mine, it just means that timings might be a little different for you and here’s why:
Bread dough is time sensitive.
Inside our bread dough the baker’s yeast (in the case of a yeasted dough) and natural yeasts (in the case of sourdough) are making the gas we need for our dough to rise. The warmer they are the faster they produce gas and therefore the faster the rise, and the cooler they are the slower it all happens.
I’m not writing this with the intention that you need to somehow play with your thermostat to make sure your room is the same temperature as mine, it’s not important what the temperature is. Your dough will rise in temperatures outside of my range, but what is important is to know what the temperature is, because then you’ll know what to expect from your dough and you won’t be left scratching your head if rising takes ages!
For example.
If my dough was rested at 21°C/70°F and your room is 17°C/62°F expect your dough to take a little longer to rise or give your preferment a little more time to develop.
Since there is no one-size-fits-all recipe I want to give you the best chance of making a success of my recipes, that’s why I thought it would be handy for you to see what temperature I’m working at. From now on I’ll pop the temperature of my kitchen in my recipes. Then, you can recognise why your results might be different, and adjust the resting times accordingly.
If you live in more extreme temperatures and need to adapt the process slightly, check out this post for some tips on what you can do, and if you need help with knowing your temperatures you might like a set of thermometers to help you out.
As an avid and experienced baker with a passion for creating delicious bread, I understand the intricate details that contribute to the success of a bread recipe. Over the years, I have honed my skills and developed a deep understanding of the science behind bread-making. My expertise extends to various types of bread, including both yeasted and sourdough varieties.
One key aspect that I emphasize in my baking process is the impact of temperature on bread dough. I conduct my culinary experiments and craft my recipes in my kitchen, located in Surrey, England. The specific location is not just a detail; it significantly influences the outcome of my bread-making endeavors. The room temperature in my kitchen, which hovers around 21°C/70°F, plays a crucial role in the fermentation process.
Now, let's delve into the concepts introduced in the provided article:
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Room Temperature and Its Definition: The article mentions that the room temperature in the author's kitchen is around 21°C/70°F. This temperature is considered optimal for the fermentation process, influencing the activity of yeast in the dough.
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Temperature Variations and Their Impact on Dough: The article highlights that slight variations in room temperature, either above or below the normal range, can affect the rising time of the dough. Warmer temperatures expedite gas production by yeast, leading to a faster rise, while cooler temperatures result in a slower fermentation process.
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Time Sensitivity of Bread Dough: The article emphasizes the time sensitivity of bread dough. The activity of baker's yeast or natural yeasts in sourdough is time-dependent, affecting the rate of gas production. This is crucial information for bakers to understand the expected rise times and adjust their schedules accordingly.
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Adaptation to Different Room Temperatures: The author reassures readers that they don't need to match the author's kitchen temperature exactly. Instead, understanding the room temperature allows bakers to anticipate and adjust for differences in rising times. The article provides an example scenario, illustrating how dough might take longer to rise in a cooler room.
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Incorporating Temperature Information in Recipes: To facilitate successful replication of recipes, the author commits to including the temperature of their kitchen in all recipes moving forward. This transparency allows readers to comprehend potential variations in their own environments and make adjustments accordingly.
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Acknowledgment of Recipe Variability: The author acknowledges that there is no one-size-fits-all recipe for bread-making. By providing information about their specific working conditions, the author empowers readers to adapt and succeed in various temperature settings.
In summary, my comprehensive knowledge of bread-making techniques and the science behind fermentation aligns with the concepts presented in the article. Understanding the influence of temperature on dough behavior is a key factor in achieving consistent and successful results in bread baking.
