Yesterday and today, the hot water supply has been “iffy” when I’m ready to make dough. However, it’s happening exactly when I decided to change our process and make smaller batches throughout the day instead of all of it in the morning. The reason for that being that we have less waste and more cooler space. So, I’m not positive it’s the water temperature or if it might be a miscalculation in the dough mix (but I really doubt that’s it since it’s just 1/2 batches).
There are a million kinds of dough, of course, but generally: the warmer the water, the softer and puffier the dough, (and the shorter the life-span), the colder the water, the denser and harder the dough.
My dough is actually really, really soft and puffy with the lower temp (also “sticky”). I thought maybe the yeast wasn’t getting activated well enough.
How does smaller batches through the day reduce waste?
Good point, hod does making smaller batches of dough reduce waste?
Also, keep in mind that the temperature of the water is what controls the temperature of the dough, and it is the temperature of the dough that controls your entire dough management program. Without temperature control of the dough, you do not have an effective dough management program which can result in significant inconsistencies of your dough during the day, and from day to day, it will also influence how your dough handles, or doesn’t handle, and the characteristics of your finished crusts.
Tom Lehmann/The Dough Doctor