Barb at King Arthur

April 24, 2021 at 9:44am

In reply to by Kelvin (not verified)

Hi Kelvin, you're totally correct that your room temperature will have an effect on the dough temperature during the bulk ferment and the final proof. Home bakers are at a bit of a disadvantage here because working with relatively small hunks of dough means that the dough is going to change temperature more rapidly than a larger mass of dough. Check out this blog post for some suggestions on how to keep your dough in the appropriate temperature range. My one caution when it comes to working with your microwave as a subsitute proof box: water heated in the microwave for an extended time can become super-heated and erupt unexpectedly. This has actually happened to me a few times, so I always advise caution. To be on the safe side you can heat your water on the stove and then pour it into a pyrex cup and place it in the microwave to heat up that small space. Including a heat safe plastic or wooden implement (like a chopstick) that breaks the surface of the water in the cup while heating it in the microwave is another way of preventing this eruption from occurring. 

If you have an instant read thermometer, check your dough temperature periodically during the bulk ferment. Especially during the summertime, your dough might not need much assistance in staying in the appropriate temperature range. 

Barb 

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