How to obtain the desired dough temperature

For the yeast and the enzymes to be happy and fermentation to take place properly, it is important that the dough be neither too warm nor too cold when it comes out of the mixer. A range of 74 to 77 F is considered optimal for most doughs (although rye doughs benefit from slightly warmer temperatures). The only way a baker has at his/her disposal to get the dough temperature he/she desires (desired dough temperature or DDT) is to use the proper water temperature.

How to calculate the water temperature? Here is what I learned at the San Francisco Baking Institute during the Artisan I workshop I attended in 2009 (and I am quoting from the reference material we were given):

• If the dough is too hot, the yeast will move too fast and fermentation tolerance will be reached before the proper balance of strength and flavor has been reached;
• If the dough is too cold, the yeast will be very sluggish and fermentation will take a very long time.

Factors contributing to the final temperature of the dough:

• Room temperature
• Flour temperature
• Water temperature
• Friction factor (amount of heat created by the action of the mixer)
• Temperature of pre-ferment if using

The only temperature the baker can control is the water temperature (for more info on how to determine the friction factor, click here).

Example: DDT = 75 F
Flour temperature = 65 F
Room temperature = 65 F
Friction Factor = 8 F
Base temperature = DDT x 3 (since we have only three factors to consider) 75F x 3 = 225 F
The known temperatures and the friction factor are substracted from the base temperature to find out what the water temperature should be.
Calculation: Base Temperature 225 F Room Temperature minus 65 F Flour Temperature minus 65 F Friction Factor minus 8 F
Water temperature = 87 F 225 - (65+65+8) = 87

If all of the temperatures are accurate and the friction factor has been determined properly, using 87 F water will yield dough with a final temperature of 75 F. If using a preferment, that preferment must be considered as a fourth factor, i.e. the base temperature is DDT x 4 and the temperature of the preferment needs to be substracted from it to get the proper water temperature.

How to calculate the friction factor for your mixer

For more info on how to obtain the desired dough temperature, please click here.

To calculate your mixer's friction factor (i.e. the amount by which mixing increases the dough temperature, an important value to take into consideration when figuring out what water temperature to use), the easiest way, according to Jeff, is as follows:

1. Write down the temperatures of the air, the water (using water at between 65 and 75 F) and the flour prior to mixing a straight dough (that is, without preferments. If using a preferment such as a poolish, you'll need to record its temperature as well)
2. Mix dough as usual
3. Take the dough temperature
4. If the dough temperature is for instance 76F, then multiply 76 by 3 (since we already know the temperatures of three of the elements to take into consideration), in this case: 228 (if using a preferment, multiply by 76 x 4)
5. Then substract the air, flour and water temperatures (as well as the preferment temperature if using)
6. What's left is the temperature increase resulting from the friction, in other words the value of the friction factor for your mixer.

It is good to remember that:

• The more dough there is in the bowl of the mixer, the lower the friction factor
• Wetter doughs (for instance ciabatta dough) generate less friction than dry doughs (such as challah dough), so for ciabatta up the water temperature by 5 F (do the opposite for challah).