Dough temperature DROPS while mixing

[jsaras]

I live in California, so it's never that cold here, and the temperature never gets below 67 degrees inside my house.  In spite of warming up the exterior of the steel mixing bowl with hot water (a tip mentioned by Pizza Shark) and starting with 90 degree water my dough usually drops about 10 degrees while mixing (typically a 5-8 minute process). 

For example, today I was making a Lehmann preferment dough that requires ice-cold water for the final stage and the target final dough temp mentioned in the instructions was 80 degrees.  I would have to mix for a VERY long time to accomplish that kind of temperature swing, if I would ever hit that temperature at all.  It would take far longer than just having the dough ball come together and be smooth.

Anyone else have similar experiences?  What am I missing here?

[Chicago Bob]

Drop" icing" the water....

[Pete-zza]

Jonas,

The transfer of heat is from hot to cold. That is why the temperature in an oven will drop if you open the door too often. A dough being mixed will also drop in temperature, especially in the winter, if it is being mixed in a cool room, and also if you use an autolyse or one or more similar rest periods that give the dough more time to give up its heat to its surroundings. Unless you use a very warm water to raise the finished dough temperature, an alternative is to just increase the amount of yeast so that the dough ferments faster as a result. My practice is to try to achieve a finished dough temperature of around 75-80 degrees F, no matter the room temperature. If the forces of nature work against me, as they are likely to do in winter, I raise the amount of yeast.

Peter

[Chicago Bob]

I think simply adding "some more" yeast can open up a can of worms for the inexperienced. Just a comment directed at nobody....

[Pete-zza]

I think simply adding "some more" yeast can open up a can of worms for the inexperienced. Just a comment directed at nobody....

As I see it, Jonas' options are to do nothing and remain inexperienced and possibly end up with an underfermented dough by the time he wants to use it, or to do something constructive that will change things for the better. Another option would be to dramatically increase the temperature of the room so that it is higher than the temperature of his dough so that the heat of the room is imparted to the dough, raising its temperature. Or he can use a proofing box to elevate the dough's temperature before cold fermenting it. Either way, Jonas can keep the amount of yeast called for by the recipe he is using.

Peter

[Chicago Bob]

Are you saying that using warmer water(instead of ice water)would not be an easy step in the right direction for this "trying to become experienced" member?

[Pete-zza]

Are you saying that using warmer water(instead of ice water)would not be an easy step in the right direction for this "trying to become experienced" member?

No. It is an option if Jonas can calculate the water temperature needed to achieve the desired finished dough temperature. He will have to know the friction factor for his mixer or food processor or bread maker, if he is using one of these. Then he can follow the instructions given in the article by Tom Lehmann at http://www.pmq.com/mag/2003spring/tom_lehmann.shtml. Or he can use the simplified method that Tom discusses at Reply 3 at http://www.pizzamaking.com/forum/index.php/topic,14376.msg144312.html#msg144312 in response to my Reply 2 in the same thread.

Peter

EDIT (1/25/13): Since the link to the above Lehmann article is no longer operative, see the Wayback Machine link to the same article at http://web.archive.org/web/20070502014430/http://www.pmq.com/mag/2003spring/tom_lehmann.shtml

[jsaras]

I put the finished dough in a covered bowl into a moderately heated oven (80 degrees) for about 10 minutes. The dough went from 69 to 76 degrees and then I put it into the refrigerator. Hopefully that will get me near the goal line in 36 hours.

I have a friction factor table that I downloaded from somewhere that assumes a 25 degree friction factor, but that's not been my practical experience with my Kitchen Aid mixer. I mostly do single dough balls, occasionally two. I wonder if amount of mass in the bowl, or lack thereof, is a factor.