Water Temperature for Kneading Bread or Pizza: What is the Ideal One?

[vc_row css="%7B%22default%22%3A%7B%22padding-left%22%3A%220%22%2C%22padding-right%22%3A%220%22%7D%7D"][vc_column][vc_column_text]In the preparation of dough for leavened baked goods, there are many variables that contribute to achieving an optimal result. One of these is certainly the temperature of the water: being a variable that is very simple to manage and modify, it is worth knowing exactly what the optimal temperature is.[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]

What temperature should the water be to obtain well-leavened bread or pizza?

Using water at the right temperature is important to facilitate the multiplication of yeast cells, whether we use brewer's yeast or sourdough. Often in recipes, you will find the indication "dissolve the yeast in lukewarm water", but exactly how many degrees are we talking about?[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row content_placement="middle" gap="10px" css="%7B%22default%22%3A%7B%22padding-left%22%3A%2225px%22%2C%22padding-right%22%3A%2225px%22%7D%7D"][vc_column width="1/2" css="%7B%22default%22%3A%7B%22border-color%22%3A%22%23057a2c%22%7D%7D"][vc_row_inner css="%7B%22default%22%3A%7B%22background-color%22%3A%22%23f5f5f5%22%2C%22min-height%22%3A%22300px%22%2C%22padding-top%22%3A%2220px%22%2C%22padding-bottom%22%3A%2220px%22%2C%22padding-right%22%3A%2220px%22%2C%22border-style%22%3A%22solid%22%2C%22border-left-width%22%3A%221px%22%2C%22border-top-width%22%3A%221px%22%2C%22border-bottom-width%22%3A%221px%22%2C%22border-right-width%22%3A%221px%22%2C%22border-color%22%3A%22_header_middle_text_hover%22%7D%7D"][vc_column_inner width="5/12" css="%7B%22default%22%3A%7B%22background-color%22%3A%22%23f5f5f5%22%2C%22background-image%22%3A%2214081%7Cfull%22%2C%22background-position%22%3A%22center%22%2C%22background-size%22%3A%22cover%22%2C%22background-repeat%22%3A%22no-repeat%22%2C%22margin-left%22%3A%2215px%22%2C%22padding-left%22%3A%2210px%22%2C%22padding-top%22%3A%2210px%22%2C%22padding-bottom%22%3A%2210px%22%2C%22padding-right%22%3A%2210px%22%2C%22border-left-width%22%3A%221%22%2C%22border-top-width%22%3A%221%22%2C%22border-bottom-width%22%3A%221%22%2C%22border-right-width%22%3A%221%22%2C%22border-color%22%3A%22_header_middle_text_hover%22%7D%7D"][/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width="7/12" css="%7B%22default%22%3A%7B%22padding-left%22%3A%2210px%22%2C%22padding-right%22%3A%220%22%7D%7D"][vc_column_text css="%7B%22default%22%3A%7B%22color%22%3A%22_content_faded%22%7D%7D"]Type 0 Soft Wheat Flour Nuvola 5Kg[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text css="%7B%22default%22%3A%7B%22font-family%22%3A%22Arial%2C%20Helvetica%2C%20sans-serif%22%2C%22font-size%22%3A%2213px%22%2C%22line-height%22%3A%2218px%22%2C%22margin-bottom%22%3A%220%22%2C%22padding-top%22%3A%220%22%2C%22padding-bottom%22%3A%220%22%7D%7D"] [/vc_column_text][us_btn label="SEE ON TIBIONA.IT" link="url:https%3A%2F%2Ftibiona.it%2Ffarina-tipo-0-di-grano-tenero-nuvola-5kg.html|title:SEE%20DETAILS|target:_blank" style="4" css="%7B%22default%22%3A%7B%22margin-top%22%3A%2212px%22%2C%22position%22%3A%22relative%22%7D%7D"][/vc_column_inner][/vc_row_inner][/vc_column][vc_column width="1/2"][vc_row_inner css="%7B%22default%22%3A%7B%22background-color%22%3A%22%23f5f5f5%22%2C%22min-height%22%3A%22300px%22%2C%22padding-top%22%3A%2220px%22%2C%22padding-bottom%22%3A%2220px%22%2C%22padding-right%22%3A%2220px%22%2C%22border-style%22%3A%22solid%22%2C%22border-left-width%22%3A%221px%22%2C%22border-top-width%22%3A%221px%22%2C%22border-bottom-width%22%3A%221px%22%2C%22border-right-width%22%3A%221px%22%2C%22border-color%22%3A%22_header_middle_text_hover%22%7D%7D"][vc_column_inner width="5/12" css="%7B%22default%22%3A%7B%22background-color%22%3A%22%23f5f5f5%22%2C%22background-image%22%3A%2214083%7Cfull%22%2C%22background-position%22%3A%22center%22%2C%22background-size%22%3A%22cover%22%2C%22background-repeat%22%3A%22no-repeat%22%2C%22margin-left%22%3A%2215px%22%2C%22padding-left%22%3A%2210px%22%2C%22padding-top%22%3A%2210px%22%2C%22padding-bottom%22%3A%2210px%22%2C%22padding-right%22%3A%2210px%22%2C%22border-left-width%22%3A%221%22%2C%22border-top-width%22%3A%221%22%2C%22border-bottom-width%22%3A%221%22%2C%22border-right-width%22%3A%221%22%2C%22border-color%22%3A%22_header_middle_text_hover%22%7D%7D"][/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width="7/12" css="%7B%22default%22%3A%7B%22padding-left%22%3A%2210px%22%2C%22padding-right%22%3A%220px%22%7D%7D"][vc_column_text css="%7B%22default%22%3A%7B%22color%22%3A%22_content_faded%22%2C%22font-family%22%3A%22Arial%2C%20Helvetica%2C%20sans-serif%22%7D%7D"]Organic Type 00 Soft Wheat Flour for Pizza, Bread (100% Italian grains)[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text css="%7B%22default%22%3A%7B%22font-family%22%3A%22Arial%2C%20Helvetica%2C%20sans-serif%22%2C%22font-size%22%3A%2213px%22%2C%22line-height%22%3A%2218px%22%2C%22margin-bottom%22%3A%220%22%2C%22padding-top%22%3A%220%22%2C%22padding-bottom%22%3A%220%22%7D%7D"] [/vc_column_text][us_btn label="SEE ON TIBIONA.IT" link="url:https%3A%2F%2Ftibiona.it%2Fcatalog%2Fproduct%2Fview%2Fid%2F34920%2Fs%2Ffarina-biologica-tipo-00%2Fcategory%2F589%2F|title:SEE%20DETAILS|target:_blank" style="4" css="%7B%22default%22%3A%7B%22margin-top%22%3A%2212px%22%2C%22position%22%3A%22relative%22%7D%7D"][/vc_column_inner][/vc_row_inner][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row css="%7B%22default%22%3A%7B%22padding-left%22%3A%220%22%2C%22padding-right%22%3A%220%22%7D%7D"][vc_column][vc_column_text]

The test

We conducted a laboratory test to determine what the ideal temperature is and especially what variations the different water temperatures cause on the dough. We created 5 doughs by progressively varying the temperature of the water:

• First dough: 20°C
• Second dough: 40°C
• Third dough: 60°C
• Fourth dough: 80°C
• Fifth dough: 100°C

[/vc_column_text][us_separator size="small"][us_image image="14050"][us_image image="14051"][us_separator size="small"][vc_column_text]In the image shown, we see two loaves, on the left the one made with the lowest water temperature and on the right the highest. As can be seen, there is a difference in colour and texture.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row css="%7B%22default%22%3A%7B%22padding-left%22%3A%220%22%2C%22padding-right%22%3A%220%22%7D%7D"][vc_column][vc_column_text]

Results

Examining in detail all the loaves made, we can state that water temperature that is too low, i.e. below 25°C, hinders the correct formation of gluten. The dough may turn out hard and the leavening may be very slow. Similarly, temperatures above 28-30°C cause damage to the gluten network: the dough will be sticky and the leavening will start too quickly. In both cases, the good result of the final product could be compromised. The test confirms that the ideal water temperature for bread, pizza, and focaccia doughs is between 25 and 28 degrees.[/vc_column_text][us_separator size="small"][/vc_column][/vc_row]