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Warning about using warm water to speed up yeast
I was in a rush for a big order last Friday. My usual proofing spot was cold. So I tried putting the bowl of dough in a sink full of warm water, like bath temp. Figured it would cut the rise time in half. Big mistake. The outside of the dough ball got hot and cooked a little, made this weird skin. Inside was still raw and dense. The whole batch of focaccia was ruined, about $30 in ingredients gone. I learned yeast likes steady, gentle warmth, not a hot tub. Now I just turn my oven light on and put the bowl in there with the door cracked. It works every time. Has anyone else messed up their dough by trying to rush the rise too fast?
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wyatt5133mo ago
Yikes, that's the yeast's version of a surprise sauna. Went from a nice proof to a pre-bake panic. Sounds like you made a doughy life jacket with that weird cooked skin. At least the oven light method is a solid fix. Heat is so tricky with this stuff. Gotta baby those little yeast guys.
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hayes.elliot1mo ago
Right, I saw this thing from a baker on YouTube who tested oven temps with a cheap thermometer and found out most ovens run like 25 degrees hotter than what they say. So a proof setting that says "warm" is basically cooking the dough from the outside in before the yeast even gets going. That cooked skin you mentioned makes total sense now, it's like the dough started baking on the outside while the inside was still trying to rise. The oven light method is good, but I've also had luck just leaving it near a sunny window or on top of the fridge where it's just a little warmer than room temp. Still sucks to lose a whole batch, especially with how expensive flour and oil are these days.
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evah403mo ago
Oh man, that is such a heartbreaking way to learn that lesson. Ruining a whole batch of focaccia is the worst feeling, especially with the cost of ingredients now. That oven light trick is a total lifesaver for a steady warm spot. It really is crazy how a little too much heat can just wreck the yeast's whole process.
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