The Fresh Loaf

A Community of Amateur Bakers and Artisan Bread Enthusiasts.

Humidity and bulk fermentation times

roboboticus's picture
roboboticus

Humidity and bulk fermentation times

Does humidity affect bulk fermentation times?

I see lots of discussion of temperature, but no mention of humidity. Does it have an effect?

Mini Oven's picture
Mini Oven

:)  If you're designing a robot to make bread, and the humidity is higher or lower than your dough hydration, make sure the dough gets covered to prevent any moisturizing or drying of the dough surface.  

High elevations tend to be dryer and thus dry out dough surfaces quickly.  Also the higher the humidity, the quicker the ambient temperatures transfer to the dough.  

roboboticus's picture
roboboticus

I'm not designing a robot, but that makes sense. Thanks :)

Abelbreadgallery's picture
Abelbreadgallery

Of course. Temperature, time and hydration are the Holy Trinity of bakery. I don't know who's the father, who's the son and who's the holy spirit hehehehe ... but the truth is that if one of these 3 parameters change, it changes everything.

A more hydrated dough will ferment faster than a more stiff dough at the same conditions of temperature and quantity of yeast or sourdough.