Controlling the dough temperature allows bakers to manipulate the timing of the bulk fermentation. Temperature will determine the rate of fermentation, helping you to control yeast activity and the development of flavour in the dough. The main ways you can manipulate dough temperature are through the temperature of the ingredients, especially the water, and the ambient temperature. If you’re working in a really cold kitchen, you can use warmer water to raise the temperature of the dough. Conversely, if the kitchen is hot, you might want to bring the temperature of your water down, to produce a cooler dough. This is especially important if you’re working on a mixer because the mechanical mixing will warm the dough slightly.
