Summer is here and with it comes hot days. While long summer days are great for the beach, they can have an effect on your bakery, so it is important to know how to adjust your routine for the summer season. At Empire Bakery Equipment, we know the importance of a properly functioning and productive bakery, so we have offered some tips for baking in hot weather.
- Get your cookies in the oven ASAP! Believe it or not, if you let cookie dough sit in a warm humid kitchen, the butter in your dough will start to melt and separate from the dough. In these situations, it is beneficial to have a cookie depositor and double rack oven in order to quickly and efficiently make large quantities of cookies without having to leave them out too long or worry about room in your refrigerator to keep the cookie dough cool.
- Bread Dough Proofs/Ferments Quicker. Bread baking is very different in warm or humid temperatures. Your dough will actually proof quicker in the warmer weather when floor proofing, so it is advised to shorten the time you would normally let a dough proof when the weather gets hot. For a more controlled proofing environment on hot summer days, we recommend a roll-in proofer that is foam insulated and has a rapid responding air-wash heat and humidity system.
- Keep an eye on your butter! With a warmer kitchen in the summer months, your butter will soften faster. If you are using recipes that require softened butter, check the softness of your butter early and often to ensure that the butter does not get too soft and affect the overall texture of your baked goods!
- Reduce liquids in your recipes when humid. In order to counterbalance the moisture in the air on humid days, try reducing the amount of liquid a recipe calls for by roughly one-quarter. If the recipe looks a bit too dry, add a splash of liquid at a time until the consistency is just right, however, keep in mind the dry ingredients will always absorb some moisture in the air on humid days. To accurately add the perfect amount of moisture at the exact recommended temperature, we recommend using a water meter.
- Protect your finished product. After you bake your bread in a deck oven to get that beautiful crust on your artisan bread, be sure to cover and protect your bread from the summer humidity. The moisture in the humid air can absorb into your bread and turn the crust soft. It would be a shame to make delicious loaves of bread for your bakery and have it ruined by unprepared baking in hot weather.
Some bakery owners do not even realize how the summer weather can affect their business, but that’s why Empire is here to help. From bakery equipment to bakery consulting, we look out for our customers and make sure you are getting the most out of your bakery. For more information on bakery cooling tips or to learn more about our equipment to help increase production and cut labor costs, give us a call today!
FAQs
Tips for Baking in Hot Weather
- Get your cookies in the oven ASAP! ...
- Bread Dough Proofs/Ferments Quicker. ...
- Keep an eye on your butter! ...
- Reduce liquids in your recipes when humid. ...
- Protect your finished product.
Steps to Bake at 325°F Instead of 350°F
Adjust the baking time. Lowering the temperature means your food will take longer to bake. Keep an eye on your dish and use a toothpick or cake tester to check for doneness. You may need to add a few extra minutes to the original baking time.
How do you bake in humid weather? ›
A good rule of thumb if baking on a humid day is to start by removing a quarter of the total amount (so use 3/4 cup of liquid if your recipe calls for a full cup), and then add some of the moisture back in (one tablespoon at a time) if it looks like your dough or batter has not yet reached the ideal consistency.
Is it better to bake a cake at 325 or 350? ›
Baking at a lower temperature yields a lighter crust. And not only is the crust lighter, it's more tender, as well. Notice the thicker, darker crust from the cake baked at 350°F (above left), compared to the crust from the cake baked at 325°F.
Can you bake brownies at 350 instead of 325? ›
Most recipes call for baking brownies at 350°. If a fudgy inside and crackly top is your goal, stick with that temperature. Brownies baked at 325° will take longer to bake and will become chewier in texture.
How long to cook something at 300 instead of 350? ›
How long to cook something at 300 instead of 350? Add 20% to your cooking time and you should be in the safe zone.
What is the number one rule of baking? ›
#1 Read through the recipe
Make sure to quickly skim the recipe before you start baking to understand the general flow and key steps. You can even make notes on the recipe or highlight key points to help you along.
What to avoid when baking? ›
Common Baking Mistakes (And How to Fix Them)
- Baking at the wrong temperature. ...
- Not measuring ingredients. ...
- Checking on your items too frequently. ...
- Your ingredients are at the wrong temperature. ...
- Your dough isn't rising. ...
- Nothing is baking evenly. ...
- Your dough or batter is too tough. ...
- Wrap Up.
Watch the Weather
Baking in the summer can be difficult if your kitchen is hot and/or humid. A hot kitchen can make or break a cookie or pie dough. The fat melts making a pie dough crumbly and difficult to work with. Soft butter in the cookie dough impacts how a cookie rises.
Should you bake bread on fan or no fan? ›
For the best loaves at home, I use the oven on a non-fan setting for the first 12-14 minutes. After this point the crust has risen and solidified and moisture is not so important. Then I switch the oven to fan setting for the remainder of the bake.
Steam in the oven and subsequently on the surface of your loaves helps keep that skin pliable and stretchy during baking. If your dough dries and bakes too quickly on the exterior, it can harden off before it rises to its full potential (and you may not see a satisfying gringe, either).
Does hot weather affect baking? ›
Watch the Weather
Baking in the summer can be difficult if your kitchen is hot and/or humid. A hot kitchen can make or break a cookie or pie dough. The fat melts making a pie dough crumbly and difficult to work with. Soft butter in the cookie dough impacts how a cookie rises.
How do I cook things in the oven with different temperatures? ›
USE AN AVERAGE TEMPERATURE
You can bake several dishes at once by setting your oven to the average temperature called for across recipes. If, for instance, one dish requires a temperature of 350℉ and another needs to bake at 400℉, set the temperature to 375℉ and keep a close eye on food as it cooks.
Can I bake at 100 degrees? ›
Typically, baking requires higher temperatures ranging from 300 to 450 degrees Fahrenheit, depending on the recipe. However, you could potentially use a 100-degree oven for dehydrating fruits or vegetables, or for proofing yeast dough.
How do you make a cake in hot weather? ›
Do your baking at a different time (or in a different room) to your decorating so you don't make your working area even warmer. Fit black out blinds to your windows (these are relatively inexpensive and keep a lot of heat out). If you have a fan, place a frozen bottle of water in front of it so it is blowing cool air.
