74 is the best number

Chuck Norris has a number.
I'm a huge fan of the television show Big Bang Theory. There is an episode (Alien Parasite Hypothesis) where one of the characters on the show, Sheldon, tells everyone that 73 is the best number. Or as another character referred to 73, the Chuck Norris of numbers. Bad news Big Bang Theory, Sheldon Cooper is wrong about the best number. Well if you want to apply perfect numbers to baking bread. According the the authors of a famous bread baking book written in 1993, Bread Alone, the magic number is 74.

Double F
I chose focaccia for February. When I went through Bread Alone's recipe, it did not list a temperature that I needed to have the water for dissolving the yeast. I began to panic. It was already 8:30am and I didn't have enough time to figure it out. I wanted to eat this bread before midnight tonight and this bread needed 8 hours for its first rise. I just bit my lip and went with room temperature water. Later I was able to get back to the book.

Temperature of everything matters.
The reason why the temperature wasn't in the recipe is you have to do something. A four letter word. Math. At least it is easy math! You have to add the temperature of the flour, temperature of your kitchen and then add 10-14 degrees due to friction you will impart to the dough when kneading it. Then subtract it from 240 degrees which is the ideal sum temperature of ingredients/room. What you're left with is temperature for your water.

Now I know you are at the edge of your seat...what's with 74?

In general, bread rises best at 80 degrees. Yet the authors highlight 74. Here is why. The minimum temperature to ferment dough is 74 degrees. If you go below that number, it rises too slowly. If you get above 80 degrees you will rise too fast and too much. 

Fancy schmancy! 

I was worried. I got to this information too late and we keep our house around 65-68 degrees in the winter. It all worked out somehow. The bread was excellent!

T

Focaccia has different topping options. The loaf on the left I topped with olive oil, rosemary, thyme, garlic and truffle salt. The one on the right is olive oil and sea salt.
 
Now Bake That!

*This blog is brought to you by the letter F and the number 74.