24/02/2022
Water is an ingredient of considerable importance in bread dough. ...
Although it is easy to overlook—after all, turn on the tap and it is there—it is beneficial to be aware of the effects water has in our baking.
Water Hardness
The degree of hardness is an indication of the amount of calcium and magnesium ions in water, expressed in parts per million (ppm). Soft water has less than 50 ppm, while hard water has over 200 ppm. Generally, water of medium hardness, with about 100 to 150 ppm of minerals, is best suited to bread baking. The minerals in water provide food for the yeast, and therefore can benefit fermentation. However, if the water is excessively hard, there will be a tightening effect on the gluten, as well as a decrease in the fermentation rate (the minerals make water absorption more difficult for the proteins in the flour).
On the other hand, if water is excessively soft, the lack of minerals will result in a dough that is sticky and slack.
