When a baking recipe using yeast calls for water, does anyone avoid tap
water on the theory that the chlorine is inconsistent with good yeast
development? Is that a false idea, not worth worrying about, I hope?

Happy Independence Day . . .

Cuthbert Thistlethwaite > wrote:
> When a baking recipe using yeast calls for water, does anyone avoid
> tap water on the theory that the chlorine is inconsistent with good
> yeast development? Is that a false idea, not worth worrying about,
> I hope?
>
> Happy Independence Day . . .

I haven't baked bread in years but I sure never worried about the tap water
when I did. The bread always came out just fine.

Jill

In article >,
Cuthbert Thistlethwaite > wrote:

> When a baking recipe using yeast calls for water, does anyone avoid tap
> water on the theory that the chlorine is inconsistent with good yeast
> development? Is that a false idea, not worth worrying about, I hope?

I've always used tap water and never had a problem.

If you're worried about the chlorine content in your tap water, leave it
in an open-topped container for 24 hours, and the chlorine will
evaporate off.

Miche

--
Electricians do it in three phases

jmcquown wrote:
> Cuthbert Thistlethwaite > wrote:
>> When a baking recipe using yeast calls for water, does anyone avoid
>> tap water on the theory that the chlorine is inconsistent with good
>> yeast development? Is that a false idea, not worth worrying about,
>> I hope?
>>
>> Happy Independence Day . . .
>
> I haven't baked bread in years but I sure never worried about the tap
> water when I did. The bread always came out just fine.

I bake bread every other day, and I use tap water almost every time
(that is, when I don't use milk or some other liquid). It's fine.

Serene

--
"I think I have an umami receptor that has developed sentience." -- Stef

On Sat, 05 Jul 2008 13:20:50 +1200, Miche >
wrote:

>In article >,
> Cuthbert Thistlethwaite > wrote:
>
>> When a baking recipe using yeast calls for water, does anyone avoid tap
>> water on the theory that the chlorine is inconsistent with good yeast
>> development? Is that a false idea, not worth worrying about, I hope?
>
>I've always used tap water and never had a problem.
>
>If you're worried about the chlorine content in your tap water, leave it
>in an open-topped container for 24 hours, and the chlorine will
>evaporate off.
>

That is true for chlorine. However, most water distribution systems
now use chloramine rather than chlorine for disinfection and, because
chloramines are much more stable than chlorine, standing for 24 hours
will not eliminate them.
That being said, at the rate chloramines are added, there should be no
appreciable effect on yeast.

Ross.

Thanks for the info.

That was an off-hand remark by Alton Brown I wanted to clarify.

That being said, I still want my "artisan bread" loaves to rise a little
more than they do, and am trying to figure out some possible variables.

"Cuthbert Thistlethwaite" > wrote in message
...
>
>
> Thanks for the info.
>
> That was an off-hand remark by Alton Brown I wanted to clarify.
>
> That being said, I still want my "artisan bread" loaves to rise a little
> more than they do, and am trying to figure out some possible variables.

Save the water you boil potatoes in and use that in your bread. It'll give
you a nice rise.

Ms P

On Jul 5, 10:57�am, "Ms P" > wrote:
> "Cuthbert Thistlethwaite" > wrote in message
>
> ...
>
>
>
> > Thanks for the info.
>
> > That was an off-hand remark by Alton Brown I wanted to clarify.
>
> > That being said, I still want my "artisan bread" loaves to rise a little
> > more than they do, and am trying to figure out some possible variables.
>
> Save the water you boil potatoes in and use that in your bread.

Pasta water the same... providing there's not an overage of salt.

Sheldon > wrote in
:

> On Jul 5, 10:57�am, "Ms P" > wrote:
>> "Cuthbert Thistlethwaite" > wrote in message
>>
>> ...
>>
>>
>>
>> > Thanks for the info.
>>
>> > That was an off-hand remark by Alton Brown I wanted to clarify.
>>
>> > That being said, I still want my "artisan bread" loaves to rise a
>> > littl
> e
>> > more than they do, and am trying to figure out some possible
>> > variables.
>>
>> Save the water you boil potatoes in and use that in your bread.
>
> Pasta water the same... providing there's not an overage of salt.
>

Or make tea the night before, with extra water in the kettle, and use
that pre-boiled water. Water outgases as it gets warm...boiled water has
only the gases availible to it in your kitchen air as it cools to absorb.

--

The house of the burning beet-Alan

> wrote in message
...
> On Sat, 05 Jul 2008 09:08:01 -0500, Cuthbert Thistlethwaite
> > wrote:
>
>>
>>
>>Thanks for the info.
>>
>>That was an off-hand remark by Alton Brown I wanted to clarify.
>>
>>That being said, I still want my "artisan bread" loaves to rise a little
>>more than they do, and am trying to figure out some possible variables.
>
> Add 1 tablespoon of gluten flour per cup of bread flour.
>
> Ross

Potato water works just as well and is free.

Ms P

On Sat, 05 Jul 2008 09:08:01 -0500, Cuthbert Thistlethwaite
> wrote:

>
>
>Thanks for the info.
>
>That was an off-hand remark by Alton Brown I wanted to clarify.
>
>That being said, I still want my "artisan bread" loaves to rise a little
>more than they do, and am trying to figure out some possible variables.

Add 1 tablespoon of gluten flour per cup of bread flour.

Ross

hahabogus wrote:

> Or make tea the night before, with extra water in the kettle, and use
> that pre-boiled water. Water outgases as it gets warm...boiled water has
> only the gases availible to it in your kitchen air as it cools to absorb.
>

My mother always kept pre-boiled water in the big kettle that just sat
on the stove all the time. She used that water to add to soup stock that
was too strong, or to other things she was cooking that required water.
I always wondered why she needed to use pre-boiled water. Now I know.
Thanks.

--
Janet Wilder
Bad spelling. Bad punctuation
Good Friends. Good Life

Cuthbert Thistlethwaite wrote:
>
> That was an off-hand remark by Alton Brown I wanted to clarify.
>
> That being said, I still want my "artisan bread" loaves to rise a little
> more than they do, and am trying to figure out some possible variables.

It's extremely unlikely chlorinated water, it's far, far more likely
your recipe, your ingredients, and/or technique. And most US
municipalites do not clorinate anyway. Besides, were you so concerned
you'd realize that there's relatively little water used in yeast dough
recipes so it would not put you out much to try with bottled water to
see if there's any difference, before posting. NYC has clorinated
water, yet there are many bakeries located there that arguably produce
the best breads on the planet.

Sheldon wrote:
>
> Cuthbert Thistlethwaite wrote:
> >
> > That being said, I still want my "artisan bread" loaves to rise a little
> > more than they do, and am trying to figure out some possible variables.
>
> It's extremely unlikely chlorinated water, it's far, far more likely
> your recipe, your ingredients, and/or technique. And most US
> municipalites do not clorinate anyway. Besides, were you so concerned
> you'd realize that there's relatively little water used in yeast dough
> recipes so it would not put you out much to try with bottled water to
> see if there's any difference, before posting. NYC has clorinated
> water, yet there are many bakeries located there that arguably produce
> the best breads on the planet.

Chlorination has been supplanted across much of the U.S.
by chloramine. Aquarists are keenly aware of this, because
chlorinated water can be rendered safe for fish by allowing
the water to stand for a few days, but this doesn't work
for water treated with chloramine.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chloramine

I agree that it's unlikely to affect the rising of bread
dough, though that's not an unreasonable theory. I concur
with your suggestion to test the theory by doing a batch
using bottled water.

On Jul 5, 11:26*am, Janet Wilder > wrote:

> My mother always kept pre-boiled water in the big kettle that just sat
> on the stove all the time. She used that water to add to soup stock that
> was too strong, or to other things she was cooking that required water.
> I always wondered why she needed to use pre-boiled water. Now I know.
> Thanks.
>
Nowadays you can easily replicate the availability of hot or pre-
boiled water by using an electric kettle. I find many more uses for
it than I anticipated when I bought it. -aem

Cuthbert Thistlethwaite wrote:
> When a baking recipe using yeast calls for water, does anyone avoid
> tap water on the theory that the chlorine is inconsistent with good
> yeast development? Is that a false idea, not worth worrying about,
> I hope?
>
> Happy Independence Day . . .

Go to alt.bread.recipes and discuss your ingredients, technique and recipe
with the experienced bread bakers there.
Janet

aem wrote:
>
> On Jul 5, 11:26 am, Janet Wilder > wrote:
>
> > My mother always kept pre-boiled water in the big kettle that just sat
> > on the stove all the time. She used that water to add to soup stock that
> > was too strong, or to other things she was cooking that required water.
> > I always wondered why she needed to use pre-boiled water. Now I know.
> > Thanks.
> >
> Nowadays you can easily replicate the availability of hot or pre-
> boiled water by using an electric kettle. I find many more uses for
> it than I anticipated when I bought it. -aem

During hot weather, I avoid heating up the house
and raising the humidity by boiling water in my
electric hot pot in the bathroom (with the window
open and the door to the rest of the house closed),
then pouring the hot water over the food. For
example, Trader Joe's has some nice pesto and smoked
chicken sausages. I'll put one of those in my
large Pyrex measuring cup, then fill the cup
with boiling hot water. After a few minutes,
the sausage is nice and hot, and I'll wrap it
with one of Trader Joe's Mediterranean flat bread
(with a little Dijon mustard slathered on it,
and maybe some chopped shallots). Not my favorite
food, but passable when I'm anticipating a hot day.

On Jul 5, 3:07�pm, Mark Thorson > wrote:
> Sheldon wrote:
>
> > Cuthbert Thistlethwaite wrote:
>
> > > That being said, I still want my "artisan bread" loaves to rise a little
> > > more than they do, and am trying to figure out some possible variables.
>
> > It's extremely unlikely chlorinated water, it's far, far more likely
> > your recipe, your ingredients, and/or technique. �And most US
> > municipalites do not clorinate anyway. �Besides, were you so concerned
> > you'd realize that there's relatively little water used in yeast dough
> > recipes so it would not put you out much to try with bottled water to
> > see if there's any difference, before posting. �NYC has clorinated
> > water, yet there are many bakeries located there that arguably produce
> > the best breads on the planet.
>
> Chlorination has been supplanted across much of the U.S.
> by chloramine. �Aquarists are keenly aware of this, because
> chlorinated water can be rendered safe for fish by allowing
> the water to stand for a few days, but this doesn't work
> for water treated with chloramine.
>
> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chloramine
>
> I agree that it's unlikely to affect the rising of bread
> dough, though that's not an unreasonable theory. �I concur
> with your suggestion to test the theory by doing a batch
> using bottled water.

Cloramine can be removed with charcoal filters and by using water
conditioning chemicals.

http://www.burlingtoniowa.org/waterw...hloramines.pdf

> I agree that it's unlikely to affect the rising of bread
> dough, though that's not an unreasonable theory.

Yes, I thought chlorine was at least a plausible variable, but the
consensus here is clearly that chlorine is not relevant at all.

Just as well.