The old baker at King Arthur in Norwich told me my dough was too cold and it fixed everything

Karen Carter · 2026-10-11T06:40:03.052405+00:00

I had been baking sourdough for about 2 years and my loaves were always dense and gummy inside even though the crust looked fine. Last March I took a class at the King Arthur Baking School in Norwich, Vermont and the instructor, a guy named Frank who has been baking for 40 years, poked my dough and said it was 62 degrees and way too cold for a good rise. I bought a $12 instant read thermometer and started warming my flour in the oven with the light on for 20 minutes before mixing, and now my crumb is open and light almost every time. Has anyone else had a cold dough problem in a chilly kitchen, and what temp do you aim for before bulk ferment?

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The old baker at King Arthur in Norwich told me my dough was too cold and it fixed everything | Bakers - Thought Shares