Temperature × recipe
Sourdough Challah at 78–82°F
Adjusted timing: 1.6h bulk + 2.3h proof (multiplier 0.78×).
- Baseline bulk (76°F)
- 2h
- Adjusted bulk
- 1.6h
- Baseline proof
- 3h
- Adjusted proof
- 2.3h
- Multiplier
- 0.78×
- Activity
- very-active
- Target hydration
- 55%
- Bake temp
- 350°F
Why the timing shifts
Warm kitchen or proofing box — ideal for accelerating fermentation. Ferment 25% faster than baseline. Good for schedule compression. Watch carefully — dough over-proofs quickly. Ideal for hot-weather baking when you want to get dough into cold retard before too much fermentation happens. Consider reducing levain to 12-15% to slow things back down.
Technique for Sourdough Challah
Stand mixer: combine flour, eggs, water, oil, sugar, levain, salt. Knead 8 min on medium. 2h bulk at 76°F with 2 folds. Divide into strands (3/4/6), braid. Proof 3h at 76°F. Egg wash, optionally top with sesame or poppy. Bake 350°F for 30 min until internal 190°F.
Calculator pre-set to these values
- Multiplier at 80°F
- 0.78×
- Adjusted bulk ferment
- 1.6 h
- Adjusted final proof
- 2.3 h
How the math works
Multipliers are piecewise-linear interpolations between reference points measured by Myhrvold et al. in Modernist Bread vol 3. 76°F is the baseline (1.0×); every 10°F drop roughly doubles fermentation time, and every 10°F rise roughly halves it.