Temperature × recipe
40% Rye Hearth Loaf at 83–87°F
Adjusted timing: 2.0h bulk + 4.5h proof (multiplier 0.56×).
- Baseline bulk (76°F)
- 3.5h
- Adjusted bulk
- 2.0h
- Baseline proof
- 8h
- Adjusted proof
- 4.5h
- Multiplier
- 0.56×
- Activity
- hyperactive
- Target hydration
- 78%
- Bake temp
- 475°F
Why the timing shifts
Hot kitchen — summer without AC, near-window light. Ferment nearly 2× faster than baseline. Not ideal — fermentation outpaces gluten development, leading to over-acidic flavor and collapsed structure. If unavoidable, use very low levain (10-12%), minimal bulk (2h max), and get dough into cold retard ASAP. Consider reducing bulk temperature by moving dough to cooler location (basement, refrigerator brief intervals).
Technique for 40% Rye Hearth Loaf
Autolyse wheat flours 30 min with water. Add rye flour, levain, salt. Mix thoroughly by hand (rye prevents useful kneading). 3-4 coil folds over 3h bulk at 76°F. Shape in floured banneton. Cold retard 8h. Bake in preheated dutch oven at 475°F: 20 min lid on, 20 min lid off.
Calculator pre-set to these values
- Multiplier at 85°F
- 0.56×
- Adjusted bulk ferment
- 2 h
- Adjusted final proof
- 4.5 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.