Baking in High Humidity: Here's What Helps As summer starts to heat up, it’s important for bread bakers to keep an eye on the humidity levels in their kitchens. Warmer temperatures outdoors can lead to increased humidity indoors, and these changes in humidity can significantly impact how your starter and dough ferment and proof. In warmer months, humidity in the air can cause sourdough starter to ferment faster. This is because yeast loves excess heat and moisture, which can lead to increased activation rates and the likelihood your starter will over-ferment. The flour you bake with can also absorb more moisture from the air on hotter, more humid days; if left unchecked, this may lead to dough that’s wetter and stickier than usual. What’s the best way to beat this unwanted heat when baking? Consider the following: - Lowering your starter and/or dough’s water content by 10%
- Slightly cooling the temperature of your water before adding it to your starter and/or dough
- When proofing, try to keep your dough’s environment around 75°F
Interested in learning more bread baking tips and tricks this summer? Explore Challenger’s online resources by heading to our Baker’s Classroom. | 
