You really don't have to have warm water to dissolve dry yeast. It will work in cold tap water, just not as fast as lukewarm water, maybe, I dunno, never tried starting out with cold water. Maybe this is just a restaurant technique... no time to wait for warm water, just use it as it comes out of the tap. I'll bet it is not "ice" water from a container in the fridge.

Teresa - just guessin'

Prolly to try to keep the dough from getting too hot. The recipe calls for mixing it in the mixer for a total of 15 minutes; it's going to get plenty warm from all that friction. I use the Frugal Gourmet's French bread recipe which calls for kneading for 10 minutes in a KA. The dough is quite warm after 10 minutes. Probably be downright toasty after 15 minutes.

I've never had dough get overly warm from being in a mixer, even for a long time. I think it may be an attempt to make the recipe usable by the lowest common denominator, so that people don't use scalding water, kill the yeast, and leave bad reviews.

Depends on the recipe - but usually cold water means a longer rising time and much better flavor esp with whole grains. For example - Pain al'ancienne recipes use ice water and refrigeration before rising and cooking.

Nope...it's to prevent the dough from over heating in the mixer.
I frequently do French bread in the Cuisinart....and the dough gets quite warm even though I use cold water.
Actually I have killed the yeast when I have over processed and the dough has gotten too warm.

Yeast starts to die around 120 F. If someone puts warm tap water (100F or so) and flour in a mixer and then goes to town on high speed, I imagine they might get too close to 120F. Specifying cold water is probably meant to avoid that.

For more on temperature control during dough mixing, I found this link for you to read . . . I tried and zzzzz . . .

http://www.classofoods.com/page2_1.html

This must be one of those exceptions to the rule ideas; but it's too bad they wouldn't have given a water temperature instead of using a term like "cold" for the proofing water.

There is a substance - Gluthione - in wheat germ (therefore it's also in whole wheat flour when we use it) we have to concern ourselves with that breaks down the gluten - often resulting in short, squatty loaves of whole wheat bread. Glutathione is ALSO present in small amounts in yeast and can cause the same thing if yeast is dissolved in water that is too cool. Glutathione in yeast stays in the yeast UNLESS you use water cooler than 100-degrees F. for proofing, and the Gluthtione will leak out quickly causing the dough strength to be weakened, and MAYBE that's the result they want with this dough.

It's even suggested that your flour temperature be at least 75-degrees F when adding it to the proofed yeast so you don't bring the temperature down too much. An important thing to remember if you keep flour in the freezer or refrigerator - bring it to room temperature before adding it.

Another method is to use normal water temperatures for proofing, then add some crushed ice to the dough - after it's mixed well and just before kneading if you are trying to keep the dough cool while machine kneading. "Adding a little crushed ice to chill the dough just before kneading increases absorption of water for better gluten development." (source: CookWise - Shirley O. Corriher).

-Grainlady

using a mixer cold water is the best. I make all our our bread and I use cold water for all my yeast recipes.

This is a moot point in Florida. In the summer, my kitchen is at 79 degrees. I use my Hobart on Speed #1 and Speed #2 and the dough is about 80 degrees when it comes out of the bowl. Our "cold" tap water is 77 degrees. My bread doesn't have a chance to be too cold!

I used "cold" fridge water for my pizza dough tonight... still rose really fast (inspite of a 2 hour refrig rest after the first rise) because my house is warm. Once those yeasties get chugging they dont stop and I have heard from a lot of sources that a slow cold rise is much better for flavor.

Alexa

The original recipe called for a total of 15 minutes of mixing in the KA...IMHO that might be a concern for over heating even with cold water.
I make dough in the Cuisinart....and even using ice cold water, the dough is about 100 degrees in 1 1'/2 minutes of kneading.

Linda, I orig. thought 15 minutes, too. Went back & re-read the recipe and the first 5 minutes of mixing is just the yeast, water & oil. Going to warm up some, but not significantly, I would think...least not like when the friction really gets going with the addition of flour.

But, that's still 10 minutes of mixing in the machine &, like I posted above, I know from experience that 10 minutes of kneading in a Kitchen Aid mixer is going to really heat up the dough...perhaps a bit more with a really stiff dough like the one I make for French bread.

The relevant part of the directions: ...Whisk together 2 cups cold water, the yeast and 1 1/2 tablespoons oil. Put in a stand mixer with the dough hook attachment. Mix on speed 1, or low speed, for 5 minutes...