Pennyhal

I have a new counter top that can be quite cold to the touch. I made bread the other day and was afraid that kneading the bread on that cool surface would make the dough too cold and cause the yeast to get too cold too. So I put some large pans filled with hot water on the surface to warm it up.

Am I being too cautious? Or, does anyone else deal with these cold surfaces?

Chasing Hawk

According to this site cold counter-tops are good for pastry making and pie crusts. Warming your counter sounds like a good idea. This site says a good wooden cutting board is great for bread making.

http://www.thefreshloaf.com/node/7263/kneading-surface

SouthPStitches

I leave in the northeast and often, household temps are cool enough that it impedes the bread products rising. I usuallyl make the dough in my breadmaker on the dough setting. After forming into pans, I then put the pans on a heating pad and put tea towels over the pans (medium setting). Within 45-60 minutes, the product is ready to go into the oven. Many years ago we had a heated water bed. Would lay a large towel on top of the bed quit, then nestle the bread pans onto the towel, finally covering with a couple of tea towels. That worked like a charm also.

Incidentally, I store my yeast in the freezer with no problem. Literally keeps for years and performs well. Have taken frozen bread dough out of the freezer, greased the bread pans and let it thaw and rise in the refrigerator. It all works, just takes longer.

QuiltE

I found that the best place for dough to rise in my home is
under the warmth of the lights in the fan above my stove.


Now, you all have me thinking, "Make Bread!"
..... but with no yeast in the house, not going to happen.

Rhonda K

Just an FYI:

Be careful of setting pans that are too hot on the counters. If there is already a fissure in the counter top it can cause a crack right through. In other words, be careful of significant temperature changes.

Mkotch

I live in the northeast and my counters are cool to the touch in winter. When I knead dough, I don't do it long enough to inhibit rising. When I want to let dough rise, I preheat my oven for a minute or two before covering and setting dough to rise in it.

illinois

Just sharing--I made some of the crockpot peanut clusters to take to my daughter's for Christmas. When we finally came to a point that people were looking for sweets after dinner, they were soft. The container had been sitting on the countertop above the dishwasher and was warm enough to soften the chocolate!! Oops!

Lady Diana

nothing to do with counter top, but I place a rack over my sink, fill the sink with hot water and put my bowl with dough on top of rack with tea towel on top....when the water cools, I put more hot water in the sink......In the summer the air condition is too cool for dough rising....I cover the bowl with a tea towel and put it in my car with windows up.....boy it rises fast...perfect....my husband and his family think I'm crazy....but they sure make short work of the rolls!

Onebyone

Keep yeast in the freezer. I have a l lb package of yeast in the freezer that I use that is over 8 years old and still active.

meanmom

I don't think kneading your bread on a cold counter top would hurt it. I store yeast dough in the refrigerator for days and it is fine. The only thing it might do to it is your dough might rise a little bit slower. I make caramel rolls all the time and store the rolls in the refrigerator before baking them.
Bread sounds good. It is cold here, I might have to make some today.